A Hard Lesson

Part 9

The next time, when I saw Brendon  it was in his own consultation. He had summoned Ella and me in order to discuss the final aspects which concerned the presentation. He also had asked me to bring him a printed version of the last draft of my final paper and a list of questions, if I had any. That is actually why I was running late, since, before I went to the consultation, I had to get to the library, where I could print the paper. When I reached Brendon's office, he and Ella were already there.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Greene, please sit down." Brendon greeted me and waved towards an empty chair, which stood near with Ella's seat.

I dropped my bag on the floor and took my seat. Ella nodded at me with a vague smile on her lips and I greeted her quietly. Brendon, who was leaning against the window sill just seconds ago moved towards the table and sat across from us.

I couldn't resist but notice that how good he looked today. I mean, he was wearing simple black shirt with rolled up sleeves and he had also left first two buttons of the collar open, it made him look casual yet (in a way also) professional and almost exemplary. Was that even possible?

"So," Brendon started talking as he turned into his chair lightly and typed down the password for his laptop. "I examined the presentation very carefully and I think that in large steps it has a good potential."

Was it good? I don't think it was good...

"Also, I noticed that facts were correct, but the style in which they were represented was rather... how do I say that..." he touched his glasses and I noticed how his eyebrows furrowed lightly. "I might say it was unusually usual. So..." He glanced at me then at Ella, who averted an eye contact with him rather successfully. "Who's idea was it?"

There were few moments of silence and I saw the same quizzical expression appearing on Brendon's face.

"I mean, the idea is not bad, but I am not a clown, girls, I won't be there to entertain people. At least not in this kind of level." Then he glanced at Ella and me, examining us with his eye of an expert. "Ella." He finally turned to her, "I understand that those were your editing skills?"

Seriously? I mean I thought that she had done an amazing job while rephrasing my boring descriptions and Brendon's own words. Was it really that bad?

It was too late, Ella already looked guilty... Helplessly she looked at her hands, which she held on the desk in front of her and tried to avoid any eye contact with Brendon.

Weird, but with this, I was actually able to prove to myself something that I had noticed just recently. Ella... Well, she seemed to be afraid of Brendon. Maybe not really afraid, but she was most certainly somehow intimidated by him in a way. Why?

Firstly, she would never refer to Brendon as Brendon, Mr. Urie, Professor or even Him. Instead, she tried not to refer to him at all, but if she didn't have any other choice, then she would call him Teacher. At first I thought that she would call every single professor like that, but soon I realized that it wasn't like that at all, because for the reason unknown Brendon was the only professor, who had earned this title.

Secondly, I had never noticed it before, but every time when he looked directly at her, Ella would look away or at least lower her gaze. And now, when they were speaking I could witness it in person.

"Yes," She spoke quietly, while tangling her hands together.

"What made you think that it was necessary?" Brendon, however, spoke to her as if she was just another student. He was particular but never hostile. I mean, we had (I think) a special bound, but he would use the same tone on me at most of times.