jamie and eric-9-midnight talk continues

Couldn’t admit he missed Jamie. It felt all weird and wrong—missing someone without even knowing them. Missing a guy. Eric didn’t even miss his girlfriends.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve practiced you art,” Master Brown’s voice was sympathetic. “And a long time since you’ve challenged yourself academically. And a long time since you’ve practiced power sharing with Jamie.”

Eric wasn’t sure what ‘power sharing’ was, but he nodded anyways.

“I know you’ve had trouble concentrating on writing. So instead of essays we can have you work on a research project. I know you have interest with physical things. I could talk to- “

Eric buried his face in his hands, so frustrated. She didn’t get it. He couldn’t do things like that. She still wasn’t getting it.

“Come on Eric, that doesn’t help me.” She snapped over his groaning. Eric didn’t move. Master Brown tapped her nail file on the vanity top. “Well if you don’t want to do a research project, what do you want to do?”

“I don’t know.” More and more Eric regretted climbing up the side of the building. Had he thought that Master Brown would magically have all of the answers?

“Alright, well tell me why you don’t want to do a research project then.”

“I can’t.” Eric barked out what he thought was so obvious, angry that she made him admit it.

“Eric, honey, that’s nonsense.” The irritation melted away. “You’ve done little research projects dozens of times. This would be no different.”

Eric shook his head. He remembered those projects. Kinda. But. But when he sat down and tried to do it now… he just couldn’t. It had been too long. Jamie had helped him too much.

“I can’t.” Eric looked out the window. A bright crescent floating among streaming clouds. Hardly impressive this far away from the horizon, when it looked so small. Master Brown was tapping again.

“I think you’re letting yourself get overwhelmed by the scope of the project, and that makes you feel like you’re unable to start the project… Which you could work though…”

“No, I couldn’t” Eric blurted emphatically.

“Okay… Why don’t we find out what you are capable of. I can set up a series of assessment tests that you can take on your days off.”

“Yeah, okay… What? You still want me to work?”

“I think it would be detrimental for you to lose your routine. At least until we decide something else to do with you.” Master Brown gave that quirky half smile, that showed how young she was… compared to the other masters.