Seen

Then came Alex’s answer to her question. Deep down, Emma was happy. It was self respect, and Rebecca had none.

She’d been acting like she knew everything, and the embarrassment Alex gave her was all Emma needed to start feeling like herself again. She smiled, but it was only a little.

She wouldn’t dare let Rebecca catch her smiling she’d be dead if she did. Still, she smiled anyway, hoping that for once, Rebecca had been embarrassed. It was the first time Emma had ever seen Rebecca stutter while answering a question, and Alex’s reply had been mind blowing. She smiled again.

That was when she also heard a laugh behind her, or rather beside her. She turned and saw it was Romeo, the guy from earlier in class.

“So you can smile,” Romeo said.

Emma pulled back at his question. What did he mean by if she could smile? Of course she could smile. She was human.

“I’m Romeo,” he said.

“I know,” Emma answered, not wanting to have a conversation with him. Deep down she was still mad at him for calling her an old woman earlier.

Their conversation didn’t escape the eyes of Alex.

“The girl over there..”

Emma and Romeo both snapped out of their conversation and turned to see who the voice belonged to. Behold it was Alex Maradona.

Yes… you,

Emma He stepped back a little, just to be sure he was actually pointing at her and not dreaming. She turned to her back, then to her front, and saw that he really was staring at her.

“Sir… me?” she asked to confirm.

“Yes, you. Don’t you have any question to ask?”

There was silence in the room. No one answered.

Romeo nudged her. “Come on, ask a question. I know you have one.”

Emma let out a breath.

“Okay, sir… I have a question.”

Alex let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

Emma stood up to ask her question, and with her body and her clothes fully in view now she gained the whole room’s attention.

Immediately, some were coughing while others giggled, laughing at what she was wearing.

“I mean, is that the best she could put on? Oh my God, if this is her best, what do the rest of her clothes look like? Such a waste.”

“Oh my God, how can someone wear that? Is she even using skincare? She looks old. Why is her face like that? Where is she even from? I wonder what country she’s from. Just look at her.”

The whispers settled on her like stones. This was exactly what she’d been trying to avoid all this while. Why was this even happening?

Why did Alex have to call on her now, right when she thought he might be different? She was sure Alex had asked the question just to embarrass her, to force her to stand up. She didn’t want this. And yet, here it was.

She stared at Alex. Alex staring back at her.

“Yes, miss. Please ask your question.” Alex’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Mm… sir, you studied medicine right?”

Alex answered, “Yes, I did.”

For some reason, Alex’s voice steadied her. The shaking in her hands eased. All she saw now was just her and Alex.

“Sir… how were you able to navigate that with other businesses? Like… I don’t think you’re even making use of your degree, coupled with all the rumors I’ve heard about you.”

Alex’s mind lit up. Good question. Degree. Rumor. Wealth. Navigate. That’s a good one, miss.

What’s your name?”

Me?

Yes you

“I’m Emma… Emma Stanford,” Emma said, fidgeting with her hand, feeling shy about speaking directly to Alex.