Forty Six

CJ

Brooklyn was seated behind her desk in a plush leather swivel chair when I entered her office. I offered a bright smile, hoping she'd ended any lingering bitterness she held against me.

Clearly, my hopes were in vain. She sat with one leg crossed over the other, staring at me impassively through narrowed eyes.

The silence went on for almost thirty seconds before she let out a bored sigh, greeting me with a frown and pretending to be extra busy despite keeping me waiting for over an hour and a half.

Calmly, I waited, needing her signature on my thesis for the research grant before moving forward.

"Good morning, Prof. I hope I'm not intruding on anything important."

A humorless smile tugged at her lips, a cold and congested expression that might have terrified me if I didn't know what lay beneath it.

"I'm actually quite busy, as you can see. Make it quick."

"Noted," I said, handing her the thesis anyway. "I need you to sign before I meet the dean of studies."

She skimmed through th