Tale Teller (West Hampton U Series #1)

Chapter 19 ● Stunned

-- Muskaan--

"So I went through all of that because the TA was careless and another student was able to copy my paper?" I gape. This professor had to be kidding me.

"Look," my professor folds her hands in front of her, leaning forward sympathetically. "I agree this should not have happened. You will be graded fairly and it will be like this never happened in my eyes. But my advice, if you want justice about this, you will have to go to the university's ombudsperson. There is no actually proof anyone copied off your paper except a silly admission from my TA. It's all he said she said. You're a bright girl Muskaan, one of the best in my class. I don't want you to go scorched earth at the risk of damaging your reputation. Some battles are not worth their wins."

I want to scream, to throw things, to tell this professor once and for all that I deserve justice for the fact that my entire education was almost thrown away because a girl was able to lower her blouse enough to distract the TA and get my paper to plagiarize off of.

Of course it wasn't an accident. What are the odds that it was my paper that copied?

It was probably that asshole Jack Thompson. He's in this class and frankly speaking, I doubt he's done anything but show up and nap in the class.

I hated the bitter anger coursing through me as I walk into the library for my shift but I can't help it. I was exhausted. It seems like no matter how much I tried to do things right, the world just finds a way to make everything more difficult. And then I was getting annoyed with myself for focusing on the negatives.

I stash my stuff in the cupboard designated for student staff and then take my post at the main desk. I could use a tea but there was no supervisor on shift today and so there was no one to cover for me. I sigh, slumping sourly.

My phone buzzes with a text from Suhana asking what happened. I give her the summary, TA confessed mishandling papers. Mine was plagiarized. Will be re-graded.

She sends back a string of angry GIFs, bringing a small smile to my face.

"Hey Muskaan," Kento's voice pulls me away from my texting.

"Hey Kento," I put my phone down, smiling at the boy in front of me who was a lot less nervously sweating than the last time I saw him a week ago. "How's it going?"

"So good," he grins. "I don't know what you said to her but Maria said she'd go out to a movie with me on Sunday."

"Hey! That's awesome," I give him a half-five. "I'm happy for you both Kento."

"All thanks to you," he bows like a nobleman. "I have to hold up my end of the bargain now and get this to Sameer," he gestures to the laptop he's holding in his arms. "I need to connect to the servers here. Nobody's going to come up to the fifth floor right?"

Well considering it was nearly 6pm on a Friday evening, I doubt it. "So what is it that you're giving him in return for all his efforts?" I ask curiously, but keep my tone as causal as I can.

"Oh, I managed to get my hands on some security camera footage so he can use that to get back on the basketball team. He got proof that Jack has a pattern of harassing Sameer and his friends."

I'm taken aback. Security camera footage? And Sameer's back on the team? It was a lot to take in... And why didn't he tell me? Well, I guess it makes sense I'm not the first person he would come to share news with now.

"That's good," I hum, not able to find many other words to say right now in my shock. "So what's left for you to do now?"

"I'm trying to get an idea of publishing timelines for the school paper. They all use the same hosting sites on campus so I thought I might be able to see when the website gets updated. Sameer believes the Tale Teller stuff gets updated right at the end before the paper gets published."