The Variations by Jones M (iphone ebook reader TXT) 📕

Author's Note

Hey guys! Thank you so much for starting to read this book. Just a few points I would like to make out:

 

 

 

This is a standalone. Any names used in the book that are similar to those of any reader are purely coincidental. Some names of towns used in the book are fake. Please forgive me if I haven't painted a full description of some areas in the book. Also forgive me if there is any grammatical error. I have gone through the book five times by now (plus extra for the chapters that I saw really needed it) The book is mature and is intended for adult audience because of curse words and scenes depicting sexual relations.

That is all. Enjoy!

Chapter 01

The sound of multiple gunshots had Kate opening her eyes and flinching in fear as she looked around the room. Her beating heart slowed its pace when she realized where she was, and a relieved sigh escaped her lips.

'It was just a dream,' she thought, observing her surroundings.

"...your computer is a machine, and it needs to be checked regularly. It is important that you take these measures..."

The professor droned on with the lecture, motioning with his hands to keep himself focused.

Kate Marie wondered how much of the class she had missed while she had been asleep. It was a good thing she had her phone's recording app switched on or else she would have missed what her professor was saying. 

She turned to the computer that was switched on in front of her, but with the way things were going, it did not look like she would use it. In fact, she was starting to zone out once again.

To force herself to stay awake, Marie decided to look at the other students in the room. Just like her, they were seated on the comfortable leather chairs. Some had their elbows on the smooth, maple furniture, tables as they listened to Mr. Bernard's words.

The large room was made up of cream walls. The tall glass windows that were on the right that offered the view of the campus environs had been obstructed by large, gray curtains, forcing everyone to use the ceiling bulbs as a source of light in the room.

Kate looked back at her professor, but then her eyes moved to the large white space behind him that would usually be used when he had a projector. Kate wished that he did have a projector. The room would have been darkened with the only source of light coming from the projected screen, and that way, she wouldn't worry about Mr. Bernard spotting her dozing off.

She started playing with a strand of her long and black, curly hair as she swallowed back a yawn. For some reason, her professor was going through the measures of maintaining a computer. They had already done that during freshman year, and so it was confusing to have to go through it again.

As Mr. Bernard kept talking, Marie scoped out the class again. It was full, and most of the familiar faces she was used to seeing were present. Her eyes landed on a hunched form at her far right. The person pushed his blonde hair off of his forehead. Just as he was turning to face her, Kate quickly fixed her gaze back to her professor.

"Alright! Now to the main point of today's class: I know that you have all been wondering what this semester has in store for you," the lecturer said. "You are juniors now, and apart from the usual classes, you will all be doing a project."

In an instant, groans of boredom sounded in the room.

"I have no idea why you are not excited about this. You are not freshmen anymore, and so you will have to participate in such projects in the coming years."

The professor then proceeded to hand out printed papers to someone at the front. Afterward, the papers were being circulated to everyone in the room. Once a copy reached Kate's desk, her eyes widened in surprise.

It was a form. Apart from requesting her name and admission number, it had a list of projects that included:

❒ Software programming

❒ Computer building and installation

❒ Motion graphics

"Those are the choices you have to select the project you will do for this semester. Some of them will be due before Christmas, and so you should all be done by then."

More groans followed afterward.

"I doubt any one of you would want me to explain what the choices entail for you to do," Mr. Bernard stated. Marie looked at her paper again, and she looked confused as to how to reply.

"You have until tomorrow to choose what you will do. After making your selections, I will give you the guidelines for them."

The students rose to leave the room.

"I'm not done yet," the professor stated. "If you do not feel like you can do any of the choices I have given you, or if you want to pitch another idea for your project, feel free to consult me."

Everyone waited as the lecturer started to pack his suitcase. He turned to face the class, surprised that everyone wasn't moving.

"You can leave now," he said, and the students went to exit the class.

*********** ******************** ******************* ****************** *************

Kate's heart was beating fast as she walked through the hallways of her university. Along the way, she passed a couple of people whom she greeted as she headed towards the exit of the building. Her mind was still focused on the project assignment, and she did not know if she should worry or dance in happiness. 

It had been two years ever since she had joined the University of Charles Darwin to pursue a Bachelor's degree in IT. She had expected college to be harder and more different from high school. In a way, it was, but she had gotten used to it. Moreover, she had not been having doubts about the course she had picked like a couple of people she knew from home.

She loved the university, more so because of the privacy. She used to be among the populars in her former high school, and it got tiring towards the end. Being in a place where people did not care about 'being cool' made her feel relieved and comfortable in doing what she wanted.

Marie looked at the form sticking out of her course units' book for her junior year before quickly looking back up. The sudden talk of projects had caught her off-guard. Sure, she had seen them coming. In fact, she had expected them to come when she was a sophomore. She had been anxiously waiting for them, but now that they had been announced, she felt unsure.

"Oomph!" came a sound when Marie collided with someone. She accidentally caught a quick whiff of some men's cologne as she adjusted the backpack on her back as she shifted to face the person.

"I'm sorry--" Marie stopped herself from speaking further when she noticed whom she had accidentally bumped into.

"It's okay," the guy said, equally tense as she was before he turned to walk away.

Marie stood still, her mind blank for a moment as she watched him walk farther into the university hallways. Once he was out of view, she started cursing at herself for not watching where she was going.

She soon resumed her walk towards the university gates.

 

Chapter 02

 

Kate left the campus grounds, following a road that led to the nearby university boarding houses. They were all dorms with some having five floors. 

Kate made her way through a large, three-story building where she headed towards her apartment.

"Hey!" she greeted as she walked into her housing area. Purple walls decorated with notes met her view along with a clean dining area. Opposite it was the kitchen, and there was also a small hallway that led to the bathroom and the bedrooms. Overall, the dorm wasn't big, but it was spacious enough for her and her friend.

"Hey," her roommate greeted as she made her way out of the small kitchen.

Her name was Gwen. She had straight blonde hair, and her skin was a shade lighter than Marie's tanned brown skin. She was around the same age as Kate, and they had been friends ever since she joined college on the previous year. Gwen was a sophomore, and she was pursuing a career in business.

"How was class today?" Gwen questioned as she made her way towards the couch in the room. Marie groaned in response.

"Oh," her friend frowned as she made herself comfortable. "You too?"

Marie looked at Gwen in question before asking: "What?"

"You too were given projects to do, right?"

Kate wondered if her friend could read her mind.

"How did you know?"

Gwen waved her hand nonchalantly. "I hear most of the juniors are assigned projects as soon as they start their academic year."

"Oh," Marie said.

"Anyway," Gwen continued as she faced her with a grin. "What were you told to do?"

Kate went to speak, but then she turned to reach for her form. She took it out of her bag and handed it to her roommate.

"Whoa!" Gwen exclaimed as she examined the document.

"I know," Marie sighed.

"No. I mean, you are given options?"

"You aren't?" replied Kate. Gwen gave her an incredulous look.

"You lucky bitch!" she exclaimed. "So which one did you pick?"

"Gwen, I just got it like an hour ago. I still have a lot to think about."

Kate's roommate shrugged her shoulders.

"Being your roommate, I know you're talking crap. We both know which project you will pick," she said, eyeing a pencil drawing of a deer pinned on the wall beside her. "Okay. Take all the time you need. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a couple of things to do."

"Bye," Kate waved as she saw her friend leave the dorm. After the door had locked with a click, she turned to look at her document.

Gwen was right. Marie knew what she wanted to do, but then she was scared of the choice. What if she messed up in the middle of it? The project could cost her college credits, and she needed them if she wanted to have a good graduation certificate.

She eyed the other options and sighed. She reached for a pencil on the table in front of her and made a cross on one of the options.

************** ******************** ********************* *************** ***********

"Okay, class!" Mr. Bernard shouted. "I have given you enough time to pick what you want to do