A month had passed and the tutoring had gone much better than expected. Edward had turned out to be a fantastic teacher, in a month he had made me grasp concepts I had struggled with over the couple of years I had spent at university. I felt as if I was finally going to achieve something without the help of my parents who had played a significant role in getting me into university in the first place.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, however, there had been multiple occasions when I had come to a complete mental breakdown, flipping out and telling Edward to leave but he always came back the next day with a riddle and a smile. He wouldn't let me quit that much was certain, every time I told him to stop he would only explain it over and over until I had no choice but to understand it.
He was relentless and it made an incredible difference, I was prone to giving up on things when they got too hard, eager to escape a hard situation rather than work through it but he was determined enough for the both of us.
"Alice I'm not letting you give up your entire future because you don't understand one concept, it would be a significant waste of both of our time and you know how much I despise wasted time." He explained calmly while I was in another pointless fit.
"Then stop wasting your time!" I was glad that no one ever came in while we were having these heated arguments. "I didn't ask you to do any of this! I'm not smart enough, end of story! Why is this so important to you!" I exploded for probably the third time this month.
"You know very well why." He responded in the calm voice he always kept when we argued.
"I don't think I do Edward, you say that every single time but I don't think I understand why you care so much about my career, how in the hell does it affect you?" I threw my arms up in frustration.
"Because when we finish this tutoring arrangement, you can finally come and work as my assistant and I won't have to waste my time coming over here for coffee to speak with you." I was going to reply in another snappy comeback but his statement caught my attention.
"You come to get coffee just to talk to me?" I asked, a chuffed smile coming to my face in surprise.
"Let's just carry on with this shall we?" He changed the topic, the statement was enough to calm down my anger and cause butterflies to erupt in my stomach. He came to get coffee just so he can talk to me.
I felt slightly honored at his words, he considered me to be a worthy person to spend time with, he didn't consider me an imbecile like he did the other officers in his workplace and I felt as if I was on a pedestal, considered of higher importance to him than his co-workers.
Although I don't think that's the entire reason I was receiving these feelings, the way he spoke the sentence with such sincerity like he was excited to have me as an assistant and if I was honest I was excited too.
Edward said that after this tutoring session I should know enough of the basics to apply for the assistant position and from there he would further teach me in detail more about forensic science. He told me that he had already briefly discussed with the commissioner that he was in need of an assistant, which I knew was a lie as he always had his paperwork completely under control and I don't think I have ever seen him stressed enough about work to require an assistant. I didn't even think being an assistant to a forensic scientist was even a job but I would take anything at this point.
According to Edward I wouldn't even be required to take a test so long as I didn't mess anything else the job was as good as mine. I had asked Harvey to put in a good word on me and I knew he would do so. So next week I was trading in my apron for a lab coat, finally rid of the endless scent of coffee beans.
I'll admit that I'm going to miss this job, but Cassie already told me I'd get free coffee anyway, she would be getting put back on day shifts and they would find another desperate university student to cover the night shifts.
Edward left the cafe after our tutoring session, we bid our goodbyes and he left me with a riddle as he usually did but I had written it down to focus on later the rest of the day passed by in its usual tedious speed and before I knew it I was back home alone in my apartment. I felt the overbearing need to tell someone about this new job I was getting and my mind immediately drifted to the perfect person. I pulled out my phone to dial a number I had been much too ashamed to call for the past few months.
"Ah Alice my dear, I was afraid you'd forgotten me." His playful voice sounded the same as it always had.
"How could I ever forget about you Lex" I replied back, a smile on my face. Lex Luthor and I had been friends for as long as I can remember, my parents had worked with his father before his untimely death and now worked for Lex himself.
"I am pretty unforgettable aren't I?" He questioned sarcastically.
"Absolutely." I laughed. "But I didn't call you to compliment your unforgettableness."
"You don't say?" He played along.
"I just wanted to tell you that next week I'm starting a new job, I don't want to tell mum and dad yet incase it doesn't work out so can we keep this between us." I spoke into the line excitedly.
"Asking me to keep secrets for you? My my Gotham has truly corrupted that innocent mind of yours." I could basically hear the smirk through his voice.
"You are truly hilarious Lex, now shut up and be happy for me." I pouted saracastically into the line.
"I would but I don't even know what kind of job it is yet." I almost facepalmed, I hadn't even told him what the job was yet.
"Oh yeah! I am going to be an assistant for a forensic scientist, it is the best option I have without going back to uni." I explained and I heard him try and hold in a laugh.
"Is that even a real job?" I could hear him struggling to compose himself.
"Shut up! it's the best I got, leave me alone." I sulked and he sobered up.
"I'm sorry Alice, you know I have plenty of positions open at Lex corp, all you have to do is ask." He offered and I shook my head, forgetting he couldn't see me.
"You know I can't." I sighed into the phone. "I want to earn something you know? And Lex you know I love you but if I worked with you I would probably tear your eyes out." We both laughed in agreeance, we had been over this thousands of times and always reached the very same conclusion.
"We should celebrate you getting this new job." He stated and I could already tell he was thinking of overly flamboyant ways to celebrate this insignificant milestone.
"Lex don't you dare, plus I don't even know if it's going to turn out well." I warned he sighed.
"Fine, fine. You start next week don't you?" He asked.
"Yep." I responded shortly, I heard him speaking with someone else before he redirected his attention to me.
"Alice dear I will call you back, it seems something is needing my attention." He sounded hurried.
"No problems Lex, thanks for not telling mum and dad." I thanked him.
"Not a worry Alice goodbye and goodluck next week." He bid his farewell.
"Thanks, bye Lex." And with that he hung up the phone, my nerves vanishing from the call. He had a way of that, making everything seem like a good thing.
I spent the rest of the night thinking about the conversation Edward and I had this morning. It wasn't the first time he had let something like that slip, he had said a number of times how he had been excited for me to work with him but never had he admitted to coming to see me everyday solely for my company.
He was adorable, there was no doubting that. The way his half framed glasses sat at the bridge of his nose always seemed to accentuate his bright smile and how his dimples looked liek tiny craters in his cheeks when he would laugh at one of my jokes. He was always cheery, no matter what anyone else said to him.
He had shared a number of stories of the terrible mistreatings he had faced with his co workers but he never seemed bothered by their horrible words and snarky comments and it was enough to earn my admiration.
He was enough to admire.
---------
What's this? Another early update? Who knew?
Ok I just watched the new episode of Gotham and it gave me major motivation so here is another update!
How do you like Lex? He will play a bigger role in the upcoming chapters and I hope you love him as much as I do but if you don't, don't worry this story does not center around him and he is more of a cameo character.
What did you think of the new episode?
~Mikayla