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It had never really registered that Grace had fallen for me, an enlisted Marine, without e seventeen I still had a hard ti next to , not with any sexual --okay, not with a primary sexual intent--just to remind myself that the reality was that Grace was still with me despite my blow off, despite my two-year silence, despite my lack of funds But I wondered when she’d wake up to the realization that there was someone better out there for her

AFTER DRESSING, I DROPPED OFF ’s office It was an independent project where I was to conduct a feasibility study on the best franchise to purchase in the et my three credit A because I’d not only finished the study but I’d bought an actual franchise

The self-serve yogurt shop I’d purchased from an elderly Asian man, who’d wanted tocosts The most expensive part of the business was the labor But because it required only a couple of high school students to run the register and s were available, even the wages part of the expense coluured that with the profits from this one shop, I’d be able to open two more before the next semester was out, and then I’d move on to more expensive and more profitable ventures

This project was really just a way for hting

On the upside of his thirties, Professor Billings liked to shoot the shit withcareer and the tihanistan

Billings claimed to have served himself, but I didn’t see how that was possible He would have been too young to have rad school and the e due to aBut I never asked because poser or not, at the end of the day he was still responsible forthat his story about being military reeked Even if his company chafed from time to time, he was my advisor, and I needed tohow to s the Corps had taughtwhat buttons to push to ensure that the rest of the enlisted who served with you didn't have to suffer hile

As long as I wasn't emotionally involved with them, I could actually read people pretty well But once my heart was part of the equation, all bets were off I couldn't always tell what Grace was thinking Everyone said she was easy to read--that all of her emotions flitted across her face like an open book But I was too blinded by my fear that she would leave s And recently, she see fro my shoulders, I tried to release so at the gyrades to keep et funds froas et er so that hprofit I had to keep down ates of the Sullivan family mansion An irrational fear lurked in the back of my mind: that when I crossed over onto the hotel-like lawn, floodlights would shine down and dogs would attackone word, "Fraud Fraud Fraud"

Until I had enough money, I'd always feel like Grace could do better thanout of s and my independent study One task at a time One step at a time That's how I’d survived twentymyself it was one step at a tis’ office was open, but I knocked anyway Showing deference was one way to prop up the egos of self-important people

"Cos called out He didn't stand as I walked in, ensuring that we both kneho held the power in this room "And shut the door behind you"

I co out my study portfolio and set it on my side of the desk as I situated s hadn't offered a chair, but I took one anyway

With people like Billings, you had to walk the knife’s edge of assertiveness and obeisance Too little assertiveness and Billings would have no respect forweak Too little obeisance and Billings would feel threatened, and again, his punishrade No s lacked the self-confidence to grade on the project alone How h just as heavily as your actual work

"That your independent project?" Billings tipped his head toward the bound paper portfolio I still hadon We both kneas Another dick power s

"Yes, sir," I responded promptly and then slid it over to his side of the desk I sat back and placed s, feet planted shoulder width apart My stance conveyed that I was confident in shis fingers together as he rested his elbows on the desk Interesting He was fidgeting

"You familiar with TempChat?" He said finally, after a few moments of indecisive silence Indecisive on his part I sat without fidgeting, outwardly relaxed Inwardly I was alert and ready for an attack

"I've heard of it, but I don't use it, I said Tempchat was a popular social media platfore private es that deleted themselves after they were read The temporal nature of the social media platform allowed for a lot of activity that wouldn't take place on a public site I'd heard of everything fro deals and prostitution taking place on the service

"What if I told you that Tes was overly aniainst his skin and there was a slight flush creeping up his neck I tried to guess the source of his excitement

"And you have the opportunity to buy in before the public offering?"

Billings grinned and pointed his finger at oddaood team"

I had exert conscious effort in order to suppress s’ declaration that ere a team He was my professor--my advisor--and I was the student That wasn't s was unconcerned byfarther over the desk, so far that his body was practically horizontal to the wooden surface, Billings crowed, "Do you kno much an individual stock share will be after the IPO?"

I hazarded a guess but undervalued it, knowing that this would provide Billings the opportunity to spout off his knowledge of the market "The last valuation of TempChat was in the billions when Facebook tried to buy it, so close to two-hundred dollars or so?"