Page 2 of Dragon's Unwanted Love
“Just pull your weight, and we’ll be fine,” he said, starting down the hallway. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”
Harry fell in step next to him without a word, and he felt a bit guilty for a second. His friend had grown up a lot since their freshman year, but he wasn’t about to risk his career for anyone. “Sorry, I guess that was a bit harsh,” he finally said. “There’s just so much competition to get into medical school, I can’t screw up this year. I need to be at the top of the class.”
“Well, that shouldn’t be hard,” Harry said, looking over at him. “I guess you haven’t heard.”
“Heard what?” he asked. “I just got back last night. Other than the guys at the house, I haven’t talked to anyone else.”
“More than half the student body didn’t come back this year,” Harry said, shaking his head. “I guess they didn’t want their names connected to the college after Dean Thomas was exposed. It's bad for their reputations, I guess.”
He looked up and down the hallway, only then realizing that there weren’t as many students crowding the open spaces. “So much for school pride,” he said. “I never even considered not coming back. There are a lot of great professors here who had nothing to do with what happened, and they shouldn’t be punished because of what one man did.”
“That’s true, but he didn’t do it on his own, he had help,” Harry said, shrugging his shoulders. “There have been somearrests, a couple of professors and some students, but a lot of people think the corruption is still there.”
“Professor Proctor will get it all straightened out,” he said. “That’s why they appointed him. You’ll see, things will get back to normal soon.”
“I think we’re supposed to call him Dean Proctor now,” Harry said. “I bet you’re all going to miss him. Have you met your new sponsor yet?”
He shook his head. “He’s not going to be here for a few more days,” he said, a frown on his face. “I guess he took the job at the last minute. We don’t really know anything about him.”
They reached the classroom and stepped inside. “I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Harry said. “Besides, it’s not like he really has any power over you.”
“But he could make our lives miserable if he chooses to,” he said, then sighed, looking around the nearly empty room. “There’s no one here.”
“I warned you,” Harry said. “A lot of people bailed over the summer.”
***Abby***
By the time Abby rushed up the steps and through the doors of the science building, the hallways were deserted, reminding her just how late she was. Her new morning job clearly wasn’t going to work out, and she felt a wave of disappointment but quickly pushed it away. She had to concentrate on school, and she wasn’t about to let a minimum-wage job get in the way of achieving her dreams. She still had her night job; that would have to be enough for a while.
She was so close to her goal that she would eat ramen every day if she had to, scrounge dinner from the kitchen atthe bar when she was at work, and really didn’t need to eat breakfast. She could survive on those two meals a day. Nothing would stop her from fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor. She’d faced bigger challenges and beaten the odds to get there. She could be hungry for a few weeks until she found a better second job.
Slightly out of breath from her jog down the hallway, she stopped a few feet from the classroom, not wanting to burst in late and panting for breath. Smoothing her hair back from her face, she took a couple of deep breaths, waiting for her heart to stop pounding, then walked through the door expecting to see class already underway. Instead, a half dozen students were scattered around the room, talking and laughing, not the least bit concerned that class should have started ten minutes before.
She recognized most of the people in the room and knew that they were all bound for medical school just like her. But she hesitated, not sure what to do. She’d never had time to make friends with any of them. “What’s going on?” a voice behind her asked, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Why hasn’t class started?”
“I don’t know,” she said, turning around to face the only person she could call a friend. “I just got here too.”
“Well, let’s ask someone,” Yvonne said. “If class is cancelled, I’m going back to my apartment and sleeping for the rest of the morning. My mother wouldn’t let me leave yesterday, and I didn’t get back until after midnight.”
“A nap does sound good,” she said. “My new morning job sucks. I was up at four, and then they wouldn’t let me leave when I was supposed to.”
“Are you working two jobs again this year?” Yvonne asked, leading her across the room. “You’ll never be able to keep up.”
“I don’t have any choice, not if I want to eat,” she said,shrugging her shoulders. “I can do it, I’ve been doing this for years, Yvonne. I know how to pace myself.”
“I don’t know why you don’t just come live with me. I have an extra bedroom,” Yvonne said, shaking her head. “You wouldn’t have to pay rent. I already asked Mom and Dad, and they agreed it was a good idea. I get a little lonely sometimes, so it would be nice to have some company.”
The idea was appealing. She hated where she lived. The walls were paper thin, the heat didn’t work half the time, and her neighbors were awful. “I’m so tempted, but what if we ended up hating each other?” she said, shaking her head. “You’re the only friend I have; I don’t want to risk it.”
“We wouldn’t end up hating each other. We’d both have our own space, and I’m sure we could figure out any problems that pop up,” Yvonne said, her voice full of conviction. “We’ve been friends for three years, Abby. Let me do this for you, it would make me happy.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said, touched by her friend’s offer. “But you know how I am…”
“Don’t you dare say it, Abby. This isn’t charity, and even if it was, you deserve it,” Yvonne said. “You work harder than anyone I know, and it’s not like it would cost that much extra to have you there; in fact, if it would make you feel better, you can chip in for the utilities and water.”
Unable to resist any longer, she let out a big sigh. “I guess we could give it a try. I really hate where I live, and it would be nice to have a quiet place to study.”
Yvonne grinned at her. “I knew I could wear you down,” she said. “We’ll go get your stuff tonight. I know a guy who has a truck. Now you won’t have to work that second job.”
