"What? But..." Jane wanted to protest.
"I don't think it's a good idea Professor McWilliams." Director Lopez said.
"And may I know why?" He questioned.
"Miss Sanchez is a special scholar of this school. And besides, she's already on her last semester of her Senior year. She will be very busy with her thesis and term papers." SD Lopez said and Jane nodded vigorously.
"And besides, to avoid conflict with the student's schedules, we choose those who are in their second to third year to be the SA candidates." He continued his explanation.
"I see. Well, it's a pity to know about that just now. Well, then, if that's the case, I won't have any SA."
Everyone was shocked hearing that. They then tried to look for Jane in the crowd but where surprised to see her with a new look that they could not almost recognize her if not for Director Lopez's recognition earlier.
"I only trust one student in this school who can do the job really well. I have read every student's portfolio and it's only Student Jane who can manage her time wisely." He continued explaining.
Which was true. Given that she had worked part-time jobs in the past, she had become the master of her time.
Being the topic of the discussion, Jane could not just sat down on the back and not do nothing.
"Thank you for that Professor but I really don't think I can handle being your SA. I'm a scholar of this school and therefore have to maintain my grades. I'm also in my final semester and will be very busy in completing my requirements so I can get my degree at the end of the semester. So I don't really have the time to do it."
'And besides, I am already full on Saturdays.' She continued in her head knowing that Edric could hear her.
'Why? Is the payment for teaching Celeste not enough? Or are you trying to avoid me? What are you trying to hide, Jane?' He asked in his thought.
Unfortunately, Jane didn't hear any of it.
"I see. Then why don't I just pay you to be my SA?" He asked her which certainly angered Jane.
'It's not about the money!' She said starting to get p*ssed off with him.
"With all due respect Professor, Jane doesn't need your money. She is only trying to avoid people like you who tried to make things difficult for her." Jake also spoke in Jane's defense.
Edric was surprised to see the younger Shaw defending Jane.
'I see.' Edric talked to Jane though their mind link.
Jane suddenly felt anxious and she was worried with Jake's safety.
'Please spare the kid. He's my first friend here in school.'
She didn't know that what she had said had stirred something inside Edric.
"Fine. I'll do it. But you don't have to pay me to do it." 'You have paid me more than enough.' She continued in her mind.
Jane could see a hint of anger in his face. It was faint that she thought it wasn't there as it disappeared quickly.
Everyone was shocked seeing her agree all of a sudden
It was like they had missed something.
"Wait, what? I thought you don't want to." Jake asked her.
"I know who he is Jane. I don't like him even if he is Mama's cousin." He whispered in her ear.
"It's fine. Really! Don't worry. I can handle it. I can handle him." She whispered back at him.
"Good! Now, it's settled. I don't have to worry about having a reliable assistant any longer since she agreed." Edric smiled wickedly while looking at Jane and Jake.
"May I know why you're so eager to have student Jane to be your SA?" One professor asked him.
'Because she has done something that our family owes her forever. And I'm trying to pay her back. I have heard that she has been being bullied here. Yet, no one dared to come to her defense. Now that she's under my wing, let's see who would want to bully her.' He really wanted to answer him that way.
However, he changed something into, "With how Student Jane looks, I will be saved from the drama of the teacher having an immoral relationship with his student."
His response was very mean to the core. He wanted to anger Jane but he was surprised that Jane was not even angered by what he had said.
"Oh! Don't worry Professor. I know where I stand." She meaningfully said.
Edric didn't know that what he said now would surely make it hard for him to woe her in the future should he fell in love with her.
"I know." He uttered.
***
It was now time for them to have their lunch. The school cafeteria prepared a lunch buffet for them to enjoy in the assembly hall.
Before Lunch was served, Edric politely told everyone that he would be leaving and won't be able to join them having lunch because he had other appointments to do for the afternoon.
Though they felt that it was such a shame knowing that he would be leaving so early. But seeing that he was being honest, they had no other choice but to let him go.
"It's a pity." Director Lopez said.
"I know but I have another job to do, too." He said without giving them any hints.
Then Edric turned his attention to Jane who was talking with Jake.
Then he suddenly flicked his fingers and the surrounding around him freezes except for Jane and him.
"What's going on? Jake?" Jane who was talking to Jake frowned when he stood frozen on the ground.
"It's pointless. He can't hear you." Edric uttered the moment he saw Jane worrying for Jake.
"What have you done to him?"
However Jane realized that it was not only him who was frozen but everyone else excluding her and Edric.
She was sure that she didn't do this. This body was not capable of doing magic yet.
So she looked at Edric and mumbled, "You can freeze time, too?"
"Yes."
Jane was only a little surprised by it.
"You're seemed to be not surprised by what I had said."
"Well, if we can hear each other's thoughts then calling you a normal person would really be odd. What do you think?" She asked him calmly.
"You're right. I'm not normal which leads me to the conclusion that you aren't normal either." He said.
"You're wrong Mr McWilliams. I am normal." Jane insisted.
"Yeah. Yeah. Just like the color of the sun is blue. Look, you can pretend that you are normal while interacting with the others but you can't hide it from me."
"What do you want?" She could not help but ask.
"I just want to know why you don't like me, Miss Jane?"
Jane was silent. She didn't want to give way her answers to him that easily.
"Because you're so hard to read." She said.
"And besides, why should I like you, Mr. McWilliams? It's not written on the contract that I should like you." Jane could no longer hold back herself.
"Look, I respect you as my employer. But if you expect me to treat you more than that, then, I am sorry."
She firmly said.
'It's alright. But I'll make you change that mindset of yours about me sooner. I'll make sure of it.' He said inside his head hiding this from Jane.
"It's fine. I understand that you have some sort of prejudice against me. I hope that will change as you continued working with me." He said.
"I'll try, Mr. McWilliams." Jane didn't deny what he had said.
"So where's my lunch?" He asked to end the conversation.
"Here." Jane said as he took it out of her bag.
"Thank you for this. I'll ask Phil to return the bento box later on." He said and then left without saying anything more.
As soon as he left the room, everyone turned back to normal.
Jake frowned when he saw that Jane was looking towards the exit.
"Are you okay, Jane?" He asked.
"Yes."
However, everyone frowned when they realized that Edric was gone.
"Where is he?" Director Lopez asked while looking around the room.
"Oh, he already left. He did tell everyone that he's in a hurry, right?" Jane hoped that everyone would buy her explanation.
"That was odd." And everyone agreed with him.
"Anyways, let's eat before the meal turns cold." Director Lopez said to everyone.
However Jane had lost the appetite to eat after what had happened.
"Ahm, Director? I don't think I can join you for lunch, too."
"Why Student Jane? Are you in a hurry, too?" One Professor who were not close to Jane asked with sarcasm.
"Look at you. You only changed your appearance and looked a little normal and now you have the audacity to ask that as if you're an important person? Who do you think will do the cleaning when we are done eating? Do you expect us to do the cleaning?" He added.
This really made Director Lopez to be disappointed with how a member of the faculty treated a student.
"Well, with all due respect Professor, I'm just giving you a favor by doing so. I don't want to hear any complaints that you have lost your appetite when you look at me." She sharply answered.
"And besides, one of the cafeteria staff may come and find me if they needed my help afterwards." She continued.
Even if what she did was inappropriate given that he was her senior and a professor of the institution where she was studying, everyone was on Jane's side this time.
And besides, it was known in the whole campus that he favored Stephanie so much because of the latter's father.
And he disliked Jane so much because of how she looked.
And even if Jane had become presentable with her new look, to him, she was still the ugliest student in the campus.
"Is this how the top student of this university should act? You-"
"Professor Mata, that's enough!" Campus Director Lopez cut him off before he could even bully Jane further.
School Director Lopez then looked at Jane and said, "What you did is wrong Jane."
"I know Director. Sir. And I'm deeply sorry for that." Jane recognized her mistake.
"Okay. If you really wish to leave, then I won't stop you. However, don't forget to eat your lunch, okay?" He gently reminded her like a father.
"Thank you, Campus Director."