Page 72 of The Love Simulation

“Coffee sounds good. Or a book club. I think you and Simone will absolutely love the first book I have in mind.”

“More growling men?” I ask.

“No. In this one, he hates everyone but her.” Angie wiggles her brows. “Sounds good, right? I’ll call you so we can set it up!” And with that, she turns and struts away.

I smile to myself. If she doesn’t call me, then I’m calling her. That book sounds delightful.

“Knock knock,” I hear a deep voice say, and stiffen.

I turn around to find Principal Major in the doorway. I have to immediately tamp down my anger and resentment and the urge I’ve had all week to yell at him. To call him a black hole who not only ruined the chance of happiness I had with Roman but also sucks all the joy out of the school and teachers. But again, I know I would start crying, and he’s just not worth it.

“Principal Major,” I say.

“Miss Rogers. I wanted to make sure you have everything or see if there was anything you needed.”

“Coming to make sure I’m actually packing up to get out of here, you mean?” I won’t cuss him out, but I also won’t act like he hasn’t been a thorn in my side. We are not parting ways like besties. “Don’t worry, I’m good.”

He nods, probably satisfied that there are no pretensesbetween us. He looks around my office like he’s seeing it for the first time. Now that I think about it, he never actually came here during the whole school year. He just assigned me a place to park and summoned me to him when it was necessary for us to talk in person.

“There’s not much space in here, is there?” he comments. He’s not even inside fully, and for that I’m thankful. This space isn’t big enough for all my boxes and his insufferable presence.

As he continues looking around—at what, I’m not sure since there’s only so much one can see when peering into a shoebox—I can’t help but notice that he looks a little…ashamed? And what is this feeling trying to get into me now…the stirrings of forgiveness?

After all, I won’t have to deal with him any longer after this. I feel sorry that he’s so stuck in his old ways. It’s not that he’s a bad principal. At least, he’s not the worst. He does want the school and the kids to succeed. And I know he was dragged upside down and inside out after Roman listened to his message in the simulation congratulating Roman for doing a good job at gaining my trust. However, since he never outright said the wordsabotage, I can only guess that’s how he managed not to get fired. Camille couldn’t believe even her strongly worded letter didn’t do the job.

I can only hope he does better for the next vice principal. Whether it be Roman or someone else.

“I’m all good here,” I say. “I’ll have the rest of these boxes out by the end of the day.”

Principal Major nods. For a second I contemplate asking about Roman. If anyone knows what he’s up to, surely it would be his father. But as quickly as the urge pops up, it’s gone. Principal Major and I will never have the kind ofrelationship where I can ask after his son. Maybe if this were an alternate reality or if we were able to show each other grace instead of battling to press our will on the other.

Once Principal Major leaves, I start moving boxes from my office to my car. I don’t have many since there was only so much I could add in there without cluttering it up. The last thing I grab is my painting. I still have yet to pick up a pencil and some paper. I felt inspired while in the Hab, but now I realize that inspiration was in large part due to Roman. How can I even think of trying to draw, knowing memories of our dinner-and-drawing date would likely assault me if I tried?

I suck in a deep breath. When will I ever be able to stop thinking about him? That’s a pointless question. Never. That’s the answer. I’ll never stop thinking about him. And I’ll forever mourn that we didn’t have a real shot at a love out here in the real world.

When I close my eyes, I’ll forever hear his voice saying my name, the way he said it when he thought I was being silly or when we were lying in bed and he held me with so much tenderness and love.

“Brianna.”

Great. Not only do I hear it when my eyes are closed, I apparently hear it when I’m out and about trying to live a normal life too.

“Brianna.”

I gasp and stop. I’m not hearing things. I turn around, and there he is. Facing me as he stands in the middle of the parking lot.

Roman is here. After seeing him in nothing but the jumpsuit for six straight weeks, he looks like a new man in fitted jeans and a dark gray polo with actual short sleeves. The colors he wears are muted compared to the yellowcompact and blue SUV near us and the sun in the sky, but I can’t think of a more beautiful sight my eyes have seen.

We stare at each other for what feels like eons. Roman’s eyes rake over me, but I don’t take my gaze off his face in case he disappears. He’s freshly groomed. Goatee trimmed, perfect edge-up and waves. If I hadn’t gotten used to looking in those beautiful brown eyes every day over the course of five weeks, I might have believed he was the same unaffected and aloof teacher waiting for me to stop talking to him.

But I did spend those weeks with him. Studying him like it was my life’s greatest work, so I know there is nothing aloof in the way he’s looking at me. He’s nervous. It takes everything in me not to throw myself at him, but I don’t know where we stand. For all I know, he could be here to yell at me because of how things ended at the Hab. To clear the air and get everything off his chest now, while he has the chance, before I leave the school for good.

I blink, breaking the spell Roman had on me, and take in a gulp of air. “What are you doing here?” I bite my bottom lip. What a dumb question. He’s obviously here to get ready for school. “I mean, I haven’t seen you all week. I’m surprised to see you now. Not that I think you’ve been slacking or anything,” I rush to add. “I know that being prepared is important to you and all.” I squeeze the frame of the picture until the pain of it digging into my hands is finally enough to get me to stop talking. “You know what,” I say once I compose myself, “ignore everything. What are you doing here?”

Roman’s eyes soften, and for a second it looks like he might smile. But he sobers again and takes a deep breath. “I heard that you decided to resign. I wanted to get it from the source this time to make sure it’s true.”

“Oh.” I hope the disappointment isn’t evident in my tone. “Yeah. This time it’s true. I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I think this is what’s best for me. On the plus side, there’s an open position for vice principal if you know anyone capable of fulfilling the role. If I know my former principal, he’s already got someone in mind.”

“What are you going to do?”

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