Disclaimer: I do not own PhofOp.
Rejected
"Damn." Erik whispered under his breath.
"What?" Nadir questioned, taking a bite out of his sandwich.
Erik sighed and straightened from his bag. "Apparently I left my USB at the computer center last night."
"That sucks." Nadir stated.
Erik rolled his eyes. "Not very helpful, Nadir."
Nadir shrugged then yelped as Antoinette elbowed him in his side. Nadir sent her a scowl which she ignored.
"At least you know where it is." She countered, going back to her own lunch. "Make the trip after this and you'll have it."
With a shrug, Erik went back to his lunch, momentarily forgetting about the drive. He was glad that it was a Friday. That meant he could spend the weekend working on his own music without any distractions.
He'll have to do everything for next week first…
Erik mentally sighed. Sometimes, he regretted coming to college, even if he had everything paid for. The classes took a lot of time away from what he wants to do, which was to create music. It was such a hassle to have to create short pieces and have to turn it in for an assignment. Sure it was easy to do, Erik believed that the staff would be impressed with anything he came up with. His first year there he had put that to the test and the result only confirmed his belief. After that, he had stopped trying hard. Of course, he completed all the assignments but putting a piece of his soul into them? Not since that first year. He saved that for pieces he made during his free time.
Erik heard laughter and glanced up to see that it was Antoinette, but Nadir had his hand covering his mouth which meant that he was smiling and probably trying to hold back a laugh. The two of them were the reason Erik was there in the first place. They had gone to college while Erik spent a year traveling.
He had not liked being without his two friends and came back to be with them.
There are a bunch of rumors that he was in a relationship with one of them and that's the reason why he had gone to college. The three of them found amusement in that sometimes. It was amazing how nosy people could be about someone's life and are willing to believe outrageous rumors as a result. They assume, they do not know.
Erik stood up from the table they were at, causing Antoinette and Nadir to look at him.
"I'm going to see if I can find the USB at the computer center, that's where it's supposed to be."
"And if it's not?" Nadir questioned.
Erik shrugged. "Let us hope that it is there. I will see the two of you later."
He threw away the trash from his lunch and headed over to the center. On his way, he saw curious glances aimed at him and other's that were more…Erik didn't know the word but he sort of felt dirty because of them. Like he was on display…
Erik quickly mentally shook himself. He didn't want to linger on such thoughts. Besides, the people behind those gazes would be disillusioned if they were to ever see his face. The mask made people curious, but all of them ended up the same. They always ended up trying to take his mask away. Erik refused to let anyone come close enough to try.
He got to the center and went to the room he had been in the previous night. There were more people using the computers, but it was the middle of the day. He skimmed over to the computer he used but did not find an USB. Hoping that someone had turned it in, he went to the front desk where a young woman was at and asked about it. However, she checked the lost & found but it was not there.
With a sigh, Erik thanked the woman and walked out.
He had been certain that he had left it there but maybe it had fallen out of his bag somehow. He did not want to think about the option of someone taking it and keeping it.
The drive itself would not be useful to anyone unless they took the same classes as he did. Erik used that USB for his school work and that was it. It would be a setback, if he never got it back, but it would not be the end of the world.
That would have been if it was his other drive.
Erik frowned as he tried to think of what to do next. He did not think he would have the time to retrace his steps before his class. He needed to do it, but it would have to wait.
He sighed. He did not want to wait, but made his way towards his class.
When Erik got there, he saw that the professor and serval students were already inside. He instantly went towards the front and placed his bag on the table next to the podium.
"Erik good that you're here early, I want to talk to you about something." The professor, Webber, stated and gestured for him to get closer.
Erik went to the podium where Webber was setting up the projector and lesson for the day.
"Since we are coming close to the mid-term phase, I think you should start tutoring some of the students that are having a hard time." Webber informed him.
Erik blinked. "I had not realized there was anyone that would need such a thing."
"It's not a lot." Webber added with a grin. "A couple, no more than that and I want you to offer it to them. If they decline, that's their problem, but I want them to know that it's an option."
"Then, why are you not making it a general announcement? For everyone?" Erik inquired.
Webber smirked. "Because I know some of them would lie to get you to tutor them and that would be a waste of time for both of you."
Erik felt his cheeks warm underneath his mask and was grateful that said mask hid him. By the smirk getting wider on Webber's face, Erik knew that he knew.
He cleared his throat. "Who are the students I need to talk to?"
"Jeanette and Raoul. I'm sure they'll find your help…Is something wrong?"
Erik blinked, realizing that his eyes must have given away something. "Ah, are you speaking about Mr. de Chagny?"
"We have one Raoul in the roster, Erik." Webber frowned. "Will that be a problem?"
Only the fact that he hates me for an unknown reason, Erik thought but instead made himself grin. "Not at all. I will speak with both of them after class. Can you call for them once class is finished?"
Webber nodded and focused back on the computer.
Erik glanced over at the classroom and saw that majority of the students were inside, there were always a couple stranglers when the class begun. He spotted Mr. de Chagny towards the back. Their eyes met for a moment, and then the younger scowled before turning his head away.
Erik sighed under his breath.
Webber began the class and Erik went to the table where his bag sat. Webber had given him the homework from earlier this week to grade and he needed to get that done. As he worked, he listened in on the lesson, it was a good lesson. Erik has found Webber to be a strict but fair professor, which is one of the reasons why he had taken up being his TA.
However, while Webber was a good teacher, he did not have good students.
Erik's hand twitched slightly at hearing the sound of a particular girl's voice making a comment. She was always able to talk during the class at some point of another, though Erik knew that she did not care about the class at all. He can tell when people actually want to be in the class or not, most of them do not and Erik can understand that. It is considered an easy 'A' course for those that try and it meets a core requirement.
But he cannot stand it when people are in the class because of him.
And he knows for a fact that there are serval students that are under that category.
Every time, one of those students would talk, his hand would twitch. He did not mean to do it but it was sort of a reflex by now. A couple times, he would glance to the side at Webber to see his expression. Most of the time, the professor would have a patient smirk on his face and Erik would go back to his grading with a scowl.
Webber always had too much fun with that knowledge, Erik could not help but wonder sometimes if he was asked to be his TA for some entertainment.
Erik certainly would not put it pass the man.
Class was over and the students began to pack up their things.
"Hold up!" Webber called out. Everyone paused to look at the professor. "I need Raoul and Jeanette to stay behind!"
Everyone whose name was not called went back to heading out. Erik saw the nervous expression on Jeanette's face and the confusion on Raoul's. Erik stood up and swung his bag over his shoulder, grabbing the graded papers and handing them over to Webber, who took them gratefully.
When the two students got to the podium, Webber grinned.
"There's no need to be nervous, I want to talk about an opportunity." Webber began. He leaned his weight against the podium and crossed his arms. "The two of you are not failing, but both of your grades could be better. The midterm is coming up and it's a big part of your final grade."
Webber nodded towards Erik, and Erik sort of wish he had not since the other two's attention moved to him. "If you two are willing, Erik can tutor you. If you make a decent grade on the midterm, I'll be more comfortable with you doing the final."
"Tutoring?" Jeanette asked thoughtfully. She turned her eyes away as she gave the idea some thought.
Erik did not mind Jeanette. Unlike some of the others, he could tell that she genuinely cared about the class and wanted to do a good job in it.
"What happens if we don't want it?" Mr. de Chagny asked with a slight glare towards Erik.
Webber raised his hands in surrender. "Then you won't get tutoring, simple as that. I'm not forcing this on either of you. I wanted you to know about the opportunity. I called the two of you aside for a reason."
Raoul looked away and Erik tilted his head to the side as he waited.
A part of him wanted the younger to decline the offer. Erik knew that Mr. de Chagny did not like him and would therefore make any interaction between them uncomfortable as it has been in the past, few as they were. However, Erik was also curious about why the younger did not like him and might be able to find out the reason if he did accept the tutoring.
"I think I'm going to take my chances doing it on my own." Raoul declared finally.
Erik felt a little disappointed by the decision but did not let it show. Webber nodded.
"That's fine, but if you don't do well on the mid-term, I want you to reconsider, okay?"
Raoul nodded back and walked away from them, leaving the three. Erik guessed he will not be finding out why after all.
"What about you?" Erik asked, focusing on Jeanette.
Jeanette shrugged. "I wouldn't mind the extra help. I've never been good at studying."
Erik grinned. "I will help you with that."
Mr. de Chagny might not have taken up the offer of being tutored, but Erik was more than happy to help Jeanette. He did not know what the younger's problem was with him, but Erik was not going to let that bother him for long.
Now if only he could find out what happened to his USB drive.
And the next one it up! I hope everyone enjoyed a little bit of what goes on in Erik's head. :) If you liked it, be sure to leave a review! Next chapter will be in Christine's POV. See ya next time!