This is like a life. This is lifelike. I climb inside a mistake and remake myself in the shape of a better mistake — a nice pair of glasses
without any lenses, shoes that don’t quite fit, a chest that always hurts. There is a checklist of things
you need to do to be a person. I don’t want to be a person but there isn’t a choice, so I work my way down and kiss the feet. I work my way up and lick the knee. I give you my skull to do with whatever you please.
Victor laughs a bit, quickly thinking back on the books he’s read. “No, I don’t think anyone has. And if anyone could do it, I think it could definitely be you.” And he grins at her, flashing her his dazzling smile.
“Good!” She pockets her phone once more, looking up at smiling widely herself. She can’t help it - his own is so infectious, it has her shaking her head in amusement. “Stop it now, you’re flattering me. Very dangerous to stroke the egos of writerly types. We’re practically dependent on complementary reviews.”
“i’ll do it.” “please just don’t.” “let me help.” “i hate you.” “i love you.” “you love me?” “please stop( it.” “i can’t breathe.” “just go away.” “what the fuck? ” “you’re an ass.” “you’re a bitch.” “don’t leave me!” “don’t walk away.” “stay with me.” “i’m begging you…” “for fuck’s sake…” “clean this up!” “please kiss me.” “are you bleeding? ” “get off me!” “you are despicable.” “are you okay!?” “don’t do this.” “please shut up.” “are you drunk?” “don’t forget me.”
· · ·“And since Belgium and St. Petersburg are a bit far to get a cuppa, the university cafe will have to do. Good thing it’s so close!”
“Exactly. You’ll save hundreds on the air fare, at least. Not to mention your carbon footprint. I always imagine it like an actual big footprint, following you around… Hang on, that’s actually quite good. Has someone done that yet?” She whips out her phone, tapping out a note to herself. That could be an interesting starting point for her next book, you know!
“Then perhaps half of my pay will go right back into the school,” Victor jokes. A lot of money does go into coffee and tea, but he’s sure he can spare some for hot chocolate.”
“It’s an investment, really. I’ve been travelling all over recently, and the only comparable hot chocolates have been in Belgium and one in this ridiculously expensive hotel in St Petersburg.”
Victor grins a bit at that, beginning to walk towards the school. His pace isn’t as quick as it was before running into her, keeping a nice pace alongside her. “I believe they do. I haven’t had the chance to go into yet. I think that should change.”
Meg keeps pace with him, looking him over. He isn’t what she expected when she heard there was a new professor, but after hearing further descriptions it really wasn’t hard to put a name to his face. “A tragedy, a damn shame. You need to try these hot chocolates - they’re incredible. I swear, most my student loan was spent in this cafe.”
He chuckles a bit at that, a few current students popping into his mind. Most who were late didn’t seem to care about the classes, but one here and there were genuinely apologetic for slipping in late albeit quietly. “Well, I have a class in an hour. If you’re not doing anything, now would be the perfect time to have a little visit!”
“That would be lovely!” The words slip out before she’s even thought of it, memories of her time at university brushing away her concerns about leaving Simon on his own in the hotel. He’s a grown man, not a dog - if he needs her, he’ll text her. That’s what she tells herself anyway. “Is the little cafe still on campus? The one that did those hot chocolates with everything - whipped cream, marshmallows…”
He’s heard very good things about this young woman from his colleagues, and he wishes that he had the pleasure of teaching her. “And grateful are they to have taught you. Truly. Do you ever get a chance to visit?”
“I’m sure that’s not true. I was always running in fifteen minutes late with Starbucks.” She jokes, trying to brush off the compliment. Because to her, that is one of the highest compliments! That her professors were so happy to teach her - some of her best days had been at university, arguing about books and studying, perfecting her craft. “I haven’t been able to visit as much as I’d like, I’ll be honest.”
“They definitely are,” he says with a laugh. “They just love showing it off, especially the professors who had you in their classes. We always like to see people doing well for themselves after graduation. It’s not easy nowadays.”
It’s not easy nowadays. You could say that again - Meg lives a pretty privileged lifestyle, flitting between London and Edinburgh, comfortably wealthy from her book deals. She knows this, being occasionally exposed to the harsher realities of life by Simon and his friends. “I’m a credit to the institution - I wouldn’t be here without everyone who helped me along the way, I know.” She replies, shrugging slightly.
