Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 41137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 206(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 206(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
“This won’t count toward your grade,” he says, looking out over the crowd. His eyes linger when he spots me. For a second, we make direct eye contact. I swear, I think he raises an eyebrow.
But he continues on, leaving a shiver running down my spine.
“I’m working on a new project,” he says. “It’s related to this class, a new VR application. I’m looking for five interns to help. The top five performers on this test will be chosen.” He raises an eyebrow. “Any questions?”
At least ten hands shoot into the air. He frowns at them, but calls on a guy in the second row.
“Uh, so, uh, is this class basically just your way of getting interns?” he asks.
Jason smiles slightly. “Yes.”
He calls on someone else. “How long do we have?”
“However long we have in today’s class.”
He goes through each person, and they all ask stupid, mundane questions. He answers them all, but clearly looks impatient.
Finally, I get my copy of the test, and pass the stack on. I glance through it, biting my lip.
It looks like some other freaking language. It’s difficult math, programming puzzles, and on the back, some question about the philosophic nature of virtual reality systems.
It looks like a freaking mess.
When all the questions are answered, he sits down behind the table, takes out his phone, and glances at the group. I swear, his eyes linger on me again.
“Get started,” he says. “You’re going to need the time.”
He looks back down at his phone, and the room turns into a burst of hurried, intense energy as everyone dives into their test.
I sigh, bite my lip, click my pen, and get started.
Might as well give it my best effort, even if there’s no way I’ll win this contest. The test is clearly way beyond me.
But if it means I get to be closer to Jason Turner for a whole semester…
Well, maybe I can try and pull it off.
I finish just as Jason announces time. Everyone gets up, filing down toward him to hand in their test.
“Fuck, man,” the heavier guy ahead of me says. “Did you, like, get any of that?”
“Nah,” his shorts-wearing friend says. “Not a single fucking thing. I mean, it was insane. Who the hell knows this stuff?”
“Seriously man. There’s no way he’ll pick me.”
“And that question on the back? What did you even say?”
“Some shit about losing identity and crap. It was so broad.”
“Right? Fuck. Oh, well.”
We slowly file toward Jason. He takes each test personally, stacking them up. When it’s my turn, he takes it from my hand, but hesitates.
“Hold on a second,” he says. “I want a word with you.”
I frown. “Me?”
His eyes narrow. “You. Please, just a second.”
“Uh, okay.” I step aside and linger over near the desks. People shoot me glares.
As if being the only girl in a class like this is bad enough, I don’t need a reputation for being the teacher’s pet on top of it. I mean, I bet the rumors are already starting.
Clara Nelson, the slutty nerd, banging her professor.
Something like that. I’ve been hearing that sort of crap my whole time here. Turns out, computer nerds can be total dicks, just like anyone else.
Once the tests are collected and the room is mostly empty, Jason languidly walks over to me.
“What’s your name?” he asks.
“Clara,” I say.
He nods. “Thought so. You’re the only girl in this class, right?”
“Right.”
“Is that common here?”
“There are only three women in the CS major right now.”
He blinks. “No shit?”
I grin a little. “Seriously. Just three.”
“Wow. I mean, I knew Monray was a small school, but only three?”
“I know. I was surprised too.”
“Shit. So it’ll be a damn sausage fest.”
I blink and laugh despite myself. “Uh, I mean, yeah. I guess.”
He grins at me. “Sorry. Just making a stupid joke.”
“It’s okay.”
His eyes linger on me for a second. I feel a chill run down my spine again, my heart beating fast.
He’s so handsome. It’s crazy, actually. He’s like, my dad’s age, but he doesn’t look anything like the men my dad spends time with.
He’s wearing a simple dress shirt, thin navy stripes, a simple navy tie, and slim-fitting slacks. The outfit should make him look like an entry-level accountant or something like that, but he wears it like an Armani suit.
I have a feeling that Jason could wear anything he wants, and still look amazing.
“I hope you did well on that test, Clara,” he says. “Too many guys in the STEM fields as it is.”
“I don’t know how I did, honestly,” I say, laughing nervously.
“It wasn’t as hard as it looked,” he says. “No trick questions. Not even that open-ended last one.”
I hesitate. “What were you looking for there anyway?”
“Just something interesting. What did you write about?”
“Gender representation,” I say.
He laughs. “Appropriate.”
“Can’t help myself, I guess.”
He lingers again, eyes roaming me. I almost squirm under his gaze. I want him to touch me, pull me against him, wrap his powerful arms around my body.