Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Now that I’m faced with the choice, though, I want to lie. I want to tell her that John and Mark are my professor and TA, but that’s it. There’s nothing more to it.
I can’t risk hurting them, though. They’ll be upset if I tell the lie. Instead, I know I have to be truthful. Besides, Dr. Dryer knows the answer to her question already. She wouldn’t have brought us in here if she didn’t think, without a doubt, that the accusation is true.
“Ms. Maple, I’ll ask one more time. Is the claim that you are romantically and sexually involved with Dr. Boynton and Mr. Kingham true?”
I glance at Mark and John. They both nod tightly.
“Yes. It’s true,” I finally admit.
Dr. Dryer blinks at me. She wasn’t expecting that answer. Of course she wasn’t. People probably lie to her every day.
But I know better.
“I appreciate your honesty, Ms. Maple.”
“Thank you. Can we leave now?”
Dr. Dryer nearly laughs. I don’t understand. She got what she wanted. I’ve confessed to our relationship. What more could she possibly need from us?
I want to leave. I’ve never felt claustrophobic before, but this office is getting smaller with every second we sit in these seats.
“Ms. Maple, you may not understand the severity of this situation, but I assure you, you will in a minute.”
“Excuse me, but I ask you not to assume what I do and do not understand.”
Dr. Dryer looks taken aback. “My apologies, Ms. Maple. I won’t underestimate you. Now, do you have your student handbook with you?”
“I was not aware I would need it.”
John kicks my foot. I know I shouldn’t talk back to the dean, but she deserves it. She’s being a jerk! Why can’t she just reprimand us and let us go?
“Lucky for you, I have a copy.”
Dr. Dryer hands me the handbook with a page already bookmarked. I open it up to find the section titled “Policy on Consensual Intimate Relationships.”
“Care to read that for us, Ms. Maple?”
“With all due respect, Dr. Dryer, is this necessary?”
Dr. Dryer shoots John a look. “It’s obviously necessary. If it wasn’t, none of us would be here right now.”
“We don’t need to read from the handbook…”
“Read it, Ms. Maple!”
I do as I’m told. I read the entire thing aloud. It’s nothing I didn’t already know. I read it when this first started between us, but I didn’t think much of it. Schools have policies like this all of the time; that doesn’t mean they enforce them. They have to have something in place for special cases like ours. I understand the need to protect young people from being forced into relationships, but that’s not what this is!
I’m shaking when I put the book down in my lap. I was so happy when I woke up this morning. I made an appointment to check on the baby for the first time. I bought a picture to hang in the baby’s room. I drank coffee with my best friend and found out she’s in a relationship with two men as well. How could a day that started off so well end up like this?
“Thank you, Ms. Maple. As you can see from this very clear policy in the NYU handbook, your relationship goes against NYU policies. As does the relationship between Dr. Boynton and Mr. Kingham.”
“I understand that, but you have to make an exception. This isn’t like the relationships they made this policy for. I want to be in this relationship. We’re in love.”
I hate that I had to use a word we haven’t even shared among ourselves yet. I can feel the tension radiating off of Mark and John. Are they mad at me? I can’t look at them. If I do, Dr. Dryer will be furious. On top of that, I’ll probably break down crying.
“Oh, Mari,” Dr. Dryer says. Hearing her use my first name is startling. Gone is the anger that tinged her tone before. She pities me. “You’re only nineteen, correct?”
“Yes, which means I am legally able to give my consent.”
“That is true, but you are still so young. You have no idea what you want.”
I scoff. “Who are you to tell me that? You don’t know me. You don’t get to decide what I am capable of.”
“No need to get upset, Mari. I’m only trying to help you. You don’t have to defend these men anymore. They never should have convinced you to do this.”
“They didn’t have to convince me! I wanted it!”
Dr. Dryer continues to stare at me with pity. She’s convinced I was coerced into this relationship.
“Mari, you won’t be punished. You are the victim here.”
“Victim?” I repeat incredulously. “How can you call me that? I’m telling you, I love these men. This is a relationship I entered into on my own, without being forced.”
“Even if that is true, it doesn’t matter. You read the handbook. Even so-called consensual relationships between students and professors are prohibited.”