All You Need Is Love

Chapter 18

*Nicole's POV*

As I sit at my desk, staring at the final exam I've been dreading for weeks, I can feel my brain going almost completely dead.

Just about everyone around me has finished and I'm only on page two of five.

I glance over at the clock and see that there's only tell minutes of class left. The probability that my C- is going to drop to an F is very high.

I try to think about what has caused my mind to be nothing but a blank space at this moment.

Maybe it's the fact I hate school?

Or could it be that my life has changed more in the last four months than it has in 18 years?

I think the latter is more probable.

"Nicole?" I hear Professor Dachel ask me. "Are you alright?"

Even though I'm the only Nicole in the classroom- scratch that, the only person in the classroom, it takes me a moment to realize that she's talking to me.

She's never used that nice of a tone with me before it was almost like she was being nice.

"Huh, me? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just having a little trouble concentrating is all." I say timidly.

She sighs. "Bring your exam up here please."

Well, shit. I've really done it now, haven't I? I don't even try to protest and tell her I'm not done, at this point, the fate of my grade is inevitable.

I walk up to her desk and hand her my test. She takes it in her hand and in one swift motion tears it in half.

For a brief moment, it almost feels like she tore my heart in half with it.

She tossed the packet in the trash before making eye contact with me again.

"Extra credit opportunity." she said.

"What?" I ask completely confused.

"Extra credit opportunity." she says again slightly slower as if that would help me to understand her better.

I just look at her, completely baffled by the situation.

She sighs again. "What I mean is that I'm going to give you an opportunity, right here, right now to tell me what your problem has been this semester."

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "I've just been going through a lot these past few months."

"Care to explain?" she asks going back to her somewhat sarcastic tone.

"Well, I made a choice." I say while taking a seat in the chair closest to her desk. "I thought it was the right one, and I'm still sure that it is." I look down at my feet in shame. "It's just that, I lost my family and everything I knew and loved because of it."

"Hmm, I see." Professor Dachel begins. "Dare I ask if this 'decision' involved a boy?"

I cringe at her use of the word 'boy' because not only is Michael old enough to be my father, but an actual 'boy' who was close to my age probably would've never created this kind of rift between me and my family.

"I guess you could say that." I say, trying to avoid choking on air from embarrassment.

She laughs at my nervous behavior. "Hmm, well I can tell you right now if you're giving up your life for a boy your parents don't approve of, it is most likely the wrong decision."

The room is dead silent for a moment. I don't know how to respond to her words. It wasn't until she continued speaking that some of the tension in the air had diffused.

"But, I guess that isn't always the case. I was your age once and met a guy my parents didn't approve of. I could understand why, I mean, he was much older than me." she says.

My eyes widen; I can't believe what I'm hearing. It's almost as if she read my mind to figure out my situation. "Well, what happened?" I ask while repositioning myself in my seat.

"Well, my family didn't talk to me for months. Eventually, the holidays came around and so did they. They respected my decision and today, the man they once loathed is my husband of twenty-five years." she says proudly.

"Wow," I say. "your situation almost seems too good to be true."

She laughs. "Yeah, that's what most people say."

Silence suddenly fills the room once again.

She notices me acting nervous. "Nicole, you'll know if what you did what the right thing to do."

I look up at her with tears in my eyes that are begging to be set free.

"How?" I ask.

"Well," she begins. "If everything starts to fall into place, then you'll know. But, if it starts taking longer than you expected, and eventually it seems like it's not getting any better, then maybe it's time to let go."

I sigh and look back at my feet then back at her. "Yeah, that makes sense."

She doesn't say anything. She just gives me a meaningful smile: something that she's never given me before.

I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and take out to see a message from Michael letting me know he's outside.

"Oh,  I have to go that's my ride." I tell her as I grab my bag and rise from my seat.

She smiles and stands as well. "Well, Nicole, you passed the extra credit. I know it may not seem like it, but you've by far been my favorite student this semester."

I scoff at her. "Yeah, right. I'll believe that when pigs fly."

She laughs and extends her arms for a hug and I gladly oblige. "It's true! I'm hard on the ones I care about. You have some serious writing talent. Maybe I'll see you in my class again sometime?"

I laugh. "You bet."

I remove myself from her arms and make my way towards the door.

"Nicole?" she says.

I turn around to meet her gaze again.

"Don't forget what I said about letting things work themselves out, okay?" she says.

I feel the tears form in my eyes once again. "Don't worry," I say. "I won't."

We give each other one last smile before I walk out the door.

As I step outside and the door shuts behind me, my phone begins buzz from an incoming call. I figure it's probably Michael wanting to know what's taking me so long.

As I remove the device from my pocket to check the caller ID, I'm shocked by what I see.

I quickly swipe to accept the call.

"Hi, Mom." I answer in a shaky tone.