10. She sure does

As Meg passed by Dr. Nielsen’s office, she heard she was still talking to the student from before. Taking a deep breath before knocking and entering, she saw Dr. Nielsen working with one of her advisees. The senior was a shorter man and not very good looking. There was something toad-ish about him with his scraggly beard and slightly greasy sheen. She didn’t need to fulfill her promise to serve as stress relief to her professor’s advisees, but she’d said she wanted to. And some part of her still did.

“Um, hi, sorry, I just wanted to pop in and… see how things are going.” Meg tried to be coy, beating around the bush slightly.

“No trouble at all,” Dr. Nielsen gave her a warm smile, “We were actually just getting a little stuck on Ricky’s work here.”

“Oh good– I mean not good, but good that I can be here to help.” Meg’s words were laden with meaning, hoping to convey what she was here for without having to say it outright. She still felt a shred of embarrassment about this work, but she really wanted to fulfill it she found. She wanted Ricky to have to be the one to say it.