Hayden starred at the equipment sitting around the house and wondered what it was for. She hadn’t wanted to come to university, and she wasn’t to thrilled that she was there. She also wasn’t sure that she was completely comfortable living on her own and being in a house that wasn’t underground.
Staring at the windows she wished she could cover them up, she wasn’t a fan of nature. If anything Hayden hated being outdoors.
Hayden hated her classes at first, although she did think her professor was very cute and found herself wondering if he was a good kisser. She even stopped him in the hall after one lecture, but he made it clear before she could say anything that he did not mix with students. With a slight pout she asked a question on that days lecture before moving on to her next class.
Hayden only made a half effort to study her notes during the first half of the term, and only leaving the house for classes. She was still unsure how she felt about university itself but had been thrilled when in one class they were each allowed to handle a guitar and learn basic chords on it. Hayden found herself falling in love with the feel of the worn wood and the strings on her hands. She paid the price for her indifference by failing her first mid mid term.
Z’ah answered her phone noting it was the dean of admissions office, upon hearing that Hayden had failed her first exam and would be sent home, Z’ah asked to speak to Hayden. When the clerk confessed that she couldn’t put Hayden on the phone, because although she had left the exam in tears she had still gone to the next class to take the next mid term exam. Z’ah crisply told the clerk to call back when they had both the results of the second exam and Hayden in the office with them.
When next Z’ah answered her phone it was an upper counselor instead of a clerk who answered. Z’ah could hear Hayden sobbing in the background.
The counselor noted that Hayden had done much better with her second midterm, passing with top scores. Z’ah asked how many points Hayden had missed on the first exam. Upon learning that Hayden had failed the first exam because of a linguistic spelling difference on two words she wasn’t happy. Z’ah pointed out that perhaps the university would be able to retain more students if they would allow a little more flexibility on some of the small differences like the spelling of words grey or color. Z’ah pushed her point further by pointing out that had it been a professor from Sunset Valley scoring the exam that Hayden wouldn’t have lost the points for spelling.
Hearing exasperation in the counselors voice Z’ah changed her tactic ever so slightly.
“Is the science department still trying to get their hands on analyzers?” Z’ah asked. Startled the counselor admitted that the university was still having trouble getting certain resources. Z’ah, felt a surge of elation well through her chest, “May I propose an offer.” She practically purred into the phone.
After some intense negotiations, Z’ah arranged for Hayden to finish the turn. In exchange she would provide the university with some much needed supplies for all of the departments, not just the science department.
The counselor left Z’ah on the phone as she explained to a grateful Hayden that she would be allowed to stay and finish the term. “But!” the counselor cautioned “if you can’t finish the term with a B+ or higher we won’t be able to let you back in for a second term.” “No matter what your sister offers us” the counselor added as an after thought for the listening Z’ah. Hayden gulped and said that she would do better.
Hayden stayed true to her word. She braved the hated outdoors and a full moon, to study at the library.
She attended additional supplemental classes, that her professors recommended. Even when she felt that knowing three different ways to serve soup wasn’t a real skill. Although she did love her extra credit class with the large bass, and the class on keyboards. She was less thrilled with the class on mixing colors and brush stroke techniques. Hayden found herself enamored with the classes on how to write music, and began to think of ways to write music that would draw the viewer in to the drama unfolding on stages or with the old movies that got played at the theater.
She worked harder during the sketching classes where she not only had to be outside, but had to sit in the wet cold snow. She couldn’t keep her disgust from creeping onto her face, but she tried harder than she had during the first half of the term.
Hayden was thrilled when her professor let her borrow a guitar from the university so she could practice chords outside of class. As much as she hated the outdoors, Hayden soon discovered that the best place to practice when at home was out on her porch, it was the only place she constantly reminded herself where she had elbow room.
She kept telling herself the spot on the deans list was worth the time outside. She wanted to come back next term and take the advanced composition classes.
Hayden even pushed herself to practice in the deserted quad on campus. Causing students and professors to stop and listen. Which made Hayden push harder, she loved being the center of attention.
As Hayden was leaving her finals she was approached by several students asking her to perform at a party they were hosting that afternoon. Hayden smiled patted her guitar and said that she would be happy to perform.
The following morning, when she got her official transcript for the term she cried. Even though she had worked hard, made the deans list and passed both of her finals with excellent scores she had only managed to earn a ‘C’ for the term.
Hayden was crushed as she packed her bags to go home, with a final longing look at the guitar, wishing she was allowed to take it home with her, she closed the door behind her and climbed into the truck for home.
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