There's a general chuckle at that, and Henderson continues. “Another reason that authors would often use literary devices is that sometimes they just didn't have the proper lens to be able to describe or understand what exactly it was they were seeing or experiencing. Ancient sailors described sea monsters and wild, fantastic serpents. The Bible even mentions something that is translated now as the Leviathan, a figure that's been interpreted as everything from a whale to something akin to Godzilla. Now the question I pose to you, were they wrong, or were they just unable to understand what they just saw? Miss Barnett, your opinion?”
I swallow, caught a little off guard. I wasn't listening as much as I should have been, but I get the general question. “It could be both. Speaking of Shakespeare earlier, he was the one who wrote 'There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio / than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' Perhaps there's an element of truth in that.”
Henderson gives me a nod, and a warning glimmer of his eyes, he knows I've been slacking off this class. He expects more from me, and for the rest of class I try to listen as best I can. He wraps it up with about fifteen minutes still to go, standing behind his lectern. “Okay guys, so... there you have it, my half-baked approach to literary philosophy and use of figurative language. See you next week, make sure you've got your papers ready. Have a good weekend.”
The class starts to get up, and I bend down to get my bag. A shadow falls over my desk, and I look up, seeing Jake. “Cassie...”
“Jake...” I whisper, getting up. “I... when you didn't call yesterday...”
“I know. And I'm sorry if I worried you, I really did have printer problems. I was up late last night writing a letter to Professor Henderson, thanking him for the party. But...” Jake stops, shakes his head, then takes my hand, our fingers entwining again like they did that night. He pulls me close and kisses me hard, my heart leaping in my chest as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back. Joy surges inside me, and when we step apart, I have to adjust my glasses, they've been smushed and there's a hazy spot where they got pushed between us. Jake's also smiling, his eyes glistening. “I don't know if you remember, but you said it when we were together, and since then I've known I have to tell you the same. Cassie, I love you.”
His words stop me, and I swear that everyone else in the lecture hall, all of whom have stopped to see the popular football player suddenly start making out with a girl in the front of class, hold their breaths as I put my hand on his chest, and take his hand, putting it on top of mine, unable to form words.
Jake smiles, reaching into his bag and taking something out. “So... if I asked you to wear these for me, would you say yes? I'm pretty sure they're magic.”
I look in his hand, seeing two pink and blue scrunchies and a lollipop. I laugh and nod, taking the lollipop out and sticking it in the front pocket of my jeans while I quickly pull my hair up into twin high ponytails before poking him playfully in the chest. “You don't get the skirt in public though, no matter how you may try to bribe me.”
Jake smiles, shaking his head and leaning in. “No... but in private maybe?”
I nod. “Maybe.”
Behind Jake, I see Professor Henderson smiling that same secret smile he had a few times last night. He gives me a nod before turning and leaving the lecture hall, and I turn all my attention to Jake, taking his hand. “So, does this mean we can have lunch together?”
Jake chuckles, nodding. “And a study session, if you don't mind. I've got a super-hot genius girlfriend now, and I'd like to be able to hang with her in the brains department.”
I laugh, letting go of his hand and wrapping my arm though his. “We'll see. I'm thinking long-term though. So... what are you doing for the next ten or hundred years?”
Jake laughs and gives my arm a squeeze. “Buying lollipops and loving you. The rest... well, we'll figure that out as we go. Right now, I'm trusting in the magic.”
Coming in September!
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Mr. Fixit Page 35