Forbidden Literature

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One Week Before Graduation

I looked down at the paper before looking back up at my adviser. "So that's it? I just sign this and I'm finished with my service hours?"

"Well, to be honest, you finished your service hours weeks ago," she adjusted her glasses. "I suppose Dr. Andrews forgot to mention that to you. But with finals coming around I don't blame him."

I'm sure that's exactly why he failed to mention it, I thought sarcastically.

"I suppose," I went back to the paper, the little sheet that severs my last tie with Jasper. Months ago I had wanted this more than anything, but now, I wanted to burn it.

In truth, I really loved being Jasper's assistant. Not just because I got extra time with him, although that was a plus, but because I got to see him in his prime. I loved watching him lecture with so much passion. I loved helping him grade things and him checking emails, even if some times I messed that up. Every time I handed him a graded paper he didn't give it a second thought because he trusted me so much. Of course, I made sure he would look over it himself later, but just the thought of him believing in me so much made me feel like I could do anything.

We have come a long way since the first time we met on the bus when he didn't think I was good enough to grade anything. But now, it was all about to end.

"You seem so sad," my adviser adjusted a picture of her cat now in a fedora. I could have sworn they have doubled since I was last in here. "Is everything okay?"

Weeks ago when Jasper and I first agreed on remaining distant we also came up with a list of do' and don'ts to make sure we wouldn't get caught. I almost broke one of the don'ts in our list: don't show anyone emotion about each other to people, unless it's Sara of course. Quickly, I recovered.

"Yes. It's just that now I don't have an excuse to put off studying for finals," I partially lied.

She chuckled at that. "I suppose not. But you will do fine! Do you have any plans for after graduation?"

Does make-out with Jasper in front of everyone count?

"I guess just spend time with family."

"That's what I did, too," she smiled. "But what I meant is, what career are you going to pursue?"

Since I was a little girl I wanted to be a professional poet, but as I got older I realized that my chances of making a career out of that was slim. I've been running around and around not knowing what to do with my life and right when the finish line is in sight I realize my time is up. I have been so focused on the present I had completely forgotten about my future.

Fantastic.

Maybe I should just become an actress since that's all I've been doing these past couple of weeks. Seriously, I deserve an award for dealing that day when I had to deal with Lexi.

"I am not sure yet," I admitted. "I'm sort of hoping it might just . . . come to me."

"Oh," another adjustment to a photo. "Well, good luck! Sometimes it's for the best I suppose. I actually didn't think I would want to be an adviser at first."

"What did you want to be?"

Suddenly she had this faraway look in her eyes. "I wanted to be a bounty hunter."

My jaw nearly dropped right there on her floor. I just couldn't imagine this frazzled lady with dozens of cats running around in gear tackling burly men to the ground. Then again, I just did and it was freaking hilarious. Maybe my adviser is more of a badass than I originally thought.