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I storm out of his office with a fire in my chest. Every student moves out of my way in the halls and on the sidewalks of campus. It’s not until I make it to my car that I break down.
Naomi: I think I just quit my PhD program.
Selene: WHAT?!?
Naomi: I just . . . fought? With my advisor. And I think I just quit.
Selene: You think? Or you did?
Naomi: I did.
Selene’s name pops up on my phone screen, and I pick up on the first ring.
“Are you okay?” she asks, out of breath.
“I think so?” I reply honestly. “I think I’m still in shock.”
“I mean, sure. That makes sense.” She goes quiet. “Tell me what you need. Do you want to talk about it? Vent and tell me what happened? Help problem-solving?”
Tears stream down my face, but this time it’s because of her thoughtfulness.
“All of the above.”
“Okay. Let’s do this.” Her voice is firm and reassuring.
I drive home despite the tears falling down my face, telling Selene about my conversation with Dr. Edwards and how I stood up to him, which received the cheers I needed to hear. We talk through everything I’ve been holding back from her for the past few months, and I admit that I’ve been afraid to confide in her with all of the good things happening in her life, not wanting to sour her mood.
By the time that I reach my apartment, my brain has shifted to logistical problems instead of emotional ones.
“Shit,” I murmur.
“What?” Selene asks.
“My apartment is provided by the university. I’ll lose it when I withdraw.”
“You’ll come live with Gunnar and me, then, until you figure things out,” she jumps in, her offer making me breathe out a sigh of relief. “We can come up this weekend with the truck and trailer to move the majority of your stuff down.”
“Okay. Okay. That sounds good,” I say, opening my car door and heading into the building, using my fob on the door leading inside from the garage.
“Hey, Nay?” Selene asks, her face growing concerned once more. “Do you actually want to stop pursuing your PhD? Or do you just not want to do it where you are?”
“I don’t know, Lena.” I sigh as I unlock my front door. “I just figured out my dissertation topic, and then Dr. Edwards was ranting about how I’ll never succeed and it just made me snap. Part of me feels like I shouldn’t give up on my education. Another knows I can always pursue another path and figure it out that way.”
I take a deep breath in and out as I set down my bags on the kitchen counter.
“Well, we can take this one step at a time. First, we get your ass down to Houston!” She squeals. “We’re gonna be roomies!”
Doubt creeps into my mind. “This is a good idea, Lena, right?”
“Well, of course it is, cariña. I came up with it.” She laughs before letting her voice go soft again. “You’re good, though? Do I need to worry anymore?”
“Nah. I’m good now. Thank you for talking with me.”
“Anytime. Okay. Game plan. You need to officially withdraw and start packing. Gunnar and I will drive up tomorrow morning and should be there by the afternoon. We can load everything up Saturday, finish on Sunday, and drive back to our place. Then we go from there.”
“Thank you. So much. You really are the best friend I could ask for.”
“I know,” she says, and I can hear her broad smile through the phone.
