QUEEN OF HEARTS

19. A ROUGH MORNING

🦋MIA🦋

One of the lecturers gave us an assignment to work on and divided us into groups. We have to discuss the topic together, conduct a thorough research on it and make a presentation infront of the whole class. So now we're in a quiet corner in the library doing the discussion so we can be ready for the presentation that's due in three days. I got lucky to be paired in the same group with Ava so now I have someone I'm more familiar with.

We're eight individuals in the group and there is one member named Seth who constantly fails to acknowledge and consider the viewpoints, opinions and perspectives of others within the group. He consistently presents his own ideas as the only correct ones, attempting to impose them on everyone else while disregarding the thoughts and contributions of the other group members. "I think your points are invalid, you should conduct more research." He abruptly interrupts one of the team members before she can fully elaborate on her point.

"Let her explain her points, we're a team here and every member has the right to talk and explain themselves." I point out and he huffs sending me a scorching glare obviously irritated.

"I am right." Seth insists. "Her points are invalid and just wasting our time."

"Seth this is called a group discussion for a reason. Stop forcing your points on us and refusing to acknowledge everyone else's."

"I think Seth is right, maybe I should just change my view." The member he cut off mumbles with a frown as she looks down to the floor while fiddling with the sleeves of her sweater.

He then smiles obviously proud for putting the members down by neglecting their points. We continue the discussion and it's my turn to explain my views and take on the topic, keeping them as short as possible and the members listening attentively except Seth who keeps interrupting and talking over me. Totally ignoring his rude behaviour that's uncalled for I keep on with my explanations only for him to interrupt me once again, ignoring my points even.

My patience slowly crumbling, I stop my explanations to face him. "Do you have a question?"

"I don't think I do." He states smugly. "I'm only answering a question one of the members asked me earlier."

"You're doing that when I'm also explaining myself so now we're not communicating well. Let me finish first then you can ask and answer all the questions you want."

What's saddening is that when the male group members are explaining their points, Seth doesn't interrupt or talk over them, he listens carefully instead.

The discussion ends an hour later and we part ways after agreeing to meet again tomorrow evening because we haven't done much today. "That Seth guy is getting on everyone's nerves." Ava breathes out a heavy sigh as we enter the dorms heading to her room. "We have no choice but to put up with him till we do the presentation otherwise we'll lose our marks because of him."

We enter the room and I throw my red mini backpack on the table, plopping myself on Ava's bed tiredly. The group discussion took so long yet we haven't done much. We spent most of the hours arguing with one another, it's past 8.30 pm now. For a group discussion to work there must be teamwork and proper effective communication. When there isn't any like in our group, it sure is going to cause our downfall. All of us as the members.

I end up falling asleep till 9.30 pm when Ava wakes me up. Her roommate is around tonight so I can't sleep here like I always do sometimes when she isn't around. Most of the time she's usually out with friends going to parties and sleeping in their rooms when it's late in the night and she can't come back.

Calling all my friends it's Vin who is still in campus so I ask him to come pick me up and give me a ride when he's leaving to go back to his penthouse. He finally comes over and we spend more time together with Ava before leaving and getting in his black Mercedes Benz. "Why the sad face?" He asks and I only sigh heavily because my day today has been a disaster. "I know what will cheer you up. A party." He exclaims in excitement before I can get a word out. "It's actually a small party that one of my friends is hosting. It's going to be fun, trust me"