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MEGHAN
The rest of my winter break is completely miserable. Julian permeated so much of my life, and I didn’t realize it until I was forced to sleep in my apartment for the first time in months. Julian and I were practically living together, and now I’m alone in a place that doesn’t feel like home.
I bury myself in work, forging ahead on my capstone project, even if Stephanie rejected it. If I’m lucky enough to find another advisor on such short notice, I want to present them with a complete project that is entirely my own. The research is hard and tedious, and I come across more than one article written by Dr. Julian Armstrong, but it distracts me. It keeps my mind from wandering to what could have been. What should have been.
A week before the new semester starts, I receive an email from Dr. Nelson, agreeing to be my new advisor. I eagerly respond and set up an appointment to meet with him after classes start.
I have a light load this semester. Only three classes, and then I’m done. All requirements should be fulfilled, but I plan on asking Dr. Nelson just to be sure.
Honestly, Dr. Nelson’s email and the start of classes lift my spirits. But I’m still more than a little disappointed that Julian hasn’t tried to contact me. He has to be back by now.
You are not that girl,I scold myself when I contemplate heading to his apartment. You are not desperate and needy.
Oh, who am I kidding? Yes, I am.
Julian fills an emptiness inside me I never knew existed until we met. And now I ache for him every day we’re apart.
I’m confident he’ll come back, though. We just need a bit of separation to sort out love from lust, reality from fantasy.
On the day of my appointment with Dr. Nelson, I trudge through the cold snow to his office. I stop for a moment and glance down the hallway toward Julian’s office. I’m no longer his TA so I don’t know his new office hours or schedule.
My watch beeps, and I know I’m late for my meeting with Dr. Nelson. I quickly shake away the fog and hurry in the opposite direction toward his office.
The moment I arrive, it’s all business. He asks about my previous project and admits to agreeing with both Stephanie and Julian.
“Ophelia is a very over-done topic,” he states. “But I’m very excited to hear what you’ve come up with regarding Desdemona. There’s so much depth there to be explored.”
I smile, confident I’ll blow him away with my project, and begin explaining. He listens intently and asks questions that will guide me deeper into my research. When we’re finished, I’m excited to hurry back to my apartment and finish my work.
“I can’t say I’m sorry about your previous advisor.”
“Stephanie? Did something happen?”
“She was terminated before the semester started. I’m not sure what happened, but she made a complaint against a member of the faculty, and it blew up in her face.”
I sit back in my chair, stunned. Obviously, her complaint was against Julian, but I knew he was keeping tabs on her, compiling all sorts of information should she decide to go after either of us.
“It’s a shame about Dr. Armstrong too.”
I sit up and my eyes pop open. “What about him?”
“Resigned. He’ll finish out the year, but that’s it. Such a pity, because Danville could use someone like him on our faculty.”
My heart thunders in my chest, and I’m almost positive Dr. Nelson can hear it.
“That is too bad,” I murmur.
Dr. Nelson is oblivious to my feelings. We arrange to meet in another month and discuss my project before scheduling my final presentation. Then I’m dismissed.
Automatically, I stand and sling my bag across my shoulder.
Julian resigned. He’s going to leave Danville. And me.
The instant I step outside, the floodgates open and I burst into soul-shattering sobs. How could he do this to me? To us?
In a daze, I walk down the hallway, my head lowered and my eyes blurry. I have no idea where I’m going, nor do I care.
Until I run into a hard wall of muscle with a familiar scent.
