Chapter 5

After a long and tiring day of classes, Hanna was looking forward to going back to her dorm room and relaxing for a bit. However, as she slowly trudged up the steps, exhausted and weak, she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to meet with Mrs. Smith in her office.

Hanna sighed heavily and rolled her eyes in frustration. She really just wanted to take a nap and forget about the lousy day she'd had. But turning around, she reluctantly headed back towards Mrs. Smith's office.

As Hanna walked, she thought about why Mrs. Smith wanted to see her. She racked her tired brain, trying to remember if she had forgotten an assignment or messed something up in class. But nothing came to mind.

Finally reaching Mrs. Smith's door, Hanna hesitated before knocking. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the fatigue that was threatening to overwhelm her.

After a moment, she knocked firmly on the door.

"Come in," Mrs. Smith's voice called out.

Hanna opened the door and stepped inside, preparing herself for whatever Mrs. Smith needed to discuss with her after such an exhausting day.

Mrs. Smith kept her eyes focused on the large book in front of her, which appeared to be a student registrar. She ticked and flipped through the pages vigorously, peering over her tiny thick glasses.

Hanna had been standing there for what felt like over five minutes. She was growing increasingly irritated by Mrs. Smith's slow pace.

"Who on earth still keeps records in a book in this day and age of computers?" Hanna thought to herself impatiently. She let out an exasperated sigh, hoping it would not be audible. However, her exasperation was harder to contain than intended.

"Did you say something?" Mrs. Smith inquired, having noticed the noise escape Hanna's lips. Hanna protested humbly, "No no. Me? I said nothing." The last thing she wanted was to get into an argument with the stern Mrs. Smith. As frustrated as she was, she knew when keeping quiet was prudent.

"Oh, and how long have you been standing? Please, sit down dear," Mrs. Smith offered. "I've reviewed your results on my courses. You're a bright young girl who passes my tests with flying colors." Hanna appreciated the praise but kept her expression neutral, simply replying "Thank you, Ma'am."

However, Mrs. Smith's next statement caught Hanna off guard. "Yes, you're welcome...but is that why you were listening to songs in my class earlier today and paying no attention?" Hanna was dumbfounded, unsure how to respond.

Under Mrs. Smith's piercing gaze, Hanna couldn't help but broke into a fake cough before apologizing sincerely, "I'm sorry, Ma'am. I didn't mean it like that. I just forgot to remove my AirPods. It won't happen again…and they weren't even on."

She hoped this explanation would satisfy her.

"Mmm, okay. Are you doing anything else today?" Mrs. Smith questioned, her voice filled with curiosity. Hanna, caught off guard and not thinking clearly, blurted out, "No."

As soon as the words escaped her lips, Hanna realized the mistake she had made. Mrs. Smith's eyes lit up with a mischievous glimmer, sensing an opportunity to enlist Hanna's help. Hanna inwardly groaned, knowing she had unintentionally opened the door to taking on additional tasks.

Mrs. Smith noticed Hanna's discomfort and the realization dawned on her. With a reassuring smile, she said, "Don't worry. It won't take much time. I just need you to write down these numbers from 1 to 1000 in my booklet."

"Thank you," said Mrs Smith.

There were about 20 booklets and each had 1000 numbers to write down. Hanna's hands felt weak as she struggled to hold the weight of the booklets.

She opened the door to leave, and as she was closing it, Mrs. Smith interjected with a sly grin, "Oh, and I will be sure to greet Martha for ya."

Mrs Martha was Hanna's present mother and a very good friend of Mrs Smith.

Hanna stifled a groan, well aware of her mother's close relationship with Mrs. Smith.

With a deep sigh, Hanna was about to shut the door when Mrs. Smith's silent plea interrupted her, "...And please close the door gently."

Suppressing her frustration, Hanna nodded and closed the door as gently as she could.

She made her way to a quiet spot where she could focus on the task at hand.

Opening the first booklet, she picked up her pen and began methodically writing down the numbers, one after another.

As Hanna progressed through the booklets, the room filled with a monotonous rhythm, the scratching of the pen against the paper providing a backdrop to her thoughts.

She couldn't help but wonder why she had agreed so readily to this additional work. Her mind wandered, contemplating the implications of her impulsive response.

It seemed that her willingness to help had become an expectation rather than a choice.

Lost in her musings, Hanna's pen continued to glide across the pages, filling them with neat rows of numbers. She couldn't deny the satisfaction that came with completing a task, even if it wasn't of her own choosing.

Deep down, she knew that performing these small acts of kindness was important—to Mrs. Smith, to Mrs. Martha, and to herself.

Hours passed, and Hanna diligently worked her way through the booklets, her hands growing weary but her determination unwavering. As she reached the final booklet, she let out a contented sigh, relieved to see the end in sight.

With the last number written, Hanna closed the booklet gently, just as Mrs. Smith had requested. She gathered the completed booklets in her tired hands, feeling a sense of accomplishment despite the unexpected detour in her day.

Returning to Mrs. Smith's office, Hanna handed her the completed task. Mrs. Smith's eyes sparkled with gratitude as she accepted the booklets. "Thank you, Hanna. Your help means the world to me."

Hanna couldn't help but smile, realizing that her impulsive agreement had brought a sense of fulfillment and connection.

Sometimes, saying "yes" to unexpected requests opened doors to unexpected rewards.