Chapter 2

Location: Lake Hill Town.

( Lecture hall )

“Miss Michaelson, please can you help us with the answer?" 

Professor Collins startled me completely as he announced my name in front of the whole class- addressing me by my surname.

He was pointing towards the board and it seemed he wanted me to answer a question he had asked but why me? This is bad.

My eyes drifted to what was written on the board.

‘The concept of Evolution.'

Oh great. Why did he have to call me? I wasn't even raising my hands. Jeez! Or was it because he saw that I wasn't paying attention to his lectures while he was teaching since I was busy chit-chatting with my best friend, Kate??

”Sure.. Mr Collins," 

I said with a slight trace of nervousness in my voice as I stood up and everywhere suddenly became quiet like a graveyard. It seemed as if everyone in the lecture hall had their eyes and attention on me.

Gosh, I am feeling more nervous now.

I don't even know what I want to say but here goes nothing.

“Alright go on, enlighten us on the concept of evolution. We are waiting." 

The prof said in a witty manner.

I have always said that Mr Collins looks so young to be a professor. I don't know his age but from his looks I can guess he is probably in his late twenties or early thirties even younger than that so how come he is a professor??

I mean before I gained admission into college I used to have this pictorial imagination in my head of how a college professor would look like.

You know 'an old, gray hair man with big, round glasses' but Mr Collins is nothing like that. He is quite the opposite, really.

He is handsome, tall and smart looking with an unblemished, smooth skin. Though he looks too pale for my liking. It seems like the sun rays has never touched his skin since the day he was born which is very odd but not taken anything away from him he is a very handsome, fine man and many girls in the collage find him attractive, some_ many are even crushing on him hard though I haven't seen Mr Collins misbehaving with any of the females. He is quite a gentleman from what I have seen and heard...

“Ahem," I coughed out silently before I started my explanation.

“Well..from my own understanding. I would say the concept of evolution is simply a CHANGE of SPECIES over several generations."

I paused for a while to see if I was actually making any sense or I was saying total nonsense.

However, looking at the professor's face encouraged me to continue as he was nodding pleasingly to what I was saying.

“..so we can say everything existing today at one point was different. I mean every creature, animal or insect at one point had to evolve to what they are today probably to survive the climate change of their time or for proper adaptation and improvement." 

“Hmm," Mr Collins sighs softly.

“So is it right to say all the species today are related since they have gradually changed over time? Like for example humans were once monkeys and apes but now we are what we are but still the monkeys and apes are still in existence. Which makes them what in relation to us?"

“Our relatives," I as well as everyone in the lecture hall answered.

Though it's kinda awkward to call the apes and monkeys relatives. It doesn't sit well in the tongue but I guess the professor is right if we are to go with the evolution theory and all that.

“You can take your seat Miss Michaelson," Mr Collins uttered, gesturing to the chair.

“Thank you, professor." I gladly sat down while he continued addressing the class.

“You did well, Jane." 

My best friend Kate said with a wide smile and I smiled softly at her without saying a word.

I decided to pay more attention to Mr Collins so he wouldn't ask me any further questions...

“Evolution is an improvement process, that means every species that undergoes evolution or evolves always becomes better than what they evolved from. Prime examples of that are humans. We are a better species to our primates relatives we evolved from. We might not be stronger or more agile like the gorillas or apes but we have this," he said touching his skull.

“Our brains and this put us above all creatures that have evolved." 

He then paused for a while as his eyes rove through us, the students as if in search of something before he continued speaking.

“But I would like to ask, are we humans the final product of evolution? Are we the end? Is it not possible that we humans can be evolved into something much stronger, faster and even smarter than us? What if such creatures already exist now and they are living amongst us??" 

He directed the question to the class but no one could give a reply however murmuring noises could be heard as the students discussed amongst themselves based on what Mr Collins had said.

“That can't be possible, no such creature exists." 

Kate said and I agreed with her but the manner at which Mr Collins spoke made me somehow scared.

What if he is right?

Can there exist any creature superior to man??

★

“So that will be all for today, I will see you guys next week, same time and venue." With those words Mr Collins ended his class…

“So what will you be doing tonight, after school?" My best friend Kate asked with an unusual smile on her face as we walked down the hallway leading to the exit staircase.

“Well pretty much the normal thing I do every night. Eat, read and sleep," I said and the smile previously on my friend's face completely disappeared.

“That's so boring," she said, laying emphasis on the last word.

“What can I say? I enjoy the boring life." I said with a smug smile and that seemed to annoy my friend though I meant it as a joke.

“Well you won't be doing any of that today." She said authoritatively

“And why is that?"

“Cause we will be going to a party."

“Party? No, no, no." I said showing my disapproval but as usual my best friend showed me a trait I know her very well for.

Stubbornness!

“Yes you are and that's final! You need to live, girlfriend. You can't keep burying your head into those big books every single day of your life. You will end up being lonely and sad. So not another word about reading, you are coming with me to the party."

Kate said and I let out a defeated sigh.

“Okay, just this once. Next time I won't let you have your way so easily." 

I said in a serious manner but she smiled.

“Sure, of course." I could sense the sarcastic tone from her speech..

Saying goodbye to my best friend Kate I walked to the side of the road to flag down a cab that will take me home.

It didn't take too long before I found a yellow painted color vehicle driving in my direction. That's a taxi and I quickly flagged it down.

“Taxi!" I signified and the car came slowing down before parking in front of me.

But as I was trying to board the vehicle I heard someone call my name.

“Hey Jane!" 

Turning around I saw an average height guy running to my direction and I recognized him as my course mate but I really don't know his name as we don't really talk much.

“Hey," I tried to put a smile on my face not to look awkward since I don't even know his name but he called me by my first name plus he is full of smiles.

I must say he has the whitest set of teeth I have seen and they match his eyes as well as they are very clear. He is quite charming in a Latin kind of way. I bet he is from those Latinos countries. Mexico, Peru etc.

“Hey I just wanted to say I enjoyed your contribution in the morning class." He said and I was a bit confused.

What contribution is he talking about??

“Huh? Contribution?" 

“Yeah, in professor Collins' class. Concerning evolution." he jogged my memory.

“Oh that, well it's nothing. I just said what came to my mind. I really don't know if what I said made any sense," I replied and I was being honest.

“It actually does. It made a lot of sense. You are really brilliant," he said and I smiled this time genuinely.

No one has ever told me I am brilliant. Not that I am dull or anything but I don't think I am worthy of that compliment though it is unusually good.

“Thanks," I responded a bit shyly.

“Sorry what's your name. Don't be annoyed that I don't know, can you please remind me?" And I felt a bit bad saying that but he just smiled.

“It's Jeremy." 

“Jeremy. I won't forget," I said and just then the cab man blew his horn.

“Oh sorry I have to go now," I spoke urgently not to offend the cab man. I have already wasted enough of his time.

”Take care." He bid goodbye before he walked away.

“Sorry," I apologized to the cab man as I got in the back seat. 

He didn't say anything, not that I expected him to say anything.

Kick-starting his engine he drove off while I stared outside through the window of the vehicle.