I want to talk, Nathan. Before you sign those papers, you owe me that much.
I made a mistake, and I want to work this out… forgive you, the way you forgave me.
Nathaniel.
I sighed and slipped the phone back into my pocket. I wished her the best, but I wasn’t going to waste more of her time or mine. I should’ve ended things years ago, when she cheated, instead of clinging to a familiar routine that was already dead.
I thought it hurt me to watch her leave, but I think it was the choice being ripped from me that hurt my ego more.
If anything, what truly wrecked me, and lost me the most sleep was my behavior towards Ryan. I was supposed to be an adult but instead essentially tore him down for a mistake I made, and acted like a toddler.
I kissed him, I pressed his body against me and nearly screwed him.
I did those things out of pure will, but I dare blame him for putting a light on it?
Michael reappears at my side, eyes fixed on Claire across the room. “Damn, she’s hot.”
I give him a forced smile, which he takes as encouragement. “Do me a solid—talk to her for me. Let me know if she’s married.”
“Why can’t you?”
He rolled his eyes. “Because it’ll be obvious coming from me. You’re married.”
I sipped my coffee, feeling the weight of the divorce papers in my bag. “Fine.”
He patted me on the back, satisfied.
I weaved through students clustered around poster boards until I found Claire studying an old project from last year.
She spotted me instantly, tugging her brown hair into a high ponytail. “This is cute,” she says, pointing at the title:How Positive Affirmations Result in Higher Life Expectancy.
I chuckled. “That one was fun to participate in.”
“Oh yeah?” She sipped from her cup, apple juice catching the light. “What did they have you do?”
“Just a list of positive quotes to say in the mirror, then an interview after a month to discuss the results.”
She chuckled, glancing around before leaning in to whisper, “Feels like a weekend project for a final, doesn’t it?”
My laugh was more polite than genuine. “One could say that. They enjoyed it.”
Her smirk widened. “A whole year for this? Please tell me they got a C.”
She stepped closer, brushing my shirt, eyes locked on mine.
She’s flirting. Probably single. Or a cheater.
Before I could respond, another presence slipped in, low voice, calm but cutting. “Though, it’s worth noting the student who made this escaped a cult. Positive reinforcement was part of the structure that kept them trapped. When they left, they felt like they’d done something wrong, when in reality…” He gestures at the poster. “It was just the conditioning.”
Ryan.
His smelled made my stomach clench, fuck it was an intoxicating scent.
He stood close enough that Claire instinctively shifted back. His smile was bright, harmless to anyone who didn't know better.
“Hi, Professor.”
Hoodie today. Made him look even younger, nothing like the little drunk deviant in my car Friday night. Not that I had much room to judge. I’d been drunk as hell too.