Chapter 3 003 | THE PLACEMENT

MARIA

"Maria, genuinely, this is the best thing I've seen in a very long time and coming from me, a woman who is hard to impress and hates mediocre work, I'm telling you that this is really good." The Journalism Head of Department, Dr. Williams says to me as she goes through my portfolio.

"Thanks, ma'am. I'm very honored." I bow slightly because I'm literally on cloud nine right now.

"They weren't wrong about you at all."

"I'm so overjoyed, ma'am."

She giggles, rotating her chair and playing with the retractable pen in her hand before she pushes her glasses up so that it sits on her nose properly before she folds her arms across her chest, staring at me with all seriousness.

"Tell me what happened. Why did you quit?" The question hits me by surprise and all the words in my throat dry up.

"I...."

"And Maria, I don't want the version that's going around. Tell me what truly happened."

This is a situation that took a year for me to heal. I don't want to open closed wounds, but fuck!

"My whole life was centered around our relationship and at the time, it was my happiness and so I took pictures of everything. It was my whole identity back then." I explain to her. I'm trying my hardest to keep it together.

"Okay, so now, where would you like to be placed?"

Now, that's what we're talking about! I didn't come here to talk about my deadbeat ex and my past.

I stroke my chin for a moment, clearing my throat. "Dr Williams, I've always been interested in arts and culture or something fun like that. I'm trying to explore every other aspect of journalism asides photo journalism."

"Arts and culture." She nods,  smiling like she's impressed at me. "That's a good one, Maria."

"Can I send in my application so that you can put in a word for me?"

"Why do you belittle yourself, Maria?" Dr Williams face has gone serious again. I could swear she's got some form of disorder by how her quickly her mood changes.

"I....I don't understand, ma'am."

"You're a woman with so much potential and you're limiting yourself and it's pissing me off on your behalf."

I'm silent.

"I know the idea of doing anything remotely big scares you because of all you had to go through at Prescott. I genuinely get it, but you're a rare talent that can't go to waste."

"Do you have better opportunities for me, ma'am?"

"Now, we're talking, Maria." The smile forms on her face again. "I want you to branch out from what you'd normally do and I don't want you to go small."

I nod, excitement already forming in the pits of my stomach. I'm ready to be that girl I once was.

"I think you'd be really good when it comes to interviews because your confidence speaks for you. You're the missing piece we've been wanting for the longest time." She rubs her hands together, getting serious. "Now, there's a top prospect that's getting ready to go into the real world of sports."

Wait, did she say sports?

"The head of the sports team has complained multiple times that he can't be media trained and this happens to be his last year as a college student before he gets drafted next year. Prospective NFL teams want to know the type of players they pick even if they are the best."

Okay, and what has that got to do with me. I've made it abundantly clear that I want nothing that relates to sports journalism. I'm fucking traumatized.

"We're trying to prepare him for the limelight as best as possible and you seem like the one that can make it happen. I know you haven't been around too long, but I'm sure you might have heard the name Emerson Falls."

I swear, it feels like I've seen a ghost. I literally almost choke on my spit. My jaw hits the floor as I stare at her, blinking a million and one times.

"We need you to interview Emerson Falls in three days. This interview will be streamed live on ESPN." She spills and my expression goes completely blank.

"I can't do it." I shake my head immediately because I would rather chew glass than sit in an interview chair across from that asshole and ask him questions.

Dr. Williams seems taken aback. She's speechless as she observes me from her chair.

"With all due respect, Dr. Williams, I can't do it." I get up. By now, I'm spiraling and walking around her office aimlessly like I've gone insane. "I just can't fucking do it!" And then, I burst out laughing. I truly have gone insane.

She sits there for the full episode, watching me as I pace around the office, laugh, and tell myself that I'd rather let a car hit me than do it. By the time I'm done and I turn to stare at her, she's looking at me like I need therapy.

"Are you done?" She questions and I nod. "Yes ma'am."

"Good, now come and sit down and let's talk like normal people."

She said to sit, but I don't sit. I walk to where her chair is located and I go down on my knees.

"Please give me something else. I'll do anything." I hold the leg of her pant suit and she shakes her head, unable to believe this is even happening.

"All I can see is a woman who has let her past define her because of a little bump in the road. You want to become a top dog in journalism a few years from now? Maria you snatch opportunities as soon as they're given to you. You think I haven't had my fair share of heartbreak when it comes to athletes?" She laughs loudly. "Hell, I used to hate them more than you back in college, but I didn't let it define me."

"Ma'am, I just...."

"I want to give you the opportunity to learn about the sports star yourself, prepare your questions and kill it. I know you haven't healed completely from the trauma, but I know you're also a very smart woman and you ought to see that I'm putting power in your hands." She points at my shoulder while I'm still on my knees. "You, my dear control the narrative. You have the opportunity to ask him any question. That's power. You control how people will perceive him and it's an opportunity you don't wanna take?" She shakes her head in distaste.

"Maybe you're really not as smart as I think you are." Her words are razor sharp and they go straight to my chest.

"Dr. Williams......."

"If you want another opportunity, I will give you, but just know that when the time comes for me to sign that recommendation letter, I wouldn't do it because I gave you the whole world in your hand and you returned it back, saying it was too heavy."

***

It's 3:00 AM in the morning, and I've dozed off on the couch.

A loud knock on the front door has me rising up and going to see who it is.

I open the door and almost roll my eyes when I see who it is.

"What're you doing up so late?" Emerson asks me. "Don't tell me you were waiting for me."

It's pathetic that I always have a comeback, but right now, I'm exhausted and I have nothing to say.

He walks over to where I've been working, my laptop screen almost goes off, but he picks it up, taps the trackpad and the first thing that appears is his picture. A look of shock plasters on his face.

"I didn't know you were another secretly obsessed fan who's pretending she hates me."

I want to scream and tell him that the world doesn't revolve around him.

"Don't worry, I promise not to sign on your tits. I already promised Coach Barney that nothing will happen between us."

"Everything doesn't have to be about you, Emerson. I'm not stalking you or anything. This is simply for my career."

"What career requires you to pull up a very hot picture of me from the internet? Am I the muse for the smut book you're writing?" No, I'm genuinely pissed. It's the fucking stereotype for me. Like I can't write a book about him that isn't smut.

I step closer to him, yank my laptop from his grip and look him in the eyes. "I'm not writing a smut, book and even if I was, you would never be my muse. I'd make you the annoying background character that'll eventually get killed off." The smile on his face wipes off and he seems genuinely hurt by my words. Now, I feel like a fucking bad person when he was the one who pushed me to the wall.

"Oh now, you're taking it too far. I just wanted to know what career required you to pull out my picture. Are you drawing or something?"

I can't help it when I laugh. It's the audacity of this man to think that I'll spend meaningful hours of my day drawing him.

"No. I'm not drawing you. I happen to be the one who will be interviewing you in three days."

I watch his Adam's apple bob in real time as he swallows spit. He's waiting for me to scream 'April's fool', but I don't.

"You're kidding, right?" I shake my head 'no'. Showing him the email of Dr. Williams letter.

He looks like he's seen a ghost as he grabs his chest hard.

He pulls out his phone and dials a specific number.

"Hello. I think there's been a mix up." He says, walking away.