Page 193 of Right Man, Right Time
“You overheard us. You were there in the cafeteria?”
“You should really learn to keep your voice down.”
The rage of a thousand men takes over my body, causing my blood to boil. How fucking dare she?
I should have known.
She was out to get me from the day I used her Post-it Note.
“You . . . bitch,” I mutter, causing her to smile even broader if possible.
White-hot anger blisters through me.
My fists clench at my side.
And before I can stop myself, I grab her head, and I slam my forehead against hers, headbutting her straight into the wall behind her.
I don’t even register the pain.
I don’t bother to say anything else to her.
Instead, I bump into her on my way down the hall, and while I pass her desk, I sweep my arm across her neatly organized pens and Post-it Notes and trash it all to the floor before reaching the elevator and pressing the down button.
I don’t realize the full extent of what I’ve done until I’m in my dorm, with ice on my forehead, and an email from my adviser that I’m going to have to repeat my internship, which will delay me from graduating.
Fucking . . . great.
The worst thing? The pain in my head and the pain from failing is no comparison to the pain in my heart from losing Silas.
* * *
To:Ollie Owens
From: Professor Wheeler
Subject: Scheduled Meeting
Miss Owens,
Since you failed to show up to our meeting regarding your future here in the journalism department and you didn’t obtain credit for your summer internship, it’s with deepest regards that I’m recommending to the dean that you’re excused from the School of Journalism, effective after the semester is done.
You will maintain credit for the classes you’ve taken this semester, given you pass them, but unfortunately, we will no longer be able to offer you any more classes in the journalism department moving forward. I believe you are aware of the circumstances that brought you to this point. And since you were on a partial housing scholarship, I have the difficult job to tell you that you no longer will have access to those funds at the semester’s end.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I would advise that you sit down with a school-provided counselor to figure out what your next moves should be.
Sincerely,
Professor Wheeler
* * *
Ross:Want me to come over?
Ollie:No. I just want to be alone.
Ross:I don’t like you being in your room all by yourself.
Ollie:I love you for caring, but I just want to sit here and cry alone.
