2 The Assignment
FRIDAY
The Good Name University community was abuzz with talk of the new cinema. The Student Representative Council had been lobbying for a cinema since the majority of students wanted one. It had taken them about four months to get the government—because it was a government-owned institution—to approve their request.
Art was seated in class, waiting for the lecturer to arrive, when the guy and girl who were sitting quietly in the row before hers started talking.
"I get so annoyed when I see people talking about some movie house when they should be more aware of what's going on in real life." The guy scoffed in annoyance, referring to members of the class gathered in the first row, talking animatedly about the cinema.
'And what is it that is going on in real life?' Art wanted to ask him but stayed quiet. 'If only I had something better to do.'
"I don't know Dom, I kind of miss the days of caring about trivial things like a movie." The girl whose hair was the color of coconut had a soft smile on her face as she looked at the cluster of people in the front row.
"You wish you were still ignorant?" Dom gave his friend a disgusted look.
"No, no, I just miss doing normal things." The girl tried to amend her statement.
"Focus, Lola, we are trying to curb ignorance." He cautioned, obviously convinced of whatever it was that he was talking about.
Art raised her eyebrows at this point, a small smile playing on her lips. 'Trying to curb ignorance. That's rich! Someone give him a Nobel Prize for ignorance-curbing.'
"Yeah, my father died because of them, I don't want anybody else to go through what I did."
Art's facial expression didn't soften in sympathy or empathy on hearing Lola's sentence, the blank look remained.
"I'm sorry, I just wish to speed up the process." Dom's features visibly relaxed as he apologized.
"Days like this, I wish choice wasn't a thing." Lola smiled and even Dom chuckled.
"Will you be at the gathering on Wednesday?" He asked about the meeting of people of faith.
In Union, a good percentage of people had faith in the Being, who was essentially the creator of life. But only half of them attended gatherings, which was a meeting for the Faithful. However, even if there was a unified belief, there wasn't a unified method of practicing it. As a result, there were many gatherings but all registered under one organization, The Gathering. The government laid down strict rules and it was rumored that there were spies in every gathering. Whether it was true or not, the government did disapprove of any gathering working against the primary interest of the state, which was unity.
What Art hadn't quite figured out was the particular gathering Dom and Lola were a part of. And she was curious because she wanted to know which gathering it was that bred arrogant and all-knowing pricks.
Before Lola could answer, Mr. Adank, psychology 206 lecturer, entered the lecture theatre. Everyone's attention shifted to the tall man in his late twenties clad in a grey suit.
"Morning, class." He greeted, his eyes briefly meeting with Art's before moving to the rest of the class. A chorus of "good morning" echoed throughout the room as everyone settled in their seats. "Okay I'm glad we're all feeling cheery this morning." He smiled, showing off his one-sided dimple before scratching his black hair. "So grab your Biros and write down this assignment." His statement elicited groans from everyone but Art.
"We haven't even started the new topic, Mr. Adank, and you're already giving us assignments? I thought we were your favorite class." Eric, an obnoxious but intelligent student—who was also a friend of Richard's—asked.
"Oh because you are my favorite class, Eric. That is why. I give you more work so you learn faster and better than other classes. Besides, the assignment is on the previous topic we treated, not the one we're about to learn." This didn't get him a free pass on the groans but it wasn't as loud as the first time.
"I'm glad you all express your lazy selves without shame." The groans turned into chuckles. "Anyway, I want you all to study up on something meaningful. It can be a group of people, an ideology, maybe even one of the failed states." When Mr Adank said failed states, he referred to the countries of the world that were not Union, member states of the UN.
"How about an act?"
Art looked sideways at Eric, who asked the question, a smirk forming on his lips as he thought up a sexual joke, as usual.
'Here we go.' She mused, rolling her eyes.
"An act? Like what?" Mr. Adank inquired, faking a confused look. Art watched the corners of the professor's lips twitch as he unfolded his arms to hold the edges of the brown desk he leaned against. She was familiar with some of his gestures as they'd spent some time together during her first year. So she knew that he was aware of what Eric was about to say, and he was going to allow it. The professor tapped his index finger against the desk slowly, waiting for his student to take the bait.
"The act of um–" Ginger-haired Eric pretended to seriously think before spouting out what was on his mind. "Fuc–"
"Well well, class, that will be seven pages." Mr. Adank shook his head in false disappointment, hiding a triumphant smile as he moved to write on the board.
Of course, he was only looking for a way to not feel guilty about giving them a seven-paged assignment, and Eric was not smart enough to realize that he was being set up.
Safe enough to say, paper balls flew across the room and hit Eric's head throughout the rest of the lesson whenever the professor had his back turned.
Art's eyes shifted back to Dom and Lola, already knowing what the focus of her assignment would be.
**
