For the Record (Record #3)(10)
Liz knew she was lying. The media haze around her relationship with Brady would lighten, but she would still be with him. There was no way the paper would take her back.
She contemplated asking Massey about the chances of her staying on if Administration got in the mix, but she knew that she didn’t want to actually include the university in the decision. The paper was technically a separate entity from the school to keep its anonymity. It gave the staff freer rein to discuss matters the school itself might prefer that they not talk about.
Liz was sure that Administration would either defer to the judgment of the paper or somehow her taking it to a higher-up would end up in the paper anyway. Neither option was optimal. Likely both would leave her without a position at the newspaper.
All she knew at this point was that she needed to get the hell out of here. This had been her safe place and now she wasn’t even welcome.
“Just temporary. Right,” Liz said softly. She hoisted her purse higher on her shoulder. “Well, I guess that’s my cue, huh?”
Massey sighed and looked as if she wanted to say something, but she didn’t.
Liz grabbed the door handle to her, now, old office and wrenched it open. She glanced at Massey once more before walking out.
Liz didn’t even give Massey any last parting words.
Chapter 4
SPIN
Liz stalked across the quad on the way to her first class of the day. She was mostly looking forward to her last class with her mentor, Professor Mires. Liz had started working for her as an assistant. After they’d successfully put together a political journalism colloquium, Professor Mires had helped Liz get an internship working with the New York Times, which landed her a job at the paper postgraduation. Liz would much rather think about that than what had just happened at the newspaper.
She had two months before she was supposed to be in New York City, and that seemed much more important than what she was doing right now. She wouldn’t mind fast-forwarding through the difficult months.
Trying to shake off her conversation with Massey, Liz walked into the journalism building and found a seat in her advanced editing class. It ate at her that this would affect their friendship. She and Massey weren’t close like Liz was with Victoria, but they had worked together the past two years. Liz didn’t know what to do about it, and worse, she thought there might not be anything she could do about it. She wasn’t about to go apologize for what she had said, and she knew Massey wasn’t likely to either.
Facts were facts. Liz wasn’t on the paper anymore. Massey was taking over her position. That was going to cause strain no matter what they said or did.
Liz had known that her relationship with Brady would affect her career, since it did call into question her objectivity. She just hadn’t thought all of that would happen so quickly, or that it would mess up her friendships.
With a sigh, she pulled out her MacBook to take notes.
She felt stares all throughout class. That she had been prepared for, so she just tried to ignore them. People had the paper out on their desks, and some were giggling or whispering among themselves. That was fine. They could say whatever they wanted. It didn’t matter.
When class ended, Liz took her time putting her things back into her bag. She was a little behind, since she’d missed part of last week. She wanted to check with the professor about makeup assignments, but she didn’t want to do it with anyone else around.
“Hello, Professor,” Liz said amicably. “I just wanted to ask you when I could come by to make up missed assignments while I was out last week.”
“Do you have a doctor’s note?” the professor asked, staring down at the legal pad in his hand.
“Oh . . . no, sir. I didn’t end up going to the doctor, but I wasn’t feeling well.”
“Are you sure you weren’t out with your boyfriend?”
“Excuse me?” Liz asked. She couldn’t believe the professor had the audacity to say that to her.
“Just seems convenient is all, Miss Dougherty. I’ll need a doctor’s note or the assignment can’t be made up,” he said indifferently.
“Beg your pardon. This is the second class I’ve had of yours, and I’ve never missed before. I’m not sure how you could consider it convenient.” Liz was struggling for control. She had been out sick last week because after she had told Hayden about Brady he had made her feel guilty about the whole thing and then forced her to have sex with him. She had been nauseated, depressed, and unable to function. A doctor wouldn’t have done shit for her!
“I understand that, but that is my policy. It’s written in the syllabus.”
“You didn’t say it was a problem when I emailed you last week,” Liz cried in frustration.
“After reviewing the syllabus, you’ll see that a doctor’s note is required. I wasn’t aware last week when you emailed me that you wouldn’t have one when you returned. I’m sorry, Miss Dougherty. That is my policy. Is there anything else?” he said dismissively.
Liz’s jaw slackened. Since when was she an untrustworthy student? She had always made it a point to get to the professors, go to their office hours, and overall show that she worked very hard for her grades. This just seemed . . . out of the realm of possibility.
“No, thank you,” she finally answered. Polite to a fault.
She walked out of the classroom feeling heavier than she had before entering. She couldn’t even fathom the effect zeros would have on her grade for this class. She had kept her 4.0 GPA for four years straight; she couldn’t lose it her last semester!