บท 40: The Announcement
"Good morning everyone! Apology for taking your precious time." Professor Boa said as he walked in front of their six members.
The meeting was supposed to be at ten in the morning, but the professor was late for twenty-minutes. Jess, with no sleep from last night, listening to the annoying buzzing of Alice and her friend, started to get a throbbing headache.
It's a good thing Oliver sat down next to her and minded his own business. She likes this kind of person, who sits quietly unlike the two girls behind her who just won't stop yapping like an irritating Chihuahua.
"As I've said from my message to you guys, today is a big day!" he said in his overly cheerful voice that doesn't help with Jess' headache. "Sorry, for being late by the way. The department head caught me in the hallway."
She likes professor Boa of all the professor who oversees them in the lab, but right now she wanted to grab the lapel of his lab coat and forced him to spit out the important announcement so she could just go home.
"Where was I?" he asked grinning, he looked at each and everyone's faces as if expecting an enthralled audience.
Jess was far from being intrigued by the announcement. She just wants her bed right now. Still, when professor Boa's gaze landed on her face, she forced herself to give the old professor a sweet smile. But at the back of her head, her eyes were rolling in annoyance.
"Oh yes! Remember Mr. Tiefenbacher?" he asked like they would forget the man who was the never ending topic of discussion of the two girls who automatically giggle with the mere mention of Noah's name.
"I haven't seen Mr. Tiefenbacher, nowadays. Does he still drop by with you guys at the lab?" he asking the whole team, but his eyes settled on Jess'.
Jess bit her cheeks to stop herself from snapping at professor Boa. 'Yes, I remember Noah. The jerk that has my used underwear in his possession.'
Oliver kicked her leg because professor Boa was staring at her waiting for her answer.
"I have no idea, sir. I mostly work at the lab at night," she answered with a smile, gritting her teeth while Alice and her cohort giggled.
"Don't mind them," Oliver leaned over her shoulder and whispered.
She covered her mouth with her hand and with a hushed tone and answered, "I haven't got any sleep and I don't need any of this."
He just chuckled softly and returned his attention to professor Boa.
"I see. It seemed like Mr. Tiefenbacher didn't come by at the lab anymore. Which is not surprising." he said, clapping his hands in front of him. "You see Mr. Tiefenbacher came to our lab not just a mere observer for your experiment, but to personally check the applicants for their company."
A collective gasp of surprise was heard from the rest of the team. Professor Boa has a pleased expression on his face for he got the reaction he was expecting with this important piece of information.
Jess remained disinterested. Luke already told her about it and last night Noah confirmed it. No more element of surprise there. She wished she could go home now.
"Do you know about this?" he asked in a hushed tone.
"I heard about it, yes," she answered Oliver while smiling at the professor who was watching her reaction again. She now regretted taking the front chair.
"And I'm glad to announce that all of the chosen students were all under my supervision." he smiled widely, with a proud expression on his face looking at Jess again.
She furrowed her eyebrows, thinking the professor is surely acting strange today.
"One of the chosen students was from my other team. Surely all of you heard about the brilliant Luke Ravenport, – my student assistant…." He swept the faces of his eager listeners, clasping his hands like he was about to announce a Grammy award or something.
However, this time Jess was one of the captured audience. Upon hearing that Luke got the position, she was extremely happy for her friend. She knew how Luke worked hard over the past weeks, that he barely came home.
"...the other two students are from this team."
All of her classmates murmured with excitement.
'Is she...no way…'
She glanced at professor Boa who has been grinning the whole time. Her heart was beating wildly on her chest as she waited for the names of the students who were chosen from her team.
"Congratulations Mr. Miller and Miss Zimmerman!"
All of the male members of the team gave collective gasps and congratulations. During the happy commotion, Alice and her friend went quiet with aghast looks on their faces.
"Your summer break would start next week, and when the next semester roll in Mr. Miller and Miss Zimmerman, together with Mr. Ravenport -- you three would be joining the laboratory of ANAT and Pharma Co."
'She would be working at Noah's company!' She was inwardly panicking while accepting handshakes of congratulations from professor Boa and her labmates.
"All of us know how you were chosen," Alice said, whispering with malice under her breath handshaking her hand.
Her patience snapped from lack of sleep and awful words from this hateful girl. She was about to open her mouth, to give her a piece of her mind when Oliver pulled her aside and grabbed Alice's hand into a crushing grip.
"Yes, we all know that she was chosen because of her excellent experiments and impeccable work ethic."
Alice pulled her hand in pain, red with embarrassment.
"That's all for today. Again, sorry for taking your time. I know all of you still have a deadline to catch with all of your research. Good luck, and see you around!"
Jess watched professor Boa left the room with Alice and her friend running behind. They would probably complain and question how she got the spot for ANAT and Pharma Co.
"Don't mind them. How about you treat me instead." Oliver grinning at her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Shouldn't you be the one to treat me since I already bought you a meal before?" she laughed as they walked out of the room.
"Well then, buy me a meal for saving you from that wench, named Alice."
"I can take care of myself, Oliver! I don't need saving."
Both of them were laughing rather happily when they met Noah right outside of the classroom. She stopped in her tracks wondering what she should say when Oliver once again saved the day.
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