Alice’s face softens. “I’ve got it. Go.”
“Thanks, Alice,” I say before leaning down to kiss Skye’s forehead. “I’ll see you later. I love you.”
The second I walk out the door and into my car, I drive to campus. I check the time on my watch and realise I only have five minutes to make my way to my professor’s office. I break out into a light jog and get there in record time, raising my fist to knock on his door.
“Come in,” he calls.
My fingers press against the handle as I step inside. “You wanted to see me about my dissertation, professor?”
“Yes, Finn. Take a seat,” he says, gesturing to the empty chair in front of him.
As soon as I sit down, my palms start to sweat. I try to stop my knee from bouncing, but it’s nearly impossible. I might have to change my entire plan if he thinks it’s crap, and that’s probably my fault for barely attending lectures or participating in the first three years.
I watch him silently as he scrolls through his laptop—presumably looking at my proposal. He removes his glasses and stares directly at me.
“This is good, Finn,” he says simply. “Really good. It’s a huge improvement from your previous coursework.”
I exhale a quiet breath of relief as my heart pounds in my throat. “Thank you,” I say with pride. “I knew I had to step up. Bring up my grades as best I can.”
“Your dissertation is a big portion of this year’s overall grade,” he says. “I can see here that in second year you got a high 2:2, and in third year you got a low 2:2.”
My face scrunches up. I know I can do so much better than that. If only I had my head on my shoulders, I might have seen some firsts.
“What do I need to get this year to get a 2:1 overall?”
He hums and taps away at his laptop before leaning back in his chair. “To get a 2:1 overall, you need to get a minimum of 70% this year.”
The back of my neck starts to sweat. Okay, it’s not impossible, just terrifying.
“But I believe if you complete your dissertation the exact way your proposal is written out, then you could easily get a first on this. I know you’ve been doing well in your other classes, you just need to keep it up, Finn. Keep focused, remember what’s important here,” he says as he twirls his glasses between his fingers. “It’s only another few months, but work on your dissertation over Christmas break and come back to me in the new year, and I can take a look at it for you and see if you’re on track.”
I inhale deeply—filled with relief. “Thank you so much. Honestly, I really appreciate your help.”
He smiles back at me. “I know a shining star when I see one. And you have a lot of potential. I want to see you soar and graduate with the grade you deserve.”
“I’ll do everything I can to stay on top of all my assignments.”
“I know you will, Finn.”
I stand from his desk and leave his office, taking a moment to myself to digest the conversation. My life is changing, and I’m not letting anything destroy what I’ve started to build.
When I step out of the East Building, I spot JJ, Silas, and Ronan. They clock me almost instantly, and I head over without hesitation.
“Hey, man,” Ronan says before bringing me into a hug. “Are we good? I haven’t seen you properly in ages.”
“Yeah…” I trail off. “Been living at Maya’s. It’s where I should be.”
“Of course. I’m sorry about the shit that went down with us before, man. I never intended for it to get out. I feel awful.”
“It’s fine,” I say, not bothering to hold grudges anymore. “I’m not ashamed of it. I’d just rather others didn’t know my business.”
Ronan looks genuinely remorseful, which tells me he didn’t do it maliciously. He just has a big mouth sometimes. It’s a terrible quality to have, but who am I to judge after all the mistakes I’ve made?
“And I crossed a line,” he sighs. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I forgive you, man,” I say. “It’s all good.”
“Wanna go grab a coffee?”
