Empathy (Book 2)

Remaining Calm

"So, what's the plan then?" Jorgie asked casually.

"Do you just expect me to figure it out?" Neo sneered back, which caused the girl opposite to take a few deep breaths to calm her anger.

"Look, she was quite small, so I'd assume she was a first year." Jorgie looked round the now-empty canteen. "We should get a list of every first year class at this time, then look in each one for her."

"I guess that isn't the worst idea." Neo grumbled, realizing he couldn't think of a better one.

"Great!" Jorgie grinned at her body as they walked over to the college reception. "Now, go up to the receptionist and ask for the list. Say it's for a computing data survey or something."

"I actually think you should do it, because-" Neo began, but was interrupted.

"Definitely not, she hates me." Jorgie replied firmly. "All because I faked a signature once."

"Are you forgetting something, or are you just thick?" Neo smirked and flicked the glass frames in front of her borrowed face. Immediately, she felt stupid.

"Right." She muttered as she walked up to the desk. Neo grinned, as it felt nice to make Jorgie feel stupid for once, but it slowly melted off his face when he saw how nervous his body looked as it asked the receptionist for the list. Why should he care about Jorgie's feelings when she didn't care about his? He shook his head frantically to dissipate that strange train of thought as Jorgie returned.

"It seems she was fascinated by the idea of a data survey." Jorgie rolled her borrowed eyes as she handed Neo the list. "Luckily I left before she could ask any questions."

"Looks like the closest year 1 class right now is a science one." Neo muttered, his borrowed eyes scanning the piece of paper.

"Great, let's head there then." Jorgie replied, turning towards the door. As they were walking along, Neo suddenly realized something when staring at the back of his own head.

"Hey look at that, I'm half an inch taller than you!" He smirked, but realized his mistake when Jorgie whipped round to grin with triumph.

"So you admit it!" Her grin widened when she saw the regret on her own face. "I knew you weren't six foot."

"We're here!" Neo cut in, more to change the subject than anything, but they had indeed arrived at a first year lesson of science. Unfortunately, when they tried to look through the glass in the door, they realized they could only see half of the students.

"What do we do now?" Jorgie muttered.

"I have an idea." Neo hissed back, and before Jorgie could stop him, he had knocked on the door and entered.

"Yes?" The professor inside asked. She was a very intimidating woman with large glasses, so Neo gulped before answering.

"Um, I'm carrying out a survey about... uh..." His borrowed eyes strayed over to the whiteboard behind her desk. "...how many whiteboard pens each professor owns." He cringed at his own stupidity, but kept a straight face. "D'you think I could...?" He gestured towards her pot of pens.

"...Alright." She still looked skeptical, but Neo triumphantly strode to the desk and picked up the pot. Of course, he wasn't really counting the pens, he was actually scanning the room for a girl with white blond hair; when he found none, he dejectedly replaced the pot of pens, muttered a thanks to the professor and left the room.

"And I thought I was bad on the spot!" Neo heard his own laughing voice to his right. He turned to glare. "...I take it you weren't successful then."