Dr. Chen clapped her hands, cutting through the classroom chatter.
“Alright, everyone. You have the rest of the period to discuss your initial project ideas. Remember, your proposal is due by February next year, so you have time.”
Marley turned her full attention to me.
I felt pinned under that green gaze like a butterfly on a board.
“So, partner,” she said, and the word sounded both like a question and a threat. “How do you think we should combine cultural adaptation with gender expression? Should be interesting, considering our little philosophical clash last week.”
I swallowed hard.
This was going to be a very long semester.
“Maybe we start by finding common ground in our methodologies first.”
“Common ground?” She leaned closer, close enough that I caught her scent again. “Where’s the fun in that? I think we should lean into our differences. See what sparks.”
The way she said sparks made my pulse quicken for reasons that definitely had nothing to do with academia.
“I’m not sure that’s the most professional approach,” I replied.
“Professional,” she repeated slowly. “Right. Well, we have a few months to figure it out. My schedule’s pretty flexible. When do you want to meet?”
“Um… whenever works for you.”
“That’s not an answer, K. When are you free?”
The directness in her voice made me sit up straighter.
“Tuesday afternoon? After our last class?”
“Tuesday it is. Library, third floor, corner table by the philosophy section. Four o’clock.”
She started packing up, even though we still had a few minutes left in class.
“Wait—how do you know I’ll be able to find?—”
“You’ll find it,” she said, standing up and slinging her backpack over her shoulder. “You seem like the type who’s very good at finding things when you need to.”
Before I could ask what that meant, she was gone.
And I was left sitting there with the distinct feeling that I had just agreed to something far more complicated than a research project.
IV
“If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.”
— Audre Lorde
Chapter Five
Kelechi
Tuesday came faster than I expected. And before I knew it, I was already in the library, making my way towards the corner table by the philosophy section.
If you asked me how I located it, well, it wasn’t as difficult as I had expected.
All I had to do was ask the librarian for directions. She was a sweet woman who had gone so far as to walk me there herself. But now, as she left me alone after pointing out the area, a nervous flutter started in my stomach.
