meraki.

Not Just A Girl

Anna's desk was a mess. 

She kept looking at it, one of her brows raised, in that condescending manner that usually would have made hers or anyone else's eyes roll. But, as far as she knew, the desk had no eyes to roll. So she kept staring at it. 

As if staring at the big pile of stuff on top would have made it magically disappear. 

She used to be so fond of cleaning, keeping things in order, everything in its rightful place, easy to find, easy to manage. 

What had happened to that organisation? One of her best traits.

Down the toilet, alongside her patience and her calmness. 

She tried to take a few deep breaths, closing her eyes, telling herself that when she'd opened her eyes again, she would've looked at the pile in a completely different manner. 

It didn't happen. 

If anything, the pile was now annoying her even more. 

Pursing her lips, she raised her eyes to the ceiling, sending silent curses to the heavens. 

As if it ever helped, she thought. 

She came to the conclusion that she needed to clean up everything. By herself. 

She sent one look to the door, silently praying that someone would've burst through the door, offering her some help. 

Just because. 

But, realistically speaking, she knew no such thing would've happened. 

When had anything gone the way she had hoped it went? 

Exactly. 

She slowly started to sort the various books, one by one, dividing them in alphabetical order. That was everything she could manage that morning. 

She had woken up - no, correction, had been woken up - by an unexpected phone call, on her well-deserved day off. 

"Miss Anna, what a pleasure speaking with you, on this fine morning!" - the voice on the other hand had started, not bothering to say hello nor good morning nor any other acceptable form of greeting that normal human beings would use when starting a conversation. 

"Good morning to you too, mr. De Angelis..." - she had answered, after giving one hateful look to the phone screen. 

"Good morning indeed!" - at least. - "I hope I didn't wake you up, my dearest. But this really couldn't wait!" - of course it couldn't. - "As you know, we started the semester a week ago." - she knew.

"I am aware, but I finished all of my exams, and I am now working on my thesis." 

"Oh, I am aware of that, miss Anna, I am well aware. How could I not be aware of one my best student's history!" 

"That's... great." - she bit her tongue to try and make the next sentence less sour and rude, while passing her free hand through her knotted hair, wincing when the fingers didn't run smoothly thorugh her long locks. - "Then... why are you calling me?" 

"If you would've let me finish my sentence!" - the university president laughed, his eyes probably crinkling, on the other end of the phone. - "As I was saying. The semester started a week ago, and I must say I am really glad that our Faculty has so many new attendants." - Anna had rolled her eyes, just wanting for the president to stop tiptoeing around the real subject of that gods-damned phone call. - "It has, however, got to my attention that our poor students are... lacking in most of the subjects, and, although everyone is supposed to start from scratch, at University, start a new chapter of their lives, I can't tolerate people lacking the mere foundations of our principal subjects, because-"