James
I hold my phone out and scan over Marsha’s message asking me to come to her office when I get in.
The bright morning sunlight produces a glare over the screen like a spotlight highlighting the new situation of shit I’ve landed myself in.
I haven’t even gotten out of my car yet, but I preempted this happening.
I was so certain I was going to hear from her that I met up with Paul earlier for coffee and gave him the full run down of what was going on.
Seeing Paul wasn’t about needing his advice. It was more about centering me because I’d reached the moment of reckoning. The moment of truth where I’d have to make a choice. So, I’m almost glad to get the message because it means I can get my fate over and done with sooner, rather than later.
It’s just gone ten. My first class is supposed to be at eleven. I wonder if I’ll be teaching it.
I step out of my car and make my way to Marsha’s office, taking my strides with the little confidence I could muster. On the way there, I passed by an elated Kevin talking to Nancy, who still looked deflated from last night.
Quickly, I pushed them out of my mind. Neither are relevant to me.
I worried all night knowing Paige felt really bad about what happened.
What came to me is this: she should be allowed to kiss me wherever we are. That was the first thing that struck me.
Next was, knowing I’d definitely hear from Marsha first thing in the morning, I promised myself I’d go with my gut instinct the second it started speaking to me.
I have this job, and I have my father’s offer. Both are practically the same, although losing my job here would hurt me deeply. To be honest, though, I think if this happened two years ago when I first kissed Paige, I would have definitely been crushed.
But here I am thinking the worst already. The problem is, I’ve been indecisive, and I need to make that decision today when I’m presented with my fate.
I knock on Marsha’s door, and she calls out for me to come in.
I push the door open and see her sitting behind her desk looking head-on at me.
I thought she’d be madder than how she looks. I’m almost hopeful, but I know better than to jump to any sort of conclusion.
“Morning,” she greets me first and adjusts her bone-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose.
“Good morning.”
“Please sit, James.” She motions for me to take the seat in front of her. I do. “I think you know why you’re here. Kevin told me that he saw you kissing Paige St. Claire last night in the hall. Is… um, that true?”
What I see in her eyes is disappointment. She was routing for me to get the promotion, and I feel like an ass for letting her down.
“It’s true,” I confirm and continue to stare her in the eyes.
She sighs and her brows pinch. “James, you know I have always liked you. I love your ethos, and I think you’re amazing for the university. You have what I call a beautiful mind, and I love the way you are with your students. But… Raventhorne University has a very strict policy against student-teacher relationships. So, it’s important that you know something before we continue this conversation.”
“What?”
“You got the job. The board of governors loved everything about you and decided that they didn’t need to wait until the end of the semester to give you the news. You got the job, and you earned it. I really need to know… was it just a kiss? If it was just a kiss, then I can move Paige out of your class. That would mean that we’d make arrangements around her company law module. Basically, I’d place you on an informal disciplinary, and we forget this happened and agree it won’t happen again.”
I might be in the hot seat because I committed the cardinal sin and fell for one of my students, but I’m not fool enough to not see she’s throwing me a bone.
She’s looking at me like she wants me to say it was just a kiss. She wants me to tell her it was just a kiss so I can still have some semblance of my career here.
Forget the kiss happened and agree it won’t happen again.
Stop seeing Paige.
“If it was more than a kiss, however,” she says and pauses. That pleading look returns to her eyes again. “James, if it was more than a kiss and you’re involved with Miss St. Claire sexually, I’ll give you the option of leaving with immediate effect and stay on good terms with me, or I’d have to go through the acrimonious process of firing you. We’d have to investigate. It would be completely out of my hands because the senior management would be dealing with the investigation. And, rest assured, Kevin would take it above me if I were to intervene in anyway. You’d get fired James, and it would be on your record. Unfortunately, we’d have to inform any establishment asking for a reference the reasons why we fired you if they ask.”