❝Somehow, I have the feeling I was meant to get that last digit wrong...❞
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Little does Maura know that picking up a call from a stranger could change the course of her future indefintiley. And what happens when, years down th...
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The next time Maura bumped heads with Silas was in a frenzied rush out of her graphics class, the echoes of her professor's voice ringing ever loud in her rattled brain.
"Let this be a reminder to you all," He chastised with a weathered hand to the podium, "Submission of your portfolios to your chosen internships is coming up. I don't want any of you to come crying to me if they reject you because of your lack of submission or failure to comply with basic time management guidelines. These are top-of-the-line companies; designated to birthing the next generation of video games. It'll be daunting, but a rewarding experience if you get in." He lectured, "And need I remind you of the benefits of an early acceptance?"
Yeah, yeah, Maura thought wearily, rubbing her temples to ease away the building pressure that came with the assload of projects she had mistakenly undertaken. Primarily Terminus: a conceptual game she'd been designing since she applied to her current university.
An early acceptance to this paid internship meant not having to wait to hear back from your company upon graduation. Getting in was a given. This was a straight shot to the career of her dreams. Maura could kiss her student loans goodbye.
When she dashed the corner connecting the second wing to the third, the only recurring thought was the one where she'd burden her teacher with her questions during his after-hours. Everything was a hazy blur up until the point she nearly slammed face-first into a pillar. Because of the ultra-instincts acquired from nights of fooling around with horror games, Maura's ability to sniff out danger was on par with that of a bloodhound. That didn't, however, stop her from dropping every single thing she'd managed to precariously balance in her arms only moments earlier.
Maura groaned at the burning sensation that lanced through her jostled brain, blearily rubbing at the spot as she made an attempt to re-gather her materials. Thanks to a certain someone, the process was finished in a matter of seconds. Books, bags, and pencils were bent over one arm, while the other was used to hitch her through the crook of their hand as they lifted her back to her feet.
Maura rocked unsteadily for a second before regaining mobility in her lower half and snapping to attention.
"Funny we should run into each other so soon, Maura." A familiar voice laughed.
They had a scent like freshly molded clay and vanilla; a comforting smell if ever she knew one. Maura's eyes instinctively opened under the gentle ministrations of the man, his fingers still gripping the lower half of her elbow.
"I must not have been paying attention." Maura scrambled to the pillar she'd just managed to nearly cleave her head against, and used it for support. "Sorry." She mustered an apology, her mind still foggy; eyes searching for that particular classroom.
Upon noticing her inattentiveness and wayward attention, Silas leaned down in her field of vision and waved a hand. Maura smiled tersely in response, still somewhat uncomfortable around this man, but not able to tell him for fear that it'd somehow impede her professional relationship with him in class.
