Maya & Mark: Making a Long Story Short

By A. M. P.

The first in a set of four, this is the short version of the beginning-of-life-together story of a contemporary meant-to-be couple, excluding most of convention and prejudice, including most of diversity and uniqueness. To be extended by

Maya & Mark
Mark & Maya
Maya's diary [parts]

&

Mark & Maya
Maya & Mark
Maya's workbook [parts]

and complemented by
Mark & Maya
Making a short story
long , the long version of the same story, including most of convention and prejudice, excluding most of diversity and uniqueness.

Almost exclusively dialogue, not necessarily quick reading.

Note: English is not the author's native language, the book was not edited (other than by author).

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491816448

A. M. P.

Half inclined towards literature, half inclined towards computer programming.

Book preview

© 2013 by A. M. (M.) P. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/26/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-1645-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-1644-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013916788

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Thank you to my families.

Thank you to my friends.

@Sorin: You’re both. Thank you for everything.

@Ana: So are you. Thank you.

P.S.: For αλα.

Preface

The first project in the Series Man is Complement of Woman & Woman is Complement of Man is a set made of four books, the one in your hands, which is to be followed by:

A second project is an additional set on Mark & Maya / Maya & Mark, to be made of ramifications and / or versions of the initial set. Try to imagine a multitude of stories that are somehow one and the same, but, instead of different stories having a pattern in common, variants of the story of two people, one that is Mark, one that is Maya.

This book is the short version of the beginning-of-life-together story of a contemporary meant-to-be couple, excluding most of convention and prejudice, including most of diversity and uniqueness. To be extended by

Maya & Mark                         Mark & Maya

Mark & Maya         &         Maya & Mark

Maya’s diary [parts]                           Maya’s workbook [parts]

and complemented by Mark & Maya

Making a short story

long         , the long version of the same story, including most of convention and prejudice, excluding most of diversity and uniqueness.

Note: English is not the author’s native language, the book was not edited (other than by author).

NB: This book is intended as fiction, please do not associate any of its content with any real entity (person, country a. s. o.) whatsoever (other than the obvious associating the author of the book with the book’s content).

A. M. (M.) P.

IMAGE01.jpg

-Morning, dad.

-Mark. I’ll be heading for the office shortly. You wanted to talk to me?

-I’ll make it quick. It’s about Maya Alexander.

-Never heard of her.

-She’s the brand new world chess champion. Particularly young girl, US, living abroad, wears a t-shirt with the MsF Computers logo at her games. I asked at the company, we’re not sponsoring her, there was no information about her to be had. She brought in a lot of publicity to MsF Computers and she should be repaid in some way. I want to know what you’re willing to do about it and I want to be in charge of it.

-Consider it all yours and up to you. Let me know if you need my help.

-Works for me. I’ll leave you to your day.

-Ambassador Coldwell, I’m Mark Wills, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.

-Nice to meet you, the strings you pulled helped with the short notice. On the other hand, you mentioned Maya Alexander, no amount of strings will help you there. I’m not willing to divulge any information about her.

-I see. All I need is contact information, though. Surely that’s not a problem.

-It is, at least for the time being. She specifically asked for non-disclosure.

-You do understand that I’m not from the press or any such thing and that I own half of MsF Computers, which she did associate herself with. That’s plenty grounds for an exception.

-I’m afraid I can’t help you.

-I came from US to Romania in order to get in touch with her. You suggest I go back empty-handed because you won’t allow for it?

-At least for the time being. You can leave your contact information with my assistant and you’ll be provided with Maya’s whenever possible, and that’s the best I can do for you. I’m sorry I can’t help you more and I’m afraid I have a very busy day ahead.

-You’ll hear from me as soon as I can make it. Have a good day.

-I’ll see you out.

Stepping out of the office into the anteroom, the assistant at his desk, looking all annoyed, pointed at the girl sitting across the room. She smiled and started talking right away:

-Ambassador, morning, I need to talk to you as soon as possible, when would you be available? William there seems to think never is the answer to that.

-Never mind him, step into my office and I’ll see you right away.

-Great. No need to do that, it’s a quick notice, as soon as you’re done with the young gentleman. By the way, hi, you do look not happy about how your meeting went, if there’s anything I can do for you, I’ve lived in this country all my life and I know everyone in the embassy, though I’ll be leaving as soon as I can make the arrangements, so, if you decide to take me up on it, you should make it soon enough.

-Thank you, right now I’ll be going for whatever legal department there is to be had in this place.

-Ok. Here’s my card in case you need it later, if you wait for a couple of minutes I can walk with you to the head of the legal department and get you a meeting with him the soonest possible, he’s my father. Now, ambassador, I only wanted to tell you I’ve decided to go away as soon as possible, except, instead of heading straight for California, I’ll make a stop in Hawaii first. I’ll see dad about arrangements and such, I just wanted to let you know I’m going and say goodbye in case I don’t see you between now and then. Please don’t forget about my request with regards to MsF Computers, I’ll provide your office with my US phone number as soon as I’ll have one, in case they call. Thanks, bye, for now or for however long.

Looking at the card provided to him, Mark stepped in:

-Could you please be more specific about the request with regards to MsF Computers you just mentioned?

-It’s about my contact information, I asked for full non-disclosure to any other than coming from MsF Computers request for it.

-Now, ambassador, interesting enough, it seems to me that this is Maya Alexander and that you denied me her contact information not at her specifically asking you to do so, but against her specifically asking you not to do so.

-Well, I…

After a brief silence, Maya joined in:

-Ambassador, please do tell, it sounds interesting enough to me as well.

At him looking embarrassed, she added:

-Fine, how about I see to it with the young gentleman and leave you to your day, we’ll call it my going away present. So, the two of us can talk about it on the way to the legal department?

-I would have liked to hear what the ambassador has to say on the subject, but I’ll make do without, so that you can have your present. I don’t need to go to the legal department anymore, though, there might be need to see your father. How about we just go talk somewhere for a while and see about it after?

-Sure. There’s an office that’s not currently used or the cafeteria, which should be fairly empty at this time of day, but there might still be plenty of interruptions to our talk. The outside of the embassy options are a little more complicated for me right now.

-The office sounds better, though I’m in no particular hurry, so, I can make do with the cafeteria and the interruptions also, up to you. I’m Mark Wills, by the way.

-You sure strike me like one. A Mark, I mean. Particularly interesting handshake you have, too. Gently strong. Maya. Alexander. Best meeting one ever.

-Same here.

Once seated in the non-used office, he began:

-You don’t look much like you did on TV, you sure don’t look your age, unless the press had it wrong.

-I’ve taken a week off with no press whatsoever, I’d rather have more of a collection to go through when I do look at it, so, I don’t know about whatever age they printed. I’m a 13-16-18 year old, anyway. Whatever on TV me there was must have been about my games, I wear my hair tied and what I call my chess uniform, an MsF Computers t-shirt and jeans at all times, in order to keep my appearance to a minimum.

-A 13-16-18 year old? They printed 13, by the way.

-Yes, I was born about 13 years ago, I don’t get as much sleep as the average person does, so, I’m about 16 in terms of up-and-about time, and I’m legally 18. About that, could you please not share any of my information? I have plenty good reason to ask, possibly more than I can think of.

-No sharing without your having consented to. Never heard of a legally 18 13-year-old, or any other under 18 year old, for that matter.

-I was the first one to be granted the legally 18 status, in the US at least, though it was about a year ago, there might be more by now. It’s the legal equivalent of turning 18, you just don’t have to wait that long.

-Ok, so, 13, 16, 18, a world champion, chess, nonetheless. You go to school also, I assume?

-I should be starting college in a month, though I might decide to postpone for another year, depending on whatever press and such came of the chess thing.

-College? Postponing it for another year?

-Yes, college, I finished high-school a little over a year ago, but I wanted to go to MsF College, which comes with moving about half way around the world from my parents, no family or friends in the US, I had no legal status either at the time. I was not even sure MsF College will have me, since I had not much of what they usually look for, other than good grades. I did apply and get in this year, but with my age and overall new to the States situation, the newly added possibly in the spotlight might cause me to postpone for another year.

-It seems like we have plenty to talk about, I think I can help in more ways than I was aware of. To begin with, I was here on behalf of MsF Computers and I was planning to volunteer whatever personal help you might use, as well. I go to MsF College, I’ll be graduating in a year, so, I could help with that. The no family or friends in the States as well, I’ll be your first friend.

-You’re pretty much a godsend. You majoring in Management would make you the best ever.

-Best ever it is, then.

-So, your name is Mark, you’re on your way to being a manager, and you’re somehow associated with MsF Computers, too?

-All of the above.

-Oh, boy… Ok… Well, about the being my friend and helping with the going to MsF College, you might want to reconsider once I tell you that I’d be all gone on you in no time. I was pretty sure you’re the one to begin with, based on my being particularly well acquainted with my system. There was body and heart to go with, my mind fully joined in just now, which quite settles it for me.

-I’m sure you can manage getting a crush on a guy just fine.

After having laughed her heart out,

-You call it whatever works for you, if that’s getting a crush, I really don’t know my English. I wouldn’t know about my managing one of those, since I never had one and I very much doubt I ever will. The good news is, I’m fairly certain you being the one is way more manageable than getting a crush. To me, that is. You’re yours to manage.

-Let’s not go there, you’re way too young for any such thing. I have to say I’m flattered, for lack of a better word, you sure beat the hell out of any girl I ever met and ever will meet.

-Also, you’re too young to be set against such a thing. Particularly so in my case. Management goes with informed decisions, so, how about you give it some thought after having met me, as in having gotten acquainted with my information. You’d have to do that anyway, if you really want to be friends and help with my going to MsF College. The good news is, I have the easy way for you doing that, as in a diary that you can read at your convenience, the bad news is, it’s an eight volumes type of diary, I started it when I was five. You could probably skip a few, though. I can hand it to you now and you can give it back to me when I get to the States, just make sure it’s a for your eyes only at all times.

-You can’t be serious.

-I can see how you might think so, but I’m perfectly serious.

-Your diary? You want me to read your diary? You met me