Page 124 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
Gabe
See you there.
Luna
Hey, can we talk tonight?
Gabe
Of course. Pick you up after your shift?
Luna
No need! Let’s just meet at my place at 6:30
Cesar
Call me asap
“You’re resigning,” Norarepeated in a monotone.
I leaned back in her visitor’s chair and braced my palms on my thighs. “I am.”
“When I saw your message requesting a meeting, I assumed you wanted to discuss your dissertation. Although I suppose this will serve you better for now. It’ll give you more time to focus on writing.”
“To the contrary—along with my resignation, I’ve also decided to withdraw from the PhD program.” It was the first time I’d said the words out loud, and it took an invisible load off my shoulders, loosening the heavy knots at the base of my neck.
It felt good. Liberating.
From Nora’s horrified expression, she didn’t share my sentiment. “But you’re so close. You’re willing to let all these years of studying and teaching go down the drain? You’ll be yet another statistic, Gabriel.”
“Academia has been a big part of my life, but I’ve realized that it no longer aligns with my future plans. I don’t consider my years here as time wasted. I’m thankful for everything I learned in Sterling.”
She leaned forward, placing her elbows on her desk and pinning me with her stare. “Are you a hundred percent sure about this decision? I know I gave you critical feedback on your recent draft, but there’s no need to be hasty. Most candidatesundergo multiple rounds of revisions, and that shouldn’t discourage you from proceeding.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. I know I’m capable of completing the requirements, but to be frank, I would rather put that time and effort into expanding my business.”
“And that’s the only reason? Your decision has nothing to do with how you were supposedly seen socializing with students in a club last Saturday?”
I froze.
Nora’s sigh told me my reaction didn’t go unnoticed. She sank back into her chair and rubbed her forehead. “I need to ask if it was just a passing greeting or something more . . . involved.”
That knocked me out of my stupor. “I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but I can promise that nothing untoward happened.”
Not in public, at least.
“All I’ve heard is what I told you.”
My fingers dug into my thighs. I’d known the risk of this happening, yet it didn’t stop me from hating the knowledge that people were speculating about me and possibly Luna.
“I’ve known one student for a while due to my friendship with her older sister, though she was never in my class. I was at the club to wish her a happy birthday.”
Nora tsked. “You couldn’t have greeted her through text? Or in private?”
“I could have.”
This was where things became more complicated. I could continue to hide between the friendship excuse, but it wouldn’t fly in the long run. Not if I wanted to be in Luna’s life the way I intended. I needed to prove I would stand up for her, even when it was difficult.
