Chapter 4

Amita felt slightly nervous as she approached Professor Hayes. She was praying that this would work

"Professor Hayes?" Amita questioned as she knocked lightly on the professor's door

"Amita, its nice to see you again"

"You too professor Hayes"

"Amita call me Kelly" Professor Hayes said crossing the room to hug the younger woman. Professor Hayes was to Amita as Larry was to Charlie. A mentor and a friend.

"If you insist" Amita replied hugging back. She laughed momentarily forgetting her reason for being there

"Not that I don't appreciate the visit but I somehow doubt you came here to just say hi"

Well what did I expect from her, she always did get to the point "I want to talk to you about my thesis"

"Oh I wanted to ask you how that's going?" Professor Hayes said as she sat down behind her desk and gesturing Amita to sit across from her

"Its going fine but I was wondering…well I was wondering if you could be my thesis advisor"

"Did-did I just hear you correctly?" Professor Hayes stammered. She wasn't stupid but she paled in comparison to Dr. Charlie Eppes the boyhood genius, why would she rather have her?

"Yes. I want to finish my thesis with you" Amita said strongly as if to convince herself along with Professor Hayes

"But why? Not that I don't want you, but you have Dr. Eppes"

"Well Kelly can you keep a HUGE secret?"

"Um…Amita?"

"Kelly please swear you won't tell a soul"

I hope I'm not going to regret this "I swear"

"I like Dr. Eppes"

"Of course you do but what's this huge secret"

"That is Kelly. I'm not talking he's a nice person, I'm talking I can't stop thinking about him like him"

"OH! Oh um how does he feel about you?" Professor Hayes asked. She was interested, she had grown close to Amita and was quite surprised that these feelings had developed

"I'm not completely sure. I'm pretty sure that he likes me as much as I like him but because he's my teacher we've never had a chance to express it"

"So you're going to switch advisors in the middle of your thesis for him?"

"Well I'm not in the middle I'll be done at the end of this semester"

"So you're switching when you're two months away from getting your doctorate" Professor Hayes stated. She wasn't really judging, she was just restating what Amita had said hoping that Amita would hear how absurd her plan is when said by someone else

"Yes. I can't take it anymore Kelly" Amita said putting her head down

"Then I'm going to help you" Professor said getting up from behind her desk and walking over to Amita and helping her up

Yes finally I can ask him out…but wait…"So does that mean you'll help me with my thesis?" Amita said looking at her friend and mentor hopefully

"Nope. I'm going to do you the favor of not helping you because after these two months you'll both want to be with each other that much more and that you'll finish your thesis with the smartest professor in this area"

"But-" Amita starts to object

"No buts sweetheart. Now I have another appointment. Call me when you find out what happens" Professor Hayes says as she ushers Amita out the door, and giving her a hug

"Thank you Kelly"

"Your welcome and good luck" Professor Hayes says as she shuts the door

"I'll need it" Amita says turning to go meet with Charlie for there next work session

Hope you liked it. Keep reviewing I'll keep writing :-D