SIERRA WOKE UP DISORIENTED on her couch. A blanket wrapped around her body, tucked in all the right places. The soft moonlight cascaded over her, caressing her cheeks with a faint glow. She sighed in contentment and delved deeper into her blanket. The warmth seeped into her body. She wanted to stay there forever.
She was lolling back to sleep when her History research paper came to mind. She threw the blanket away from her body. She didn't see where it landed, but she didn't care. She sprang up looking for her laptop. Checking the time on her phone, she almost fainted knowing she had less than thirty minutes to submit her work.
Tears fell from her eyes as her chest heaved. She found her laptop on her dinner table, half-way closed. She didn't remember how it got there, but at the moment she cared about her unfinished research paper that counted for twenty-five percent of her grade. If she failed that paper, she failed the class; that meant her scholarship would be revoked, and she'd really be a failure.
She punched in her password in a haste. Her eyes almost bulged out when the screen projected her finished research paper submitted to her professor. She scrolled through the pages; words upon words that she didn't write. The more she read, the more she was astounded at the amount of effort put in.
She didn't do that work! Well, at least half of it. Would the professor even notice the change of voice, tone, and amount of effort in her assignment? She'd always been mediocre trying to do the assignment rather than trying her best. It was even exhausting doing the bare minimum, but it kept her afloat.
Who even did her research paper?
She knew for a fact that it wasn't her. First of all, she didn't remember finishing. Second of all, the effort put into it was beyond her capabilities. In conclusion, most of the work wasn't hers. So who in their right mind would take up a whole ten page research paper due in hours?
She checked her phone again to see no new messages. She pouted. She hoped the person that did it had left her a text explaining that they did it for her.
She exited out of her school's online site and saw the sticky on her screen's background. Her eyebrow quirked as she read:
You were so tired, you passed out. I was gonna leave you, but then saw the big assignment you had due. I know you're struggling and this is so wrong, but I did your paper. Really, I only elaborated on your idea. You had it all constructed in your notes haha it was good work, so I tried to mirror that.
- Your O ruthless trainer
She cried. She spent so much time outlining the work, she went crazy trying to type out everything. It seemed like Kyle took that upon himself as she took the best nap she'd had in a long time.
No one had ever gone through such great lengths to make sure she succeeded, even if it was a small success. Her friends helped, but she knew that no one would go through so much trouble to do a ten page paper for her. In fact, she was sure that most people wouldn't go that far to make sure someone wouldn't fail a class. No one cared that much, but here was Kyle going against his brooding appearance and doing just that.
How was she ever going to repay him?
She feared his long list of favors were never going to be paid in full, and that burned inside her. She wanted to pay him back and show him how much she appreciated his efforts. She yearned to reciprocate the favor, but she had nothing to offer him other than a tease here and there to watch him smile.
Would a smile be payment enough?
She didn't think so. If she could buy a meal with making someone laugh, then her pantry wouldn't be so empty.
YOU ARE READING
Forever Enigmatic
General Fiction"Distracting myself is the only way I can survive." Sierra Jenkins didn't think she'd escape the darkness unharmed, but there she was walking into The Gain trying to live a normal life. Just when she thinks everything is too good to be true, she's...
