I was excited! No, better yet, ecstatic! Oh, I don't even believe that was the word for it! I was beyond thrilled to open the letter given to me by my professor at Harvard University.
One of the best-known universities anybody could get into, especially for a little orphan Annie like me. Though, my name is Victoria Perkins. So I am nowhere close to being called Annie, however, I am an orphan like her.
After turning eighteen, with no legal adoption. I've been on my own and doing just dandy at that. Well, thanks to my professor, and the astounding straight As, I've earned in school. I've always been a hard worker.
After reading the letter for a third time. I am exhilarated to see I was given this rare opportunity to travel to Egypt and join this team to excavate a lost city beneath the withering sands.
My professor pulled many strings to make this all possible for me.
Once I parked my car at Harvard University's front lot. I went inside and stood outside my Professor's classroom. He was in the middle of his lecture.
Once he dismissed the class everyone gathered their belongings like books, pens, pencils, and whatever else. Then they scurried off to either leave or attend their next lecture class.
I began to make my way in and was greeted by the professor with a warm smile.
"Ms. Perkins, how may I help you?" He asked as he neatly stacked his papers before putting them into his briefcase from today's lesson.
"I just wanted to thank you for giving me this..."
"No need to thank me, Ms. Perkins." He interrupted and placed his hand on my right shoulder. "You earn this yourself by being a hard worker. I only made a few calls."
I could only smile at this wonderful modest man, who was like a father to me.
"Still, Sir, I owe you a great thank you for everything you've done for me," I insisted and expressed my gratitude.
If it wasn't for my professor, who knows where I might be? For all I knew, I could be a homeless girl living on the filthy streets. My professor is the one who found me jobless and homeless before I walked out of that orphanage. He pulled my record and stopped me from walking on the streets, homeless. He offered me a lifetime opportunity to attend Harvard University.
He saw I dreamed of becoming an archaeologist and paleontologist, I wanted both degrees.
A journalism degree was one of my first accomplishments. Thanks to my professor, he paid for all my tuition, and I dare not let the 49-year-old man down.
The man genuinely smiled at me. "You better run along and pack. Your flight to Egypt leaves tomorrow."
I gave a gratifying gesture and left the room.
~~~
The professor smiled sole-heartedly at the girl leaving. Until his smile dissipated upon feeling his phone, vibrating inside the front left pocket of his black suit pants. He took it out as he frowned, reading the name, Mrs. Collin.
"Hello," he answered without letting a third vibration rattle his palm.
"Did you make the arrangements for Ms. Perkins?"
"I did," answered the Professor. "But you must promise me, no harm will come to the girl?"
Over the line, Mrs.Collin's rose-red colored lips curved into a smirk. "Let this be clear, Professor. The girl is no longer your concern. I'd be more worried about your whereabouts compared to hers because if you had us invest in the wrong girl..."
"I have no doubt she is the right girl for the job," interrupted the professor.
A breath was sent into his ear. Following a haunting chuckle that made the professor's skin crawl.
"Surely, you understand if she isn't the right girl; there will be payback for all the time we put forth on Ms. Perkin's education. You understand my husband, Mr. Collin, hates wasting time over money," warned Mrs. Collin.
Without another word, she hung up. Hearing a deadline in his ear.
The professor whispered when lowering the phone from his earlobe, "Do forgive me, Ms. Perkins."
~~~
Once I reach my dorm, I quickly run in and begin to pack. My excitement was so high I felt as if I was floating in the clouds. I only have two bags here to pack. The rest of my stuff had already been shipped to the hotel spa I'll be staying at in Egypt.
Supposedly, the lost city was found right off the outskirts of Egypt. The main mission was to find the Pharaoh that reigned during that dynasty.
Apparently, it was a huge mystery, and go figure, nobody would have known there was a huge undiscovered ancient city on the outskirts of Egypt.
Satellite imagery revealed there was an ancient hidden city beneath the golden sands of Egypt. Now, I am part of the 20th team member to excavate the area. Through the mail, I was given all satellite images, the location of the city, drone pictures of the landscape, and maps of the lost city.
But more interesting, I learned funding the excavation was none other than Mr. Collin, a very powerful Empire CEO who owned many estates, commercial industries, and Empire buildings. Mr. Collin even owns Harvard University.
Rumor has it that he comes from Royalty blood, so I speculated his family immigrated to the US long before.
Mr. Collin's daughter, Veronica, was a celebrity. Veronica played in several horror films. You could say I love horror movies, so I always admired her acting skills. No denying, I am considered a fan of her acting.
Then her mother Mrs. Collin did a lot of modeling in cosmetic magazines and played in some movies. She and her daughter were famous for their beautiful red curly hair.
Then there was Chester Collin, the dreamy son, or most call him the prince of the Empire CEO. The Collin men were associated with politics, so everyone knew the Collin family quite well.
Now to be sent on this assignment funded by Mr. Collin was truly an honor.
However, something about the Collin family was a mystery. Other than knowing those achievements. Very little was known about the Collin Royal family's descendants. Like, how did they get so powerful was a huge mystery to folks? Ding!
Oh, my pizza rolls! I dashed out of my bedroom and ran to my tiny dorm kitchen. I opened the toaster oven on time, so my pizza rolls weren't burnt.
After I scooped them out on a disposable plate, I got a glass of milk from the fridge. I took a seat at the small island bar that was behind me before I began to eat while I played " Interview with the Vampire" on my tablet. Ok, so I was a nerd when it came to vampires. I giggled at the thought as the dorm room's door opened.
Instantly, I heard tons of laughter as my roommate Crystal came in with her boyfriend named Zach before my boyfriend, Orlando, shut the door.
Today he looked so delicious, I must say. His blue jeans were slightly baggy and he had on a formal button-down blue shirt. The buttons were opened enough to reveal his gray muscle shirt underneath it.
He came up, taking a seat next to me. My roommate and her boyfriend went inside her bedroom.
"How are you doing, babe?" asked Orlando after he kissed my temple. Before I could answer, he raised a brow. "You're watching Interview with the Vampire again?"
"Hey, you know it's my favorite!" I giggled at him, shaking his head.
"You keep watching that junk, you're going to start dreaming about vampires in your sleep," Orlando teased.
"Probably," I giggled.
Orlando wasn't a vampire nerd like me. To be honest, we didn't have much in common. He was more like the party-goer. Meanwhile, I was the one who studied hard earning my scholarships with A's, whereas, Orlando was just making B's. I have no idea how we ended up falling in love. Despite our differences, I felt his family doesn't approve of our relationship because Orlando comes from an Empire CEO family Mill business. Whereas I am no different than orphan Annie here.
Unlike Orlando, I've had to earn my status through hard work. Orlando had it easy, so he earned his scholarships on mostly B's, or more likely on D's.
Life was made easy for him. I know his father made sure his son would become successful in the future because Orlando's family and the Collin family were business rivals. Rumors claimed they didn't get along.
Whatever the truth may be, Mr. Mill wasn't about to let his family business fall because his son would rather be a party animal than a businessman.
"Are you coming to the club?" Orlando asked, and I frowned, staring at him.
"You know, I leave early tomorrow," I reminded him.
He nodded his head slightly, seemingly disappointed, but then he leaned forward and pulled out this small tan box from his back pocket. Next, he faced me beaming with such radiance. He opened the box revealing this 10-carat diamond ring while my eyes gaped. "Victoria Perkins, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" He got down on one knee, asking me.