• 2.50 pm, NYU cafeteria.

    valerie donaghan and michael davis, best friends and students of new york university, were sitting together, sipping their drinks and having a small talk. they're talking about what they will do for living in the future.

    "so, michael, what will you do for living?" asked valerie after she put her coffee mug.
    "hmmm." he thought for a little while. "I never think about it. I change my mind a lot, you know. but perhaps I'm gonna be a photographer..."
    "cool!" valerie smiled.
    "...or an architect, or a dentist... but I hate to see another person's mouth. it's disgusting, disgusting. oh! maybe I could be a pilot... oh wait, I have a phobia of height." apparently michael was still continue talking.
    "wow, that sounds really promising." she rolled her eyeballs.
    "I told you I change my mind a lot!" he yelled a little in frustration. "just so you know, when I was in kindergarten, I always wanted to be a baseball player."
    "so?"
    "so..." he paused for a second. "anyway, what about you, valerie?"
    "well, I have two choices: a chef or a writer. according to you, which one is better?"
    michael slightly laughed.
    valerie looked confused. "what's so funny?" she asked.
    "writer... better...?"
    valerie still looked confused.
    "that rhymes! how couldn't you realized that? come on val, you're studying in linguistics department." michael took a sip on his iced tea.
    valerie gave him a look. "and I'm wondering why you were accepted in law department."

    * * *

    afterwards, another student walked in, with carton cup in her hand, and joined them. her name was charlotte stewart--also known as charlie.
    "hey youuu guys!" she greeted them. she had a slight irish accent.
    "hey, charl!" they greeted back.
    "are you doing something interesting lately?" she said as she set on a chair beside michael.
    "actually we're just talking about our future job." said valerie in enthusiasm. charlie glared at her. "soo it's not interesting." charlie said carelessly.
    "yeah she's got the point." michael mumbled, then looked at valerie who was exactly staring at him. "...I changed my mind." he said and smiled weakly.

    "anyway, I've got something to tell you." charlie brought a new topic in excitement. "you must remember that I'm studying in counseling psychology department. after I took the last lecture this morning, I've learned that..."
    "OH! if you're talking about counseling session, our session has done." michael cut her off and about to leave.
    "no, no. this time isn't about that. I promise. I just want to tell you about the new lecturer..." charlie said. "a young female." she added.
    michael sat down on his chair. "oh, tell me more, aunt charlotte." both of girls rolled their eyeballs.
    "okay. her name is sarah bennett. I think she's about 26 years old. she, um, graduated from dramatic writing department. tall, brunette hair, pretty legs, something I can't have..." charlie explained.
    "aww, charlie." said valerie in sympathy, and she brushed charlie's right shoulder.
    "wait a minute. you said that she graduated from dramatic writing. but why does she teach psychology?" michael whispered.
    "I don't know. go ask her." charlie mocked his tone.

    a tall woman walked in and standing in front of food counter beside their table. the three of them were staring at her, especially michael.
    "whoa, a pretty lecturer and a sexy new student. this is going to be a great semester." michael commented in a such great excitement, and he was smiling widely to valerie and charlie.
    "michael, she is the lecturer!" charlie pinched the back of his neck.
    "AW! alright, no need to be violent." he protested. "she is the lecturer? damn! I should have chosen psychology instead of law."
    "michael!" the girls hissed.
    "sorry! but you're right. she looks so young to be a teacher. should I talk to her?"

    there was a long pause.

    "should you what?" asked valerie.
    "talk. to. her." he said word by word. "seriously, val. why are you taking linguistics?" he crossed his arms on chest.
    "no, valerie was right. why would you talk to her?" asked charlie.
    "huh, I think it's pretty normal when a student wants to know a new teacher a bit better. y'know, welcoming her in a new environment--especially if she's young and pretty."
    "you and your silly motto." valerie complained. michael rolled his eyeballs. "thank you." he said sarcastically.

    both charlie and valerie didn't agree with michael's idea, but he stood up anyway. he walked into food counter to meet sarah.

    "excuse me." he said, standing right in front of her. "you must be new here."
    sarah smiled. "yeah. yes, I am. how did you know that?"
    "I... actually, I read aura. yeah, something like that. that is my specialty. and I see that you are a new person." michael began to lie. charlie whispered aura? to valerie while she was just shrugging off her shoulders.
    "wow, that is really great." sarah looked impressed. "can you read my palms, too?"
    michael bit his bottom lip. "what about later? anyway, welcome to new york university. I'm michael davis, 4th term law student, and I surely can read people's aura." he underlined the last statement, referring to the girls.
    "ooohh so you're the one from law department." sarah responded in amazement. "I'm sarah bennett. and you're quite good."
    he raised his eyebrows. his smile disappeared. "what?"
    she laughed. "nothing, it's just a student in my class told me something about one student in law department, the one that claimed himself as cassanova." she laughed harder after saying 'cassanova'. "I first thought you were fat and cocky, but... you're quite nice." she smiled so nicely. "oh, that is the student I'm talking about." sarah pointed at the table where the three of them were sitting at. actually, she was pointing at charlie--who was sipping at her drink in an awkward way, and trying so hard not to look at both of them and not to laugh.

    "oh. oh. well okay." michael tried to be calm. as he wanted to say another thing, professor McCormack from psychology department came and told sarah that there would be a meeting at the office in 5 minutes, then he left.

    "so sorry michael, but I gotta go now."
    "alright... alright, that is fine. but let me tell you something: be careful to professor McCormack, he eats people alive."
    sarah laughed. "okay, I'll stay away from him. and where will you go after this?"
    michael didn't directly respond. he looked around."I'm.... going to take this mustard." he said as he took a yellow bottle.
    "oh, okay. have fun with that." she smiled again, took her hot dog then left cafeteria. "and don't forget to read my palm someday." she added.
    michael just nodded and laughed slightly.

    michael sat weakly on his chair, still holding the mustard bottle. "I'm sorry about that cassanova-thing, mike. I made it up." said charlie.
    "how could she think that cassanova really looked that bad?" he sighed, then accidentally poured mustard into his tea. realizing what he did, he spontaneously put the bottle away.