Chapter 35 Making Choices

• ROSALINE
• I arrived at work on my third day; my mind still weighed down by the tense encounter with Gerald the night before. His distant demeanor and dismissive attitude lingered in my thoughts, leaving me unsettled. It was almost like we didn't know each other, not like we didn't— I just didn't know where the energy that was blooming had disappeared to.
• As I settled into my office space, I tried to focus on my tasks for the day, leaning against the table and filled with the sudden urge to scatter everything on top of it. I should be focused, and my emotions shouldn't get the best of me. My long prep talks weren't going to go down the drain, and I was desperate to take control of the situation. But my mind kept drifting back to Gerald and the strange turn our relationship had taken.