The Other Side

Full Potential (Ch. 1)

"Jason?"

Jason snaps awake. First, he takes in the large lecture hall, then the pen laying idly by his hand next to his small collection of notes, and finally he comes to the realization he had dozed off.

Jason Grover is a twenty-one-year-old Caucasian man with brown spikey hair, brown eyes, and is exactly 6'1 feet tall. He wears a black jacket over his light blue polo shirt and white khaki pants over his legs with brown shoes.

He turns to the person sitting next to him who called his name. A young nineteen-year-old woman with comed short brown hair, black eyes, and has a height of 5'5. She's wearing the purple and white coat Jason sees her bring everywhere, and has on skinny blue jeans and black shoes.

"Jesus, that's twice this week!" she whispers. "You're not getting enough sleep."

Jason would explain the reason for him dozing off was the result of boredom rather than a lack of sleep, but that would undoubtedly raise an entire discussion about the importance of lectures.

Professor Oliver's voice has become nothing but background noise to Jason's ears. He tries to listen to what he's saying, but he must be on another subject since the words coming out of his mouth are incompatible with Jason's brain.

As if noticing Jason's confused expression, the woman whispers:

"One of these days, I'm going to stop letting you borrow my notes."

Jason grins.

"Makayla, that'll be the day I fail College," he responds.

"Serves you right."

Jason chuckles. However, the point she's making isn't lost on him entirely. He can't rely on her forever. The fact he's maintaining a B in astronomy, but can barely manage a D in every other class speaks volumes on how helpful she is.

Sitting at the front of the room with a smartboard behind him is Professor Oliver. A wrinkly old Asian-American man with balding grey hair, and a fairly skinny build. He's wearing the black suit he usually wears. Behind him, to the right of the smartboard, is Miss Winters. A woman in her late twenties. The student-teacher.

"-hold onto your notes, and I would highly recommend going over what we reviewed today so you're prepared for the exam," Professor Oliver says. "However, before I dismiss each of you, I have an announcement to make."

Jason notices Makayla perk up with interest to Professor Oliver's last sentence.

"A few of you may have heard me mention a field trip," he says. "Well, this is the time to pay attention if you're interested. Those of you who sign up will be going to Spain."

Excited murmuring spreads through the lecture hall.

"Spain?!" Makayla says in excitement.

"This field trip will be funded by the company Revocsid," Oliver continues. "We'll be visiting one of their facilities and observing how they do things. Since they're a space company, I couldn't imagine a more appropriate trip. There's a clipboard on my desk. You're all adults, so I expect those of you wanting to register can manage to sign each of your names in an orderly fashion. I'll come by later today and collect it. You're all dismissed."

...

As he pushes open the brown door leading out the building, the fresh smell of the outdoors pleases Oliver's nostrils. The warm noon air makes for the perfect temperature for the old man, and he walks down a concrete path in the middle of campus. Too bad there looks to be no shortage of grey clouds in the sky, in contrast to the lively grass.

His car isn't too far away. He thinks of where he wants to go for his thirty-minute break. If only it was longer. Thirty-three years of teaching at the same university can make anyone a little wary of their job.