The air leaves my body. I am drunk with relief, bracing myself on a nearby desk.
"Thank god," I breathe.
"No. Not 'thank god.' He's seen you coming and going. He knows. He's not stupid. That day outside my classroom, when we'd locked the door... he knows." Solemnly, Harlan nods, as if considering the thought himself, letting himself mull over the weight of the truth.
"Yea... but not enough to get you fired," I repeat.
"He's still trying to get me fired." Only then does Harlan finally turn around to look at me. His sharp features are downturned, resulting in the iciest frown I've ever laid eyes on. "Citing, for one thing, my absence before finals."
"That was a family emergency."
"It was. But I couldn't disclose details to him, so he's not accepting it as a legitimate excuse."
"You do
