The Score (Sequel to The Exchange)

Chapter 18- Fake Science Fuckery

The following morning, I made my way to Dr. Mann's office, ready to either have a civil conversation about how talking behind people's backs was totally not cool, or to completely lose my shit.

And knowing myself and my lack of ability to maintain any chill, I was definitely prepared for the latter.

I stood outside his office door, which was closed, despite him calling the time his "office hours."

My efforts probably weren't going to fix anything, but I had to try. I wasn't a pushover, and I didn't want anyone to think that I was. If I had to blow my shot at passing the class to stand up for myself, then that was what I had to do.

I didn't spend much time planning what my course of action would be, but sometimes, winging it worked out better for me.

Other times, not so much.

I shut my eyes and breathed in, then knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Dr. Mann said from the other side of the door, and I swung it open, revealing my faux confidence.

"Good morning. I have a few concerns that I'd like to address, if that's okay with you," I said.

He rose an eyebrow at me. "I didn't expect you to cave this easily. If you're willing to work with me-"

"I'm not caving. I'm here to tell you that I know about your speech about me, and that I think it was a low blow."

He pushed a few papers across his desk, then picked up his coffee cup and sipped from it. "What speech?"

"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about. The one where you called me out for being 'the embodiment of entitlement' and said I have an inferiority complex."

He stared at me for a moment, but I refused to waiver.

Instead, I put on a smirk. "Yeah, that one. Unless there was another that I don't know about too. I wouldn't count that out."

"Take a seat. Do you have any classes soon?"

I shook my head as I sat down across from him.

"That's good, because I expect this will take a while."

"I don't mind. I just want to get this straightened out as professionally as you can manage," I said.

He chuckled. "Quite an ego on you, I must say."

"So I'm going to give you two minutes to explain yourself before I completely lose my mind. The clock starts whenever you're ready." I leaned forward in the chair and placed my hand on his desk.

There was nothing like the rush of such a chess game. Body language, word choice, and tone of voice all mattered to gain the upper hand, and while I could be pretty clueless when it came to emotional strategy, this was my way to show off what I had learned over the years.

He stared at my hand upon his desk, and I could tell it was bothering him.

It was my tactic at gaining control, claiming his territory as my own, a way of placing my foot in the door so he couldn't get rid of me.

He spoke anyway. "Amanda, you don't belong in a class like mine."

I rolled my eyes. "You're telling me."

"You're unable to follow simple guidelines. You don't belong in any class here."

The continuation of his thoughts caught me off-guard, and I pulled my hand back, placed it on my lap, and stared back at him wordlessly.