The economics seminar on Wednesday morning focused on applied trade policy. It was engaging enough that Mike devoted more than his usual one-third of attention to it, largely because the professor exuded the expertise of someone who had practical experience in the field before transitioning to teaching. He also had strong opinions about the disconnect between theory and practice.
Maya sat three seats to Mike's left, her phone positioned in a way that was technically discreet yet clearly capturing the room. He noticed the angle twice: first when she tilted it slightly upward to capture a wider frame and again when she lowered it during a heated exchange between two students discussing tariff structures, only to raise it again once the debate concluded.
She was excellent at it. The recording was nearly invisible unless you were looking for it.
After the seminar, she caught up with him in the corridor.
"Mike!" Maya waved at him, and then Mike stopped just to look at her.
"Yo."
