Accidentally in Love

The Art of Forgiving

I held my breath as the secretary lead me down the long hallway. With white floors, white walls, and ultra-bright lights above, I felt like every single piece of lint of my navy blue dress was as obvious as it would be if I was standing under a black light. I didn't know how people could work here without wearing sunglasses.

She paused in front of a door, looking back at me with a sympathetic look in her light brown eyes. Seeing an academic counselor while you are scheduling classes is no big deal, but to see one after the dead line has passed, well, that only left so many options while you were there. Most of which, weren't good ones.

I let out the breath, then slowly pushed opened her thick door, walking inside. There were bells attached to it, which jingled loudly as I swung the door shut.

So annoying.

Mrs. Phillis looked up at me, pushing her unruly read hair out of her face, and offered me a smile.

"Hi Harper, it's nice to meet you," Her voice was sugar sweet.

"Nice to meet you too," I told her, because it was the polite thing to say. I reached across her desk and shook her hand that she had extended.

She nodded towards the two chairs in front of her desk. "Have a seat. I'm so glad you came in," she said, as if I had a real choice in the matter.

From the outside it might seem like I did, but that wasn't true. My mom was the one that initiated this meeting, and since I knew that she knew that, it was pretty embarrassing. Okay, so maybe I wouldn't have done it without the extra shove, but I also didn't think it was panic mode during my first semester.

I had much more important things to worry about right now. Like the fact that my sister had not only barely talked to my all weekend, she kind of avoided me. Charlotte had never avoided me in her life.

"So," Mrs. Phillis said when she realized I wasn't going to say anything. "I hear you need some help pinpointing what you might like to major in?"

I nodded, picking at my nail polish. "I also think I have some time to think about it."

Her smile grew. "Of course you do! It's just that the sooner you are on the track, the faster you can complete the mandatory courses. Some courses have a waiting list, and it can prolong your graduation date."

"I guess that makes sense."

"So, tell me what you are interested in," she said, pulling out a larger black binder from inside a drawer.

I cleared my throat. Isn't that part of the reason I was here, was because I wasn't sure? "I, um, don't know exactly. But that's normal for freshmen, isn't it?"

She tapped her deep red nails against the binder for a second, the smile never changing on her face. "Well hopefully I can help with that!"

I didn't fail to notice she didn't answer my question.

She turned to her side slightly, typing away on her computer. "The feedback I received from your professors on your grades so far were positive, so that is a great foundation."

I felt my face flush. "You talked to my professors?"

She held up her hands, as if a sign for peace. "Do not worry, I was discrete."

I wasn't sure how you could be discrete when you are an academic counselor requesting information after only a few weeks, but I didn't push that.

"Your sister is registered as pre-law, was that a path you were also interested in?" She sounded hopeful.

"No, I'm not."

She nodded, pushing her hair out of her face again. "That's okay," she said in the same tone my parents use.