“Nonsense. If anything, you’ll take a great deal of information with you. Lilaria’s noble houses have been aligned with birds for centuries. Maybe you were meant to do this all along.”
Something in my stomach loosened and for the first time I felt good about my decision. He seemed to understand what I was thinking because he laughed.
“Did you think I was going to yell and try to guilt you into staying?”
“Not really. I just hated to leave like this. It felt wrong.”
“When will you be going?” He leaned against his desk.
“I’m not sure, but I probably shouldn’t come back to the school. I’m causing too much trouble.” I sighed. “In fact, I should probably clear out my desk today.”
“If you need anything, let me know.” He looked at me seriously. “I mean it. Anything. We’re all going to be rooting for you.”
“Thank you.”
After I left his office, I went straight to the one I shared. Everyone was in there, and they all looked up when Becca and I came through the door. I walked over to my desk before stopping and turning to look at everyone.
“Well, looks like someone else is going to get the window desk.”
“Oh my God, Geller kicked you out of the program?” Mary looked at me with wide eyes.
“Um, no. I’m withdrawing. I can’t teach classes and uphold my course load if there are eight news vans following me everywhere.” I started pulling stuff out of my drawers and shoving it into my bag.
“What are you going to do?” David spun around in his desk chair and looked at me seriously. “Are you going to finish your degree somewhere else?”
“I don’t know yet.” I started to tell them I was going to Lilaria but stopped. “I have several options to choose from.”
“Like what?” Mary walked over to my desk with a box and helped me put some of my books and papers in it.
“Do you still have my field guide?” I brushed off her question.
“Oh, yeah. Hold on.” She ran to her desk and fished through her bag. “Here it is.”
“So, you’re just leaving?” David asked.
“I’ll be in touch. It’s not like I won’t ever see you guys again.”
“We should throw you a party!” Mary sat on the window ledge and looked at me. “It’ll be fun. We can invite the whole department.”#p#分页标题#e#
“Mary, I think that would be difficult right now.” David narrowed his eyes at her. “She has security following her to the bathroom. You really think they’re going to let her have a party?”
“Becca does not follow me into the bathroom.” I glared at David. “And there isn’t time. I’ll probably be leaving in a couple of days.”
“Are you going to Lilaria?” David leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
“Possibly.”
“We’re going to miss you.” Mary threw her arms around me and I laughed when she knocked me off balance. Becca moved closer, but I waved her away.
“I’m going to miss you too. Don’t drive David crazy, okay?”
“Bah. It’s so much fun.” Mary winked at me.
I walked over to David and hugged him before kissing his cheek. “Take care of yourself.”
“You too.”
I told everyone else good-bye, joking and laughing where I could. The truth was, I was crying inside. This had been my life for several years and it felt strange to leave it without having completed what I came for.
Parker took the box out of my hands when I left the office and Duvall looked at me expectantly. “I need to speak with Rose.”
“Very well. I’ll see if she has time this afternoon. In the meantime, where would you like to go?”
“My father’s.”
I called Dad on the ride over, letting him know I was on my way. Seemed like the polite thing to do since there were two news vans tailing us.
“I mean, really. What do they expect to find out? That I’m really an alien sent from Pluto?” I glanced over my shoulder quickly.
“Good shots can make a reporter’s career. Finding out the smallest bit of information can mean scooping another station. The fact is, right now you’re news.” Duvall looked back at me and if I didn’t know any better I would think there was sympathy in his expression.
“They don’t even know why they’re following me right now.”
“The little bit of information they have—”
“Misinformation!”
“Yes, the little bit they think they know means you’re a story their viewers would find interesting.”