Post by Lindsay Upton on Sept 28, 2013 22:12:49 GMT -8
Lindsay Anne Upton "Help Me Spread My Wings" Setting foot on the beautiful campus of King Protea College and taking in all the familiar scenes brought back so many memories for Lindsay Anne Upton-Ferrers, reminding her so clearly of her own college days as a student. It was before she had returned to New York after graduating and subsequently received harsh threats from Anna Wintour during her Vogue interview, and her college years had been the simplest of times, which didn't say too much, considering how dramatic her pre-foster family life had been, how pleasantly life-changing living with the Upton's had been, and how traumatic the fashion magazine's editor-in-chief had made her trip to the office. That was why she had retreated back to San Francisco; to regain her confidence, further her knowledge in fashion, and earn some more work experience. Because no human being could mentally endure the wrath of Miss Wintour a second time... Her sophisticated ensemble comprised a faint-blue bow dress to match her eyes, a cream-colored trench coat, and what would have been four-inch heels and made her appear over six feet tall, had she not replaced them with a smaller pair. Linds had always been rather self-conscious of what she considered to be her 'mannishly tall' stature, at five-foot-ten, but considering her birth parents had been much taller than the average statistics, it was no surprise she inherited their genes for tallness. But for the time being, the aspiring fashion journalist's self-consciousness was eclipsed by the excitement and pride that had flooded through her when one of the deans informed her one Professor Neumann had drawn her from the borderline-limbo secretarial pool and she would begin receiving routinely stipends. Her cheerful smile hadn't faded ever since she received the joyful news that morning and the fact that there were people around her was the only thing stopping her from skipping childishly down the garden and hallways to her professor's classroom. After all, she needed to make a good first impression on her employer, and one way to do so was to win the favor of the pupils. If Mister Neumann's students loved her, then he'd be more likely to keep her around. When Lindsay finally reached her destination, a Biochemistry classroom, the surprise in her pale-blue orbs was plain to see as her gaze fixated on the young man who stood at the front of the room. He was only a few years older than her, merely a smidgen taller, and she recognized that strikingly familiar face anywhere! Surely, she should've recognized the name 'Neumann' by itself, for this was the Theo Neumann, golden boy of their generation's college era. Linds was only a Freshman when they had met; he was three years her senior, and most likely, she remembered him a lot more than he remembered her. Back then, she was a member of the now non-extant Beta Sigma Chi sorority and one of the more pronounced cheerleaders on the squad, so she saw him at many of King Protea's famous parties, meaning that they were too drunk half the time to get to know each other. But of what she did remember, he was a good man with commendable self-control, albeit a bit of a neat freak, and she had been invited to his wedding. Well, more like she was the 'plus one' on her then-boyfriend's invitation sent by the would-be bride. The brunette recalled the shock everyone had felt when Theo had been left at the altar and the awkwardly exchanged condolence he had been offered by Paul, her boyfriend at the time. She had trailed closely behind her date, but she doubted Theo had seen her, as she hadn't been a significant guest, especially since the bride had neglected to attend. Melancholic nostalgia aside, her employer was looking quite good, she had to admit. He seemed to have aged nicely, and not noticeably much had changed in terms of his appearance. Clicking flats wasn't as easy as heels, but Lindsay managed in order to make a subtle form of noise that would get his attention. When he looked at her, she instinctively smiled brightly and waved. "Theo Neumann, that's you, isn't it?" she asked as if she were still in disbelief. Her light chuckle filled the room for a small second as she approached him steadily. It was a relief she could skip the newly-met acquaintances phase, but she knew she was still the secretary and he was the one who told her what to do and wrote her paychecks; she couldn't begin giggling like a little schoolgirl or prancing around him. They were both professionals now, and no doubt professors expected their assistants to respect their higher status and heed to their every word. "It's been too long, sir," she added, emphasizing his title with a jovial quality. "I was a Freshman here at King Protea when we last spoke." While it certainly wasn't the the last time she had seen him, per se, it had been the last time they had spoken, so technically, it hadn't been a lie that left her lips, but a half-truth. Linds knew better than to bring up such a sensitive subject, and left it unmentioned. "How are you today?" questioned the tall brunette before quickly adding, "And did you need me to retrieve any papers for you? Maybe some ice or another drink?" If there was anything she needed to leave him with by the end of the day, it was her efficiency, professionally-speaking. Anything related to friendship would have to wait until he brought the idea up himself or offered her coffee, to name one example. Until then, it was smiles, greetings, and offers; such was the life of a mere secretary. "And Tell Me There's No Other Girl In The World Like Me..." |
table by CALIFORNIA DREAMING of CAUTION 2.0