Chapter 39: Thirty Nine

The department conference room smelled like paint. It had probably been painted recently, because I could smell those weird fumes that make you heady. It was one of those wide, windowless spaces that somehow managed to feel both too cold and too warm depending on where you sat. And kind of suffocating.

I slid into a seat beside Jacob near the back, trying not to look like I was scanning the room for someone else. I wasn’t. Not really.

Except maybe a little.

Declan entered a few minutes after us, wearing his usual uniform, a simple shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dark trousers, his glasses perched low on his nose. His eyes skimmed the room quickly, and for the briefest second, they landed on me. We both gave each other a look of recognition. It made a smile come to my face, which I hid by biting my lip, looking down at my lap.

Jacob nudged me gently. “You good?”

“Yeah,” I whispered, and offered a tight smile.

Professor Anand, the head of the department, stood at the front, clapping his hands. “Alright, let’s settle in, everyone. We won’t take too long. Just a few updates and announcements before you’re off for the weekend.”

There was a shuffle of notebooks, chair legs scraping, some whispered comments about how stuffy the room was.

“We’re especially excited to share an opportunity for one of our master’s students this summer,” Professor Anand continued. “We’re opening up a Research Assistant position in the department. It’ll be full time for eight weeks, paid, with a stipend, and you’ll be working closely with the faculty on an interdisciplinary policy research project.”

I straightened in my chair.

So did the rest of the room.

Professor Anand smiled, pleased by the sudden surge of attention. “Applications will be open starting next week. A short proposal, your CV, and a statement of interest. We’re looking for initiative and original thinking.”

I could feel the shift in energy. Everyone had been distracted earlier, but now we were all listening with intent. This would look so good on anyone’s CV. Plus, there would be a chance to publish!

Jacob leaned over, whispering, “You should apply. You’d be perfect for it.”

I swallowed, already thinking through deadlines and what I’d want to propose. “You too.”

“I might,” he said, then smiled. “But you’ll get it.”

At the front, Anand handed over to Declan,  who, as it turned out, would be one of the faculty reviewers for the position. “We’re particularly interested in applicants who’ve shown strong engagement during the semester,” Declan said, eyes now scanning the students like he was mentally drawing a list. “If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

He didn’t look at me again, but I still felt that quiet buzz under my skin that always came alive when he was near.

After a few more announcements, some awkward faculty banter, and reminders about final presentations, the meeting wrapped up.

People began filing out, already whispering about proposal themes and who might get the RA position.

Jacob looked at me as we gathered our stuff. “Let’s get coffee and brainstorm. I’ll help you write your proposal.”

I looked at him. “Why? Aren’t you applying?”

He nodded, “I will.”

“So why would you help me then?”

“I want to,” he said simply.

From across the room, I could feel Declan watching.

Mara caught my eye as we stepped into the hallway. “You’re gonna go for it, right?”

“I’d be stupid not to.”

“Exactly,” she grinned. “You’ve got the grades. You’ve got the ideas. And I’m sure you’d be perfect for it.”

I smiled, touched. “Thanks, Mara.”

“A week is really less though, for a deadline.” She said. I nodded in agreement, “Well, it starts in a week. We have more time, I’m sure.”

Jacob hummed, hitting my shoulder with his lightly, “You thrive under pressure, Wills.”

“Please don’t romanticize my anxiety,” I muttered.

Mara rolled her eyes. “Stop flirting with her twenty four seven, man. Okay, can we talk about how that was actually the most exciting thing that’s happened all semester?”

“Agreed,” Jacob said. “Though it’s going to get really competitive. People are already sharpening their knives.”

“I mean, yeah,” Mara said, adjusting her tote bag on her shoulder. “It’s kind of huge. Paid. Department backed. Working directly with faculty.”

She took a long drink from her water bottle and tried to look casual, but I didn’t miss the way her eyes flicked to me and Jacob.

“You applying?” I asked.

She hesitated for half a second. Smiled. “Maybe. I mean, if I have time.”

Jacob raised an eyebrow. “You definitely want it.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.” He grinned. “You only play it cool when you care.”

Mara gave a breezy shrug, but her grip on her water bottle tightened slightly. “Sure. I mean, I wouldn’t mind getting it. Obviously. But let’s be real, it’ll probably go to someone who’s already super tight with the professors.”

My stomach dipped, just for a moment, because I knew exactly what she meant by that. And it was hard not to feel like I was being watched under a microscope.

Jacob looked at me. “Well, then we’ve got to make sure Willow's proposal is bulletproof.”

Mara gave me a quick smile, but something in her tone shifted. “Totally. You’ve probably got a solid chance. Especially if… you know, certain faculty are already familiar with your work.”

I felt defensive, so I said, “Sure, but, I’m not really tight with any faculty.”

“Please,” she rolled her eyes, “We all know Mr. Ashwell has a liking for you.”

I stiffened slightly but nodded. “I don’t think so, but still, I’m onlu going to give it everything. I want it to be good. On merit.”

Mara held up her hands in mock surrender. “Of course! I didn’t mean anything.”

Jacob gave me a sideways glance. It was subtle, but knowing. He felt it too.

The competitive edge in Mara’s voice.

The tension wasn’t ugly. Not yet.

We stood there in the hallway, pretending like this was just another afternoon.

Pretending this wasn’t the kind of opportunity that could shift everything. And it would.