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)
“I don’t know. We might have to hide out for a bit to avoid reporters. It could get crazy. But we have each other, Mari. Never forget that.”
I pull Mark in for a tender kiss. We break apart when John starts to talk again.
“There’s one more thing I need to say. Administration has been putting off our punishment for two weeks now. However, I am putting an end to that today. I have turned in my resignation letter. I am voluntarily stepping down from my position at the university.”
I gasp. This is news to me. I thought Mark and John were going to wait until admin told them their punishment before making any rash decisions. This seems extreme. What if this rally has changed the board’s mind? It would be bad press to fire John and Mark after all of this. They might even get in trouble for discriminatory practices if they fire them after this publicity.
Now, there’s no chance of that. John stepping down puts an end to everything. In fact, they might not even punish Mark at all. They got the big fish. Mark might not be able to be a TA anymore, but at least now, maybe he’ll keep his place in the doctoral program.
That could be why John resigned. He knew that him quitting would lessen the punishment on Mark.
“Did you know about this?” I ask Mark.
He shakes his head. “I had no idea. He didn’t talk to me about it.”
Mark doesn’t seem annoyed. He has probably come to the same conclusion that I have.
Behind John, Dr. Dryer looks thrilled. The sour look on her face is gone. She thinks she has won, but she’s wrong. There are still hundreds of people in the crowd who want her punished for her treatment of Mark, John, and me.
People in the crowd are shouting at John to reconsider. I want to join them, but I know it’s too late. When John makes a decision, he sticks with it. That’s who he is.
“You’re tenured!” one person shouts loud enough for me to hear. “Don’t give that up!”
“Don’t let them win!” another yells.
The crowd is going nuts. They’re tamer than before, but they’re still freaking out. Did John realize what his admission was going to do? I don’t think he did. He wanted to calm the crowd, but instead, he made them angrier.
Then again, he has just given them something specific to fight for. The entire rally feels more unified now that the real reason behind it has been exposed. We should’ve let Jessica talk about it openly from the beginning. It might have prevented the police presence.
The cops are still standing around the outskirts of the rally, making sure no one gets out of hand, but they’re not pushing their way in anymore. Dr. Dryer eyes them, willing them to do something. I see on her face that she realizes John quitting doesn’t help her. If anything, it makes the crowd hate her even more.
“I don’t want anyone to get hurt today,” John continues. It’s difficult to hear him over the protests. “That’s not what this rally is for.”
“What is the rally for? You’re giving up!”
“No,” he denies, his voice harsh. “I’m not giving up. I’m stepping back so that I can fight harder. I’m speaking up for the people who are unable to speak for themselves. I am a part of this community, and I will fight for our rights as long as I live!”
The angry yells erupt into excited cheers. John should do this for a living, if that’s even a thing. He has completely changed the atmosphere since he stepped up onto the stairs.
“I don’t want people to be afraid anymore. I want a world where everyone can walk down the street holding hands with whomever they want, and no one will ridicule them. I want a world where a person who wants to be in a relationship can do so without constant questions. I want a world where being LGBTQ+ is considered normal, not an anomaly. I want a better world, and this is the first step!”
“Justice for MMF! Justice for MMF!” the crowd beings to chant again. This time, John joins them from the stairs.
“Let the administration know that we’re not going anywhere! They can try to take us down, but we’ll grow back twice as strong! We refuse to be treated as others. We deserve better!”
I can’t help it. I join in the cheering, despite the fear in my stomach. It’s okay now, but the crowd could go crazy again at any moment. I’m glad I’m not in the middle of it anymore. It’s a risk I shouldn’t have taken, and I won’t make the same mistake again.
John scans the crowd until he sees Mark and me. He smiles at us. I try to smile back, but it feels forced. Nothing about this rally feels right to me. I really want to go home.