Page 36 of Reckless Dare

CHAPTER 10

Ava speed walked toward the administrative offices with her heart racing.

She was shocked to see an email informing her that the assignments she had been submitting were incomplete. And because of that she was asked to meet the dean of Simha University.

Panic filled her mind.

She was very sure she had submitted all her assignments on time. She had even received notification of submissions. Then why were they once again showing as pending or incomplete?

Pushing away the bad feeling, and hoping to clear a misunderstanding, she went inside the building where the dean’s office was located.

“Hi, I have an appointment with Neela, madam.”

Everyone referred to the dean informally. Ava was impressed and quite in awe of the dean as well. She had hoped to meet her one day and introduce herself. But she never imagined it would be under such circumstances.

“Hello, Miss Patel. She is inside her room waiting for you.”

“Thank you.”

Biting nervously on her lip, Ava went to the door that indicated as the dean’s office. A golden nameplate had the name Neelima Raj written on it.

Taking a deep breath, Ava knocked on the door.

“Come in.” The older woman’s voice was calm.

Ava turned the knob and pushed open the door before stepping in. “Good morning, Neela, madam.”

Ava smiled at the woman who had been her father’s classmate and was now currently the dean of the most prestigious university in the world

“Please sit, Ms. Patel.”

Despite Neelima Raj’s calm voice, Ava became alert to the tone.

She sat in one of the three chairs opposite to the dean. Her eyes shifted nervously, taking in the neat office. There was a picture on the desk with Neelima Raj and another girl. They both looked young.

Ava wondered if the girl was Neelima Raj’s sister.

Maybe she is close to her sister like me.

Somehow that thought made her less nervous.

Neelima Raj took off her glasses and placed them on the table next to the picture. “Ms. Patel, I called you here because I’m disappointed.”

The softly uttered words made Ava’s heart sink.

“When I saw your college application for the second time, I was impressed by what you had achieved to get an admission into Simha with full scholarship. But I didn’t expect to hear complaints about you right at the beginning of the term.”

“I-I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. I turned in my assignments on time. But n-now they are showing up as missing.”

The dean looked at her and shook her head. “I don’t like excuses, Miss Patel. Your father is an old friend. And I respect that he chose not to use that to influence your application. He was an honor student and the top of his medical class. I hope you live up to such standards.”

Ava’s lips quivered. She felt ashamed of having to see the look of disappointment on the dean’s face.

“I’m sorry. I-I’ll reach out to the professors and ask if I can resubmit my assignments. I promise it won’t happen again.”

Neelima Raj nodded regally. “Yes, see that it doesn’t happen again.”

Whispering a thanks, Ava got up and left the dean’s office with a sick feeling.

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