Chapter 3: Face The Music
Amelie hoped that the days of going through numerous tutors were finally over when she finished high school, but she was clearly mistaken. However, what was even more astonishing was not only the fact that Mr. Devold decided to take charge of Amelie's education after many years, but also that he entrusted the crucial task of finding a suitable tutor for his daughter to her university professor instead of asking him to tutor her himself.
"So, did he at least tell you who is going to tutor you?"
Richard helped Amelie get out of the car and gently placed her hand in his, interlacing his fingers with hers.
"No, he just said that it's one of his students."
"Hmm, I don't like it one bit. I wish I was able to help you with this class, it's too bad we could not apply to the same department."
The guy pretended to be sad but that only made Amelie smile. It was true that she, too, wanted Richard to apply to the Computer Science Department with her, mainly because she wanted to spend more time with him, but alas, the Clark family was a family of Business Department graduates and since Richard's future was already all laid out for him, there was no way the stern Mr. Clark would allow his son to deviate from that path. That was just the other side of the shiny "rich heir" coin.
"When are you meeting the guy?"
Richard's sudden question brought Amelie back to reality, and she finally realized that she hadn't paid much attention to her father's words the previous evening, therefore, she had no idea about the time she was supposed to meet her tutor or, more importantly, whether the tutor was male or female.
She put on a guilty expression and began batting her long eyelashes, causing a genuinely disappointed smile to appear on her boyfriend's handsome face.
"Ugh, Amelie, you are unbelievable! You have no idea when you're supposed to meet them, do you?"
She shook her head nonchalantly and offered Richard a subtle shrug.
"I will go to the Professor's office after classes, I'm sure it will be fine."
Richard ruffled his big hand through Amelie's soft chestnut hair and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.
"Alright, I need to go to my classes. Make sure to be good and do not fall asleep in random classrooms, okay? Call me once your tutoring session is over. Love you!"
He offered his girlfriend a hearty wave goodbye and disappeared into one of the classrooms, leaving Amelie amidst a sea of wandering, still-half-asleep students. She took her phone out of her bag to check her schedule when someone abruptly placed their skinny arm around her shoulders and almost shouted into her ear,
"Morning, Princess!"
Amelie almost dropped her phone in surprise and jerked her body away in a futile attempt to free herself from the uninvited embrace, but failed, and the reason for her failure was none other than her best friend.
"Fel!"
The other girl laughed and pecked Amelie on the cheek, clearly copying one of Richard's favorite moves.
"Did I scare you? Did not have enough sleep again last night?"
Amelie sighed at her friend's cheerfulness so early in the morning - the girl's carefree personality was one of the reasons she liked her, yet, she could not understand how she managed to maintain that unshakable level of chipperness regardless of the weather or time of day.
"Why are you so happy? Did something good happen?"
The other girl pulled Amelie even closer to her body and started marching ahead, rubbing her face on the side of Amelie's head.
"I got it, girl. I signed the contract."
The words that were uttered in such a calm manner did not manage to elicit a proper reaction, however, once Amelie finally realized what had just happened, she widened her eyes, and almost screamed,
"You did?!"
"I sure did!"
Felicity Walker, Amelie's best friend since elementary school, was not talking about some important business contract, despite her mother's probable desire for Felicity to pursue such a path. No, Felicity Walker, the daughter of a renowned actress and singer, had chosen to follow in her mother's footsteps and apparently had just signed a contract for her first-ever movie role.
"With your m-mother's c-company? Wh-what are you g-going to d-do now?"
Only when that question escaped Amelie's mouth did she realize that it was clearly redundant - it was obvious what Fel would be doing now - she would finally quit her already non-existent studies and start her serious career as an actress right away.
As if having read her friend's mind, Felicity fixed her long black hair and smiled.
"My mother has already approved everything. Today is officially my last day in this hellhole!"
Although Amelie was happy for Felicity, she still could not help but feel somewhat devastated by the mere thought of losing her friend to show business. Sure, she was not really losing her per se, but after years of unquestionable friendship during which the two of them were almost inseparable, it felt like the inevitable was finally taking its toll. They were truly growing up now. They were becoming adults.
Amelie spent the rest of the day thinking about Felicity's impending departure and exchanging random, lovey-dovey texts with Richard, who, as she gathered from his rather short replies, was busy with his own classes.
'I guess there is no helping it, I might really be the only one who is not trying her best at anything.'
Disappointed by that conclusion, she patiently waited for her last class to be over, then checked the time, and let out an irritated sigh.
'Maybe I should pray that the student whom Professor Taylor asked to be my tutor will change their mind, and I will end up free today? I'm so despondent.'
***
Amelie stopped in front of the door to Professor Taylor's office but felt reluctant to knock. Only now did she realize that seeing him after skipping all of his classes last semester would be very awkward, to say the least, and she did not have a believable apologetic speech prepared. Nevertheless, she had to face the music. She had to do what was right both for her and her father.
A soft knocking sound escaped from beneath her knuckles as her hand touched the wooden surface of the office door, and a rather stern "Come in" invited the hesitating girl inside.
"I guess it's better late than never, huh?"
Amelie could not believe either her ears or her eyes - the person that "greeted" her with such a cold and somewhat rude question was not Professor Taylor. It was him.
'Vernon Lin?'
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone