Graduation Application

Jasmine had sensed an elusive distance between her and Elijah growing over the past few days. It hurt even though she hadn’t directly confronted him about it. His presence was still strong, always close by, but there was a subtle shift. 

Something she couldn't put her finger on. 

It wasn't that he had pulled away physically, they had been very sexually active… but there was a coolness to his conversations with her that made her feel as if he was keeping something from her. The intimacy they once shared seemed to have faltered, replaced by an unspoken tension that neither of them acknowledged.

She knew that is would be hypocritical to get mad at him. Hell, Jasmine had her own secrets to carry. Secrets that were weighing heavily on her heart. Every chance she had to tell him about her thesis were always ruined. There was never a right time. 

Today, however, she had something that could change everything. The closure of months of work on her thesis. Her heart fluttered as she clutched the final draft in her hand, the edges of the paper slightly curled from the way she held it.

Today was the day she would submit it. Officially closing one chapter of her life and preparing for the next. Graduation was on the horizon, and though she couldn’t help but feel excited, there was a gnawing undercurrent of dread creeping up on her.

Every time she felt happiness, it was quickly clouded by guilt… fear… or shame. 

She was finally ready to submit her thesis, but she wasn’t ready to accept the consequences it had on her relationship. If that weren’t stressful enough, there was something more pressing in her mind. Her graduation application. 

It didn’t matter if she received an A on her thesis, she would never receive her degree if she didn’t turn in the graduation application… Today. Everything had to be completed today. 

The application process consisted of signatures from professors, recommendations, academic approvals, and, most importantly, the final stamp of approval… the payment. 

Her bodyguards, per usual, were at her side. Each ensuring her safety as she made her way around the campus. The tension between them had become more pronounced over the last few weeks. It didn’t help they had been scolded for losing her once already. 

The two men had never been overly familiar, but they were beginning to feel like shadows. Just like a shadow, they were always watching and waiting. And with the hitman lurking, it was no longer just the usual protocol. 

There was something darker in the air. Jasmine understood their concern, but today, she was determined to keep things as normal as possible. She wanted to fit in, at least this one time. 

Jasmine was crammed into the back of Phillip’s car between her bodyguards. With Jasmine’s last slip up, they refused to let her out of their sight. The back of the car was too small for the men, let alone Jasmine in the middle. 

"Do you mind?”, she laughed, “Can you just scoot over… a little bit. Please?", she asked Cameron. 

He was the one bodyguard who always seemed to be at her side these days. 

She continued, “I’ve got a lot of running around to do today, and I don’t need you two following me so closely. I’ll be fine. I won’t run away, scouts honor.”

Damien was the overly cautious one. He would glance at his colleague from time to time.

A silent exchange of concern passing between them before he nodded. "You know the drill, Jasmine. We’ll be here, just a little farther out. Always keeping an eye on you. You’re not to be out of our sight for too long. If you don’t like it, take it up with our boss."

She sighed softly but nodded. She was very grateful for their concern, though a little frustrated by their overprotectiveness. “I know, but please. Elijah’s not here, and I don’t need this level of attention for simple errands. This is a simple graduation process. Every person graduating will be doing the same. I just want to fit in for once.”

They didn’t argue, but the unease in their eyes was unmistakable. “It’s just not safe, Miss Jasmine. You’ve got to remember that. There is a highly skilled hitman out there with your photo.”

“Well, if I am meant to leave this earth… you two can’t stop it. You’ll just join me.”, she chuckled awkwardly. It was the truth. If this hitman was as skilled as everyone said… then wouldn’t he just take out her bodyguards to get to her?

“We are trained to know what to look for.”, Cameron said.

“I’d like to see him try to get past me.”, Damien pledged. 

She pressed her lips together, holding back her retort. They meant well, she knew that. They were just doing their jobs, but the constant reminder that Clara’s hired hitman was somewhere out there waiting was becoming suffocating. She could feel the eyes of the world on her at all times, and she hated it.

The car fell silent as Phillip pulled over to the curb in front of the university’s main entrance. 

“We’ll wait here. Call if you need anything.”, Damien ordered. 

“Thanks for the lift.”, Cameron called out.

Phillip nodded before smiling at Jasmine through the rearview mirror, “Best of luck today, Miss.”

She nodded. 

Phillip was the only person who didn’t treat her like a fragile vase. He also didn’t seem too scared to drive her around with a wild hitman on the loose. She knew he was trained and armed, but he seemed like a sweet old man. 

Jasmine got out of the car, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the guards weren’t following too close. She appreciated their vigilance, but today was about feeling like herself again, not a prisoner under constant surveillance.

Her first stop was with her thesis advisor, Dr. Blaine. As she entered his office, the warm, welcoming space provided a moment of respite from the storm swirling in her mind. It was one of the only places on campus that was void of judgement. 

Dr. Blaine looked up from his desk and smiled when he saw her. His glasses rested on the edge of his nose as he pushed them up to meet her gaze. Standing up as though she was an invited colleague. 

“Jasmine! Just in time.”, he said.

She chuckled, “I didn’t have an appointment, so what am I just in time for?”

He peered around her and noticed the two men standing outside on either side of his door. Dr. Blaine wasn’t one to invite himself into anyone’s business, so he paid it no attention. He continued as if it were just the two of them. 

He walked around the desk and offered her a handshake, “I’ve been looking forward to this. Your final, I presume?”

Jasmine handed over the carefully bound document. He took it with a satisfied nod, flipping through the pages with the precision of someone who had been doing this for decades.

“This is excellent.”, he said. A gleam of pride in his eyes, “I’ll be recommending your paper for publication in the Psychology of Modern-Day magazine. It’s that good.”

“Really?”, she said, trying to sound more surprised than she actually was. 

She had poured her heart and soul into this thesis, and to hear such praise from him felt like a validation she hadn’t known she needed. At the same time, the praise made her worry resurface. There was a secret tucked away in the conclusion of her paper one that she would need to share with Elijah before it went to print.

Tonight, she would tell him everything. If he hated her after she told him, if he couldn’t look at her the same way again, she would just turn herself over to Clara’s hitman. If he didn’t want her, she would have nothing left. The thought of losing him made her heart ache in a way she hadn’t expected.

“I’ll let you know as soon as it’s accepted.”, he added, “But you’ve done the hard part. Congratulations. In a few short weeks you will no longer be a student, but a colleague.”

He offered her one last handshake before returning to his seat. He felt the shift in her body language and didn’t press the issue. Jasmine offered a smile and a nod before she gathered her things and left his office. 

There was still more to do. More errands to run. She moved swiftly through the campus, stopping by various departments, signing papers, and collecting recommendation letters. 

She felt like a ghost, moving through her final days at university with a sense of detachment. The academic world was about to close its doors to her, and she wasn’t sure whether she should feel triumphant or terrified. 

Graduation was close, but it felt more like a countdown to an unknown end than a new beginning.

After the final signoffs were completed, she made her way to the graduation office. The paperwork was simple enough. She just had to fill out a few forms, pay a fee for the cap and gown, and then it was done. She was officially on track to graduate.

As she walked back toward the car, she mentally prepared herself to tell Elijah. The what if’s were too much to bear. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t see Clara approaching until it was too late.

Clara brushed past her with exaggerated force, deliberately bumping into Jasmine’s shoulder as she sneered. “I see you have his driver and the two guards following you. How quaint.”

Her voice was low and menacing, her smile sharp. “They can’t keep you safe from what’s coming your way.”

Jasmine froze, her heart racing as Clara’s words slithered into her mind. Clara’s gaze locked onto hers, a look of cruel satisfaction in her eyes.

“Don’t get too comfortable, darling.”, Clara said. Her tone dripping with malice, “It’s only a matter of time before he’s no longer there to protect you. Then, we’ll see who’s really in control. Hope you don't miss Benjamin too much.”

Jasmine’s bodyguards rushed to her side and that was Clara cue to leave. She walked away, disappearing into the rush of the crowd. The bodyguards surveying the area as they walk rapidly toward the car. 

Jasmine didn’t say a word as she climbed into the car. The ride back to Elijah’s house was silent. The bodyguards continued their quiet surveillance as Phillip drove away, their eyes always scanning for danger. 

Jasmine’s mind was elsewhere, her thoughts still swirling with the conversation she’d had with Clara. The threat was real, and Clara’s confidence in her victory only made the situation more dangerous. Graduation couldn’t come soon enough.

When they arrived at Elijah’s house, Jasmine barely looked at the bodyguards as she got out of the car. She didn’t know what to expect from Elijah when she finally told him everything. 

Would he believe her? Would he still want her by his side? Or would she have to face the hitman alone?

As she walked inside, she could only hope that the truth would bring them closer together, not tear them apart.