Page 104 of You + Me – Against the World

“I want you to stop talking now and put everything away! Cell phones, Twix bars, compact mirrors for makeup touch-ups—all of it. Class has started, for crying out loud!”

“Today, I want to see the work produced so far by the Scott-Perkins, Garcia-Lopez, and Arcadi-McPherson pairs. You’d better give me something I can sink my teeth into!”

“Garcia-Lopez is only one person, Professor,” a petite brunette calls out from the back of the room.

“Well, that young man needs to choose between his two names, dammit!”

“Uh… It’s a girl, Professor. Joanna Ga—”

“Right, and where is she? And why isn’t she speaking for herself?”

“Um… it’s me,” the brunette continues, sounding less and less confident.

“Perfect. What unbearable suspense, Joanna Garcia-Lopez! Does anyone else have any uninteresting remarks to contribute?”

“I do,” Vadim says from the back row.

“I expected nothing less from you, Arcadi. Go ahead.”

“I’d like to be able to work on my short film alone.”

“Ha! HA!” The professor forces a laugh. “And I would like to no longer have incompetent students who think they can do whatever they want. Unfortunately, life has a way of reminding us that we shouldn’t confuse dreams with reality. Any other questions?”

“Wait. You let Alma work on her own. Jude is alone, too. Are there certain criteria to meet, or is it just favoritism?”

Vadim is deliberately provoking Abrams to get a reaction and reopen negotiations.

“Ah, injustice! It’s been a while since you played that card with me, Arcadi. Hold on, let me get out my Kleenex and think about it.”

“Sounds like you’re trying to humiliate me to avoid answering the question. What would someone have to do to earn one of your little privileges?” my boyfriend continues, growing more and more insolent.

“Well, they would need to start by coming to class. Then stay away from graffiti, avoid rebellious behavior, and try not to get called to the dean’s office, for example.”

“That’s weird, because I don’t think I was the only one involved in all that.”

Vadim looks me straight in the eyes and holds my gaze.

He has never hidden the fact that he can’t stand injustice. Even when I’m caught up in it.

“Lancaster!” Abrams shouts, slamming his fist on his desk. “Since Arcadi has the great courtesy and immense courage to throw you into the arena and use you as a shield, stand up and explain to your ignorant friend that, normally, men protect women.”

“I don’t need to be protected, Professor.” The words spill of my mouth.

I stay seated. All eyes are on me now. But the only ones I can see are Vadim’s: gray, dark, intense, and piercing. Full of surprise at first, then pride. Telling me not to back down.

“But I think it would be great if we were all treated equally. I don’t want to work alone if the others can’t.”

A murmur fills the room.

Vadim smiles broadly.

Abrams eyes me, perplexed.

“Arcadi, Lancaster, Lopez, Garcia, and all the rest of you, work alone, in pairs, in groups of three, or don’t work at all. I couldn’t care less! But stop wasting my time. Get to it! And you, young revolutionary, come to my desk. Now!” An accusing finger points in my direction.

I approach slowly.

With his index finger, the professor motions for me to come a little closer. A little closer still. He tilts his head until his coarse beard brushes my cheek, his mouth close to my ear.