"Are you sitting in front of a computer?"
"What do you think?"
"I want to believe that you're somewhere sheltered from the rain, a library maybe. You're valuing these last few hours before they close on you." I said into the device.
"Let me tell you something Hofferson." There was a distant clatter. "Some of us, don't have all the time in the world. Not all as privileged as you. We work to make a living and make something of ourselves."
"I work too! Where do you think I just came from?"
"You expect me to read your mind?" He said shortly.
"Whatever." I grit my teeth. "Have you gotten anything done?"
"Checked those links you gave me." He grunted. "Made a thesis. Look, I'm a little busy right now. Come morning, check your phone. I'll have sent you what I came up with. You tell me what you think."
Then the call disconnected, the last thing I heard was an engine beginning to roar. I was left to wonder where he could possibly work. Or, he might've gotten out just like me and was starting his car. I don't know… but I could find out. If I hadn't contacted him, I doubt he would have even sent me a word today. This couldn't wait. We had to choose a topic today to be ready to show to the teacher for tomorrow's class. But we couldn't move anywhere if we didn't agree. There was too much anxious energy running through me.
If I were partners with anybody else, I wouldn't be chasing them. We would have already found a topic, and at this very moment finding sources for the essay. The teacher gave us a deadline to have three sources chosen by next week. The week after a completed outline. Enough time for us to look over and revise it. Then to type out the essay, include our sources, and then start constructing the presentation. But I was stuck with Haddock. This meant that I would constantly have to be at his neck. If this didn't get done, I had to continue exercising the severity of it. I turned on my laptop. I had nothing to do, nothing to get done if we both hadn't agreed on it.
I started to construct an outline. There would be nothing to fill in because we hadn't agreed on anything, but there would be a document ready to share. I was wondering what text messages I would find in the morning. I set my alarm to wake up earlier so I had time to insert something into the document. In class I could tell him if any of my links matched up to what he had come up with. Or I could confront him and tell him we had to change it. I had no idea what this guy was capable of coming up with. He was a slacker, that much I knew. His work could be of the grade level of a student in primary school. I stared at the document. I'd need his email as well.
[#$%*&^]
As should have been expected, Haddock did not even deign to show up to class. I was hoping that he'd show up last minute, as he was famous for doing so. Better to be marked tardy than have an absence on your record. I was woefully mistaken. I'd squeezed my pencil so tight that I was afraid I'd break it. The teacher once again gave me her glance of sympathy after her gaze had passed over his empty desk. I considered what Heather had told me yesterday. About asking her if there was anything else I could do. But I answered the question for myself.
There was still time to make progress. Still able to achieve the deadline. Haddock may ditch classes on occasion but hardly ever an entire day. So he was on campus. After I walked out of the class we shared, I looked at the texts he had sent me. Having been received at 12:34 a.m. Five texts I hadn't seen until I awoke this morning at 6:45. His thesis, had been well-constructed. It was similar to what I had found. Before I had to head to school I managed to plug in the thesis and print out a peer-reviewed journal for research. If only he'd bothered to show up to class so we could discuss further.
Once school ended I immediately headed to where I had found him yesterday, but today there was no smoke from behind the tree trunk. There were still five cigarette butts on the ground. There were still two other places, but they were on different sides of the campus. Then I started thinking, of another place I knew he could be. I began to head toward the school parking lot. I knew that I was heading to the right place, judging by the blaring music that started reaching my ears.
I saw the cloud drifting out through the small opening of the window. I had come to know that only one person would ever deign to do it on school grounds. I had seen what had happened before when the smoker had been caught. Given enough warning that once the supervisor walked up to them they simply leaned down and extinguished the cigarette. They no longer bothered punishing him.
I opened the door and swooped into the passenger seat. The vehicle had miraculously been left unlocked, though the music could be enough to deter anyone from approaching. There were three empty spaces on either side.
"Can I help you?" An naselled voice groaned.
"You know that's bad for you, and could get you suspended." I tried to say over the music.
"And frankly, I don't give a fuck. Besides, this is my private property, you have no right to tell me what I can and can't do on my terf."
"Usually what people do on their property shouldn't call attention to others." I reasoned.
"Well you're a snoopy Berkian, not much different than the others." He watched me with a glare. "You haven't learned to mind your own business."
I reached toward the music player and lowered the volume. Reducing it to background noise. I settled into the seat, marvelling that the car was actually comfortable, and amidst the smell of tobacco there was a faint cherry. Showing he did attempt to keep it to a suitable smell.
"It's like you set up a shield of repulsion."
"Smoke and music." He said with narrowed eyes. "Clearly it's not enough. What the fuck do you want?"
I crossed my arms. "You didn't even deign to show up to class today."
"I sent you what you wanted. You want more?"
"There's still the rest of the research, the essay, and the presentation! A damned thesis is not all you're going to do!"
He took in a slow inhale. "And I bet, you're sitting here because you found a source. You're oh so desperate to make sure I'm informed on every step you've taken."
"Yes. I had even brought my laptop so we could manage something during lunchtime. But I couldn't find you during that time either."
"When it's hard to find someone, it means they don't want to be found."
"I'm not letting you off that easy Haddock." I gave him a hard stare. "Give me your email. I need to send you the outline so we can start working on it."
"Don't have one."
"How, do you not have an email!?"
"No device that connects to the internet. Never a need for it. Who even sends emails anymore?"
"You need it so we can actually work on this together."
"Hofferson, you'll be able to get by without me."
I grabbed the wrist that held a cigarette.
"Come on, the library here at the school is open another hour. We're setting you up with an email."
