Shattered

17: Ambition

  "Alright, that is all. Do your assignment, eat your vegetables, and have a lovely winter break."

  The incredibly small class at Jennings Community College cleared out of the room as quickly as they could. The only person remaining, apart from the professor, was someone who was never in a rush to leave school: Brooke Worthington. All her classmates were always so frantic to do whatever they needed to do after class, when in retrospect, it was much easier to take it slow.

  Although she did not understand it, Brooke did not mind that everyone always rushed off. She had never fit in with her class, and always seemed to be doing the opposite of what they were doing. It was not that they did not include her; it was more that she chose not to be included. Her young independence had brought that state of mind within her, whether for the best or not.

  She was even slower that day, for it being the last day of the semester, she wanted a chance to talk to her professor. When the last of her books were placed gently in her messenger bag, she waited patiently in front of the man's desk, as he organized his belongings.

  He hummed to let Brooke know that he saw her, and took off his rectangular glasses. He took a seat in the chair behind his desk, and looked up at her, with his head rested in his folded hands.

  "What can I do for you, Miss Worthington?" he asked in a syrupy sweet voice; the one thing that Brooke did not like about him.

  His hair was dark with a hint of silver. It was swept over in an outdated fashion to match his retro bow tie. With a large square face, and short stature, his whole appearance was unique. His name, Jim Ramsey, was written on a plate on top of his desk, which he began to polish as Brooke spoke.

  "Well, Professor," she began, fiddling nervously with her pencil, "I wanted to discuss the matter of my major with you, if you please."

  "Ah, yes," said Professor Ramsey, his small dark eyes looking up at Brooke knowingly, and almost urging her to continue.

  "You see," Brooke went on, "I'm not exactly sure, but I think I would like to major in business."

  The small professor shook his head thoughtfully. "No, no, no, dear," he said articulately. "When choosing a major, one must be positively certain. There is no 'think' or 'would like to' or 'not exactly sure.' Now tell me, Miss Worthington. Why is it that you wish to pursue business?"

  Brooke blushed at her previous choice of words, and thought a moment before speaking, so as not to mess up again. "I believe business would be a suitable career choice for me, given the qualities I possess, Professor."

  The professor nodded, and murmured something. "And, pray tell, what qualities are those?"

  Brooke had been praying that he would not ask, but as she thought about it, she had completely set him up to ask that question.

  "Um," she hesitated, and cleared her throat. "Ambition, independence, understanding, communication-"

  "Wait one moment," Professor Ramsey interrupted, putting a hand in the air to silence her. "Ambition you say?"

  Brooke nodded timidly, and gripped her pencil tighter in her hand. 

  "Interesting," he commented, as he thought deeply to himself. "Ambition was, in fact, the first quality you mentioned.... Interesting, very interesting."

  "Pardon me, sir," said Brooke, feeling slightly out of the loop, "but what is 'interesting'?"

  "What I find interesting," said Professor Ramsey, speaking the loudest he had spoken throughout the conversation, "is that you are the least ambitious person I know."