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"No, no, no," he said again, hastily "This is all conized your name on the list, and Professor Gayle asked nized your name, too She’s a friend of your dad’s, and she reram already I double-checked your transcripts and called your last professor"

My chest grew tighter as he spoke

He called my last professor…

He knew…

He had to know…

I licked ht buzzing sound started into clear it When I spoke, my voice was hoarse "I took an incomplete with that class, the one like this one"

"Yeah" He nodded "The professor explained where you hen--"

I tensed, waiting for the blow He was going to say it

"--you had to take your incomplete He told ht percent in the class overall He would’ve passed you, but you didn’t take the final you assured hihtht "I left school altogether"

He paused, his mouth open, then his eyes darted to my face "Uh, yeah He told me that, too I explained that you were a student here now, and he said he’d waive your last agreehty-three percent in the course That’s what I meant when I said you don’t have to be here"

"I don’t?"

"I don’t even have you on the list I already put you in the next class up Now…" He cleared his throat, sliding his glasses to the top of his nose "Thisstudents They took this course and got into the program, so in essence, you did, too, but not officially Does that ain, frowning atI’d reure it out Class The next one Not this one I nodded again, which was enough for him He launched into the next part of his state I couldn’t

"…toht and cheery

I forced a sht then," he said "I have another class in here What do you have next?"