The Experimental Professor 1

Walking into the building, she knew that be where she did either amazing things, or she would fall flat on her face, and the words that everyone had told her would come true. She had the drive to want to prove all of them wrong, but they always seem or did to have some facts to them. She wasn’t good with people. Though she had been called shy, it wasn’t that too much. It was more than she had been told she was worthless and that she couldn’t provide anything worth listening to. Jasmine Martin had to fight herself every day to even get out of bed. She knew this was a risk, but it was one she had to take. She had to learn to put herself out there and be heard.

Flashes of all the words and statements passed through her head as she walked up to the third floor, where she had taken a small teacher’s assistant job. It wasn’t something she would normally do because she didn’t like talking to people, but it would grant her more time in the labs. The professor was nothing really special, but he was the one who was in charge of the campus laboratory. She needed that extra access and time to it so she could try to prove one of her theories. It would take a semester at least to do.

Jasmine walked into the room, and there was a meeting of the professors and their assistants in the room. She was early to start her process, and this was her first day. School had not begun yet for the rest of the students. She had her notebook ready to take notes as the professor she was going to work for looked up and motioned for her to go to the desk.

“And I think that is it for this meeting.” The dean in charge of the science department said as he looked around the room. He locked eyes with her, and she lowered her head. She, of course, knew him and knew him well. He walked up to her and chuckled. “Well, well, well, what do you think you are doing here. This is a private meeting for my professors and their helpers.

“I am helping Professor Tighe.” Jasmine said, “For the semester.”

“No, you aren’t. You wouldn’t be. There would be no point.” He said with a deep chuckle, “Did you forget that you don’t ever do anything correctly the first time. This is real life now. You know, an actual university. Not the game you played with the other girls in the house. It isn’t like you really need to have an education, Miss Martin.”

“I do know I am in university, Mr. Martin,” Jasmine said as she looked at the man in front of her. The fact he was a combination of their mother and father was enough to remind her even more of what they had said. It didn’t surprise her that her brother would use it against her as well. He was the product of them in every way. The others were as well. Jasmine had left the house when she had turned eighteen just so she could try to live. “I am top of my class, and I do not believe that you should stand in my way for doing what I need to do to graduate.”

She had done well enough on her own. She didn’t want to have to answer too many people. Starting a small business in her apartment, she was making a comfortable living though it was not a huge thing. She just made herself somewhat comfortable for the moment. It was the one thing that was hers, and she could be proud of.

Though she also knew her theory could work. Everything she had ever thought of could work, but she needed to prove it. The problem was that at this level of her education, she was being blocked because of her brother being the dean of the department. She couldn’t transfer if she wanted to. She only had one more year to get through everything and prove her thoughts. If she didn’t, she would regret it for the rest of her life. However, long that would be.

The room went silent in the room as the dean was talking so rude to the newcomer, who was small and female. The professor that she would be working for looked at her with large eyes. She saw the look of fear he had of her brother. “Go home, Jazzy.” The Dean said as he moved closer to her. She hated him. that was plain to see for anyone in the room. The dean was trying to strike fear in everyone there, but the one he was trying to get it. “I can’t afford to have you screw up things here.”

“I don’t plan on screwing up,” Jasmine said as she finally said something back to someone in her family. She could feel the rush of adrenaline go through her veins. She wanted to do nothing more than hit him with the look on his face. It was one she knew well from her parents, more importantly, their mother. She had mastered the look of condemning someone without words. “I have a right to use the labs and the classrooms like any other student in the program. “

“Oh, jasmine, how do you think you got here in the first place?” He asked so condescendingly that it almost hit her like one of their mothers slaps across the face. Though she knew it was a bluff on his part. She had stayed away from him in his rise in the department. Jasmine didn’t even know how he had managed to do it since he had the basic of degrees in English. There was nothing in the sciences for him. He wouldn’t know a molecule from a rock.  Their parents, who had always favored him over everyone else in the family, had to have something to do in his position.  

“Since you didn’t even know I was attending here until last year when you stalked me, I wouldn’t say it had anything to do with you even though you want to take credit for it.” Jasmine finally said as she stared at him. She knew that this was also unlike her. She never talked back, but the fact he was again going to throw a wall in front of her only because he could. He probably thought that it would be something their mother would reward him for as well.

“Excuse me?” he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“You heard me.” She said as she stared back. “Look, I don’t want any trouble from you or them. That is why I don’t talk to any of you. However, you keep coming after me. Over and over and every different way you think you can. I just want to get through this and move on to something else.” Jasmine said as she looked at him. “My life has nothing to do with you, our parents, or our siblings. I don’t want to do anything to do with any of you.”  

“It is just you being delusional again, Jasmine. Literally, no one cares that much about you. I mean, we all know how you are.” He said as he turned and chuckled. He looked at the professor she was supposed to work for. She had lobbied to get that position for a few months. She needed the lab access, not the money involved. They had made the deal. She knew her brother was going o do something to take that away from her. All that hard work was thrown out the window. “If you give her a position this year, you won’t have one yourself here next year.”

He then walked out of the room with his head high, and Jasmine could almost fill the tears welling in her eyes. She had been so close to being able to show her work and all her thoughts. Of course, her brother would stand in her way. Of course, he would now run back to his office and call their mother so he could be praised. He would be so proud of himself while she fell apart.

The professor, Mr. Tighe, Looked at her and began, “I’m so sorry.” He paused for a minute, “But I can’t afford to get on his bad side.”

“But I can.” A new voice said as the others had filed out of the room. No one wanted to be a part of this. The Dean had a nasty reputation with those that crossed him.