The encounter with Drake Hendrix stayed with me like a bad taste in my mouth. As I walked back toward the main gate to meet Mark, I repeated my vow: "I will never associate with people like him".
When I arrived at the entrance, Mark was already there, leaning against his car. "I am sorry for making you wait, Mark," I said, still panting from the walk. "I was delayed by a very inhumane man on my way here".
"It is okay, Francine. You are only five minutes late," Mark said, his sightless eyes softened by a considerate expression.
I stopped and looked at him seriously. "Well, for me, Mark, every second is vital. Being late for five minutes is a waste of 8.33% of an hour. We could have used that time for something useful".
Mark looked mesmerized. "You are full of wisdom, Francine. That makes you cool and different from other women".
He opened the door of the Lamborghini, and I slid into the passenger seat, the luxury of the car feeling like a strange contrast to the garbage cans I had occupied earlier. "This is actually the first time I've been in a car like this," I admitted.
"Get used to it," Mark joked. "I suspect you'll be spending a lot of time in here".
As we drove toward a restaurant called Starry Night, I asked him why he chose Genetic Research.
"I want to help the future generation," Mark explained, his voice turning serious. "I don't want other children to have the same fate as mine—living in total darkness. I want to find a cure for genetic developmental problems so no one else has to feel incomplete".
His passion was infectious. "You can always count on me to help with that advocacy," I promised.
"And you?" he asked. "Why heart surgery?".
The question brought a lump to my throat. I told him about my father, the man who had raised me alone after my parents' divorce. I told him about the heart disease that had slowly stolen his life, and the famous doctor who had abandoned us for a "rich woman covered in gold" who had bought his only experimental cure.
"My father died leaning on my shoulder," I said, tears streaming down my face. "I promised him I would become a world-famous surgeon and find the woman who stole his last hope".
Mark handed me a handkerchief, his hand finding mine with practiced ease.
We arrived at the restaurant, a place so luxurious it felt like dining under the stars. I watched in amazement as Mark navigated the room with perfect grace. "How do you do it?" I whispered.
"I spent seven years studying intuition and instinct," he admitted. "There were times I wanted to give up—times I almost committed suicide—but I endured. Success is the reward for hardship".
As we sat down to eat, a waiter approached. "Mr. Mark, you have a very... exotic and head-turning girlfriend," he remarked.
"She's my schoolmate," Mark corrected him immediately. I gave the waiter a fake smile, unsure if I had just been insulted or complimented.
Our lunch was interrupted by Mark's phone. He stepped away to take the call and returned looking troubled. "My cousin is coming here," he said. "He's an Army Management student—the only child of his family, and very snappy".
"I don't think we'll be friends," I said, thinking of my earlier vow. "I am a sluggish girl, and he sounds... difficult".
"Don't worry," Mark said gently. "He has a big heart; you just have to know him. I'll introduce you when he arrives".
I nodded; little did I know that the "snappy cousin" was the very man who had insulted me in the hallway only hours before.