Page 19 of Forbidden Professor

I shift in my seat. “I don’t think I’ve given him much reason for it, no.”

She picks up a pen from her desktop, drumming it a few times. “I see.” She pauses for a second. “Would it be fair to label your father as more than a little overbearing? After all, you are in med school now.”

Swallowing, I nod. “That would be to put it mildly, ma’am.”

“Please, call me Clarissa,” she says gently. “And you are certainly not the first student to ever have such a request. Some parents just have a little trouble letting go.”

My father’s words echo in my brain.I’ll always be in your life.

I wrinkle my nose. “I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

Clarissa smiles. “Have you chosen your academic advisor yet?”

Exhaling, I shake my head. “Not yet.”

Clarissa opens a drawer in her desk, taking out a pad of paper. She starts to scrawl something on it. “I am happy to be a contact for you, to let your father know whatever it is you want him to know. It’s up to you. But here is a list of professors that can serve as your advisor. I think that these professors will be more willing to talk to your father, if that’s what you wish. Your father aside, I really think that you should have an advisor chosen by next week.”

I blush again. “Thank you, Clarissa.”

She gives me a cool smile as she rips off the page she is writing on and hands it over with one of her contact cards. “It’s really no problem, Eve. The school is here to support you in whatever ways you want, within reason. I’d say that your request is well within the bounds of normalcy.”

I glance at the list she’s made in her neat block print. There are only three names. Carter Morgan stands out, the last name on the list.

Oh god. What do I have to do to get an advisor who isn’t… well… him?

Swallowing nervously, I drop the list into my tote bag. “Thank you, Clarissa.”

“Anytime.” She stands and so do I. “You also may want to take advantage of some of our free campus counselors. Having an overbearing parent can be stressful and you will already have plenty of stress heaped on your head by med school.” She starts to usher me out. “Something to think about.”

“Eve?”

I look up at Clarissa, my expression questioning. “Yes, ma’am?”

She flushes. “Please don’t ma’am me.”

My cheeks flame a dull red. “Sorry.”

She rocks back in her chair, steeling her fingers, pursing her lips. “I don’t want to cross any lines with you. Please tell me if this is information that you don’t want. But I think you can still apply for financial aid.”

My brow lowers. “Err…”

“It’s just an option,” she says. “I would imagine that if your father is this strict, there has to be something he holds over you. In many cases like this, students feel that their financial assistance will be negatively affected if they don’t bend to their parents’ will. Is that your situation?”

I blink at her, a blush creeping into my cheeks. “Well… yes.”

Clarissa sits up, opening a file folder on her desk. “It looks like you aced your MCATs and GRE. So you probably have a shot at a few government grants. Public scholarships have already been settled for this year, of course… but there is no rule saying that you can’t get a few private ones.” She wrinkles her nose, looking up at me. “I’m afraid the rest of your tuition would have to be made up in loans.”

I chew my bottom lip. Mainly, I’m trying to calculate how I could possibly pay for everything else in my life besides tuition.

“Eve?”

I glance up at her. “My father has me wrapped up in his web,” I confess. “I can’t even sort out all the investments and payments made on my behalf. It’s sort of mind boggling.”

She smiles at me, closing the file. “I don’t want you to feel pressure. Just know that in a month, your opportunities for applying for loans and scholarships will dramatically shrink.”

I digest that silently, nodding.

Clarissa sits back in her chair again. “I just want you to know that I work for you. Not your father. Not the loan companies. You and the other medical students are my only priority.”

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