[center][h3]Kirsty Ramaswamy[/h3][/center]

Compared to the morning, the school day dragged on without any real surprises. As much as Kirsty wanted to keep up her typical sunny demeanor, a pit had formed sooner after she bid Liam farewell and set off about her day, and it only got worse as the hours ticked by. The coming evening held nothing but dread for her, hours upon hours of putting up with whatever Drew and Navarro wanted from her at her own expense. She already wanted to curl up in a ball in bed, but just thinking about the effort it'd take to smile that whole time made her feel ill. But she couldn't turn away. Even putting aside the idea of burning those bridges, there was the principle of it all. She was the kind one, the girl who would put others above herself, and to be that girl she needed to endure these sorts of thing without complaint. If she couldn't, she was nothing at all. Still, as she went through her classes, jotting down notes, making plans, and connecting together ideas, Kirsty couldn't help feel guilty for wanting an escape.

In a roundabout way she felt glad that the minutes seemed to be passing by slowly, and only when her final class of the day come to an end did she realize what time it was. She jerked up from her spiral notebook as if waking up from a dream, forced to confront the fact that she couldn't put off her responsibilities any longer. Paula Navarro stood by her desk, exchanging a few words with another student. Looking at her, one would be hard-pressed to imagine her as anything but the consummate professional. Everything about her from her clothing to her posture to her hairspray-shiny bob cut suggested well-adjusted, middle-aged dignity. Other than her relatively youthful hairstyle, absolutely nothing stood out about her, except the slight but oh-so-noticeable glint in her eyes that made people interested in her. That glimmer never failed to imply that she had seen something nobody else had witnessed, that she was on the hunt for some secret hidden to common folk. No doubt that sort of ambition was what landed her a coveted job like this in the first place. To Kirsty, it made her professor look hungry, like a wolf watching sheep.

Five-oh-five. Kirsty couldn't wait any longer, or Navarro might pack up her things and leave. Trying to steady her breath, she stood and approached the desk. Navarro had been watching her the moment she stood up, and by the time she arrived, she wore a smugly courteous expression. It seemed very much the sort a teacher might put on when a young child came up, hands fidgeting behind her back, to plead for  a toy confiscated earlier. [i]But I'm an adult, dammit. I don't have to be ashamed to ask for help.[/i] Kirsty told herself. [i]Why is this so hard? My professor is here to help me. I've always been polite and helpful. She must be sympathetic.[/i]

Kirsty cleared her throat. “Um, hello.”

Navarro blinked, still smiling pleasantly. She was waiting for Kirsty to state her business. After clearing her throat, the girl hurried to oblige. “I-I was wondering if I could help you out tonight. I need money pretty badly.”

Tilting her head slightly, Navarro allowed her smile to spread. “Badly, hmm?  Well, I would be happy to lend you a hand in your hour of need, dear. As usual, I did have some guests over the weekend, so things are a little messy.” She interlaced her fingers. “However...well, I did have other plans for this evening. Since I'm going out of my way to help you, can I count on you to help me in return? You'll clean, of course, but there's something else you help me with. Have you ever wanted to be an actress?”

Kirsty's confusion must have shown on her face. After chuckling through her nose, Navarro explained. “You see, while I work hard as a professor, I wouldn't exactly call the salary 'livable'. So I also work with some...mm, filmmakers. I mostly just provide the location, but I help shoot too, and I also keep an eye out for talent. A pretty young thing like you would work wonderfully, I think.”

Rubbing the back of her neck, Kirsty studied the floor. “I...don't know, ma'am. I've never done any acting before...”

“Oh, that's alright,” the professor assured her. “All you need to do is wear and do what I say, and I'll film you. Just like usual, yes?”

“Like...usual?” Kirsty remembered her previous nights spent working at Navarro's place. Something was crawling beneath her skin. “I did mean to ask you, um, about that. It looked like you were recording me. If...if you don't mind me asking, what was that used for?”

Navarro leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “Well, to be frank, I do mind you asking. It's not really your concern, is it? Although it's really not that complicated. The fact that you haven't put two and two together says a lot.”

“About what?”

Ignoring that remark, Navarro sighed. “Answer the question, please. Do you agree to co-star in tonight's film?”

That crawling sensation felt a lot worse. Kirsty felt as though she could see something horrible through the fog, a nasty revelation long overdue. And she could just about see the shape of it. “D-did you say...co-star?”

In a flash Navarro's face scrunched up in anger. “Look, you stupid, stupid girl. You little miss perfect, so pretty and kindhearted. This is really quite simple. Either you keep doing as I say, or we can call our little deal off right here. My grace is the only reason why you're still here at this university—that, and a few pigs wanting some eye candy. If you feel like you can make it on your own, though, you won't even get the chance to flunk out. Once the university finds out what you've been up to, you'll be out of here before the weekend.”

By now Kirsty was shaking, her mouth open. Tears welled in her eyes. “B-but I haven't...I haven't done anything wrong. All I wanted...was to...was to make people happy...”

Clicking her tongue, Navarro rose and walked around her desk. She wrapped Kirsty up in a big, warm hug. “Ohh, my dear. You still can. Nothing has to change. Just make sure you show up tonight, six o'clock at my place.” She stepped back with an almost motherly concern written on her face. “With dry eyes and a big smile.”

[hr]

Kirsty stepped out of the girls' bathroom at thirty minutes on the hour. Her face, washed and rewashed, looked down a hallway devoid of students. She thanked her lucky stars for that; she didn't want anyone to look at her, not now, and maybe not ever again. Unfortunately her dream would be short-lived. Though it felt like her heart had turned to lead, she knew that she had no choice. It was time to go.

She rushed through the building and out onto campus grounds, walking as fast as her legs could take her without breaking into an actual run. Anyone looking on would probably think she was just running late for something important, which wasn't exactly untrue, either. The sky seemed darker and the city skyline foggier than usual, but even if that had been unusual in London, Kirsty didn't look up. She hurried down the campus paths, through the thickening mist, until she reached the main gate. Already feeling pretty terrible, she noticed no change up until the point where she just about collapsed against a wall just outside the gate. The world itself seemed to swim, and that plus the fog rendered the street she'd stepped onto virtually unrecognizable. [i]Why is this happening to me?![/i] Kirsty let out a choked sob as she slumped down against the concrete, huddled in the fog.