While the concepts behind Miles’ research were explained, I momentarily flashed back to the two of us watching a defense in this very room at the end of the first year we’d spent working toward our doctorate. Not unlike the two students on the opposite side of the room. Like them, we’d both been thrumming with nerves, still feeling out of place, yet wide-eyed at the confidence and poise the presenter spoke with.
And now it was our turn to step up to the mantle, with Miles going first.
Listening as he veered into his experiments, learnings, and theories, he spoke with conviction while still showing both sides of the coin-the good and the bad. The professors at the front were jotting down notes as the hour-long presentation went on, but otherwise appeared incredibly enthralled by his work. Just like I was.
That is, until his presentation began to wind down. He’d laid out all his conclusions and was going over next steps when some phrases he used began to sound oddly familiar despite having not seen this part of his work.
Then a bomb dropped in the pit of my stomach.
The end of his presentation wasn’t just familiar, it was stolen. From me.
All the extra work I’d put in over the last month to connect both our areas of study-the experiments, the time spent correlating results, the conclusions-they were being used to prop up his own work. To convince the panel of professors he’d been the one to start this work that would propel the faculty forward.
When really, it had been me.
Sitting in the back, no one could see as my face drained of color at the realization. No one except Miles, and he didn’t seem like he gave two fucks in that moment.
Not wanting to cause a scene, I held my tongue and began to squirm, trying my hardest to keep my emotions in check despite the flame of betrayal hollowing out my chest. It was crushing to know that Miles would do something like this. Making me think that, while it’d been one-sided, even his interest in me over the years was a front for his hidden agenda. He didn’t like me, he liked my brain, and wanted to capitalize on it any way he could.
Which either made me an idiot, or him the most manipulative person I’d ever met.
Gritting my teeth through the entirety of the question portion, watching as he had a response for every question thrown at him, my shock turned to anger. How could he do this ? And how did he even get this information ? I hadn’t yet finished the draft of my report or presentation with my new work, so the only way he would’ve found it would’ve been if he’d been on my computer. Which, considering I rarely locked my screen over lunch or when I left the office, was, unfortunately, a real possibility.
What an asshat.
When everything was officially over, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
Heading back to our shared office, I knew I couldn’t be here when Miles returned, because I was almost positive I’d lose my shit on him. So, I sent an email to Professor Klein, telling her I wasn’t feeling well and was heading home-though having listened to the presentation, it wouldn’t take her long to connect the dots around the true reason I was leaving.
With next to no traffic and my mind a capsule of chaos, I felt like I’d made it back to my place in no time. After all, it was only eleven.
Oh, how the day could change in just a few short hours.
Letting the front door slam shut, finally in the sanctuary of my own home, I let the lid off my bottled up emotions, and while the anger was still there, the betrayal and hurt rushing came back with a vengeance. Making a beeline for my room as the overwhelming feeling washed over me, I curled into a ball on my bed. My face was pressed into my knees as silent tremors shook my shoulders, and I let the tears fall.
Knowing that the one person I wanted to lean on was the one person that couldn’t be here.
While some coaches eased up on practices and conditioning after landing a spot in the playoffs late in the season, the Royals certainly didn’t. Sure, if someone wasn’t feeling one hundred percent-whether that be a new injury or old-they’d sit out, but getting the best seed possible was just as important as getting into the playoffs in the first place.
Which meant that as the season wound down, I was watching game tape with my new teammates, hitting the gym for longer than normal, and working with the offensive coach after practices on ways to even better amalgamate myself with my line mates.
It was hard work, but hopefully it’d pay off in the form of a Stanley Cup come June.
But before that, there were still three more regular season games to play, and since the team was flying up to Edmonton early tomorrow morning, Coach had more or less instructed us all to relax tonight. For the first time in over two weeks, I was ready to leave the arena before five ‘o’clock.
Yo, Wellsley, Quinn said, stepping out of the showers with a towel wrapped around his waist. You up for pizza and video games at my place in an hour ?
Having already dressed, I nodded, digging through my bag for my phone. Sure, man. I’ll just- I paused as I glanced down at my phone, which had been tucked away all day, to see two back-to-back phone calls from Lia around eleven this morning. And considering we mostly texted while she was at work, a bit of an uneasy feeling slithered into the pit of my stomach. On second thought, I might take a rain check on that.
He lifted a brow. Everything okay ?
I’m not sure, I replied, raking a hand through my damp hair. I have a few missed calls from Lia this afternoon, so I’m gonna head home and try to get a hold of her.
Another one of my teammates nudged me playfully in the side. What’cha do that could’ve got you in hot water ?
Nothing.
At least I was pretty sure I hadn’t done anything that could’ve upset her.
Don’t worry, Quinn said, shoving my other teammate away to clap me on the shoulder. I’m sure it’s nothing. Or she could just be struggling with the long-distance thing. What’s it been, like two or three weeks since you’ve seen each other ?
Going on three, yeah.
Then if it’s anything, and I’m not saying it is, she probably just had a spare minute at work and was missing you.
You should take this one’s word on it, Ruderman said, jumping in as he passed us on the way out of the locker room. After all, he’s been tangled up with a woman in Texas for three years.
I’m telling Bree you said that, Quinn mused, watching as Ruderman shrugged and waved goodbye.