“Yes. I grew up around beautiful people,” I say.
“Do you have—”
“Open your textbooks to chapter thirteen.”
“Can we talk about the article? I don’t think I can concentrate on econometrics until I get my curiosity satisfied,” Tanner says with a smarmy grin.
I pin him with my death glare. “If you feel that going over chapter thirteen isn’t necessary, you all must already be well prepared. In which case we can have a pop quiz on the topic…”
I let the words hang in the air, and everybody pulls out their textbooks.
“That’s what I thought.”
Grinding my teeth, I start my lecture, going over the material on autopilot. It isn’t anything that requires much focus, and none of my students ask any questions.
As I exit the classroom, I bump into the one person I especially didn’t want to run into today. “Hello, Charles.”
“Griffin.” He smiles politely.
“What are you doing down here? You don’t have any classes this semester.”
He clears his throat. “I tried to reach you, but there seemed to be an issue.” He’s back to being ponderous. Perhaps he’s worried about the chances of getting money for the research center.
“My phone broke,” I say.
“I see. You should get that replaced.”
I give him an empty smile. When is he going to get to the point?
“I just wanted to make sure if things are okay with you and Sierra. I apologize for the awkwardness on Friday. Lori and others didn’t behave as, ah, maturely as one would hope.”
That’s rich coming from someone who joked about my talents lying beyond economics. “If you want to know how Sierra’s doing, you should contact her yourself.” He doesn’t have the nerve to bring up the party with her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been waiting for me outside of class.
“Yes, I would, of course, but she seems to be quite a busy woman.”
And I’m not busy?I catch the question just before it rolls off my tongue.
“I was wondering if perhaps—”
“I can’t convey any messages to her.”
His face scrunches. “Does she want me to come in person to apologize?”
He must be really desperate for funding to go this far. “I really have no idea. We broke up.”
“Oh.” Charles covers his mouth with one hand, his eyes defocusing as he thinks and readjusts his plan.
“If you don’t mind, I have to get going. There is some research I need to wrap up.”
“Of course.” He waves me away absently.
I go to my office and take out a marker and a sheet of printer paper. I write out the following: NO OFFICE HOURS TODAY. EMAIL IF URGENT.
I tape the notice on my door and leave.
Two professors change direction so that our paths don’t intersect. One slips into her office just before I pass by.
Great. Just freakin’ great! I’ve turn into a complete pariah.
If this problem could be fixed by moving to a different institution, I would. But it won’t be fixed no matter where I go. The damn article is probably still trending, being seen by everyone.
Even if the hiring committees at other universities missed it now, they wouldn’t miss it when they Googled my name before offering a position. So I’m fucked.
I go home to my three-level house with its huge yard and tall picket fence for privacy in the back. As I step inside, I don’t feel any better.
The house echoes with emptiness and doesn’t smell like apple.