The Fictional Man Among Us

Chapter 30

Unapproved

JULIANNA'S POV

The sun was high in the sky as Stella and I walked down the campus pathways, my thesis clutched tightly in my hands. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the hum of student chatter filled the air. I was on my way to meet my lecturer to review my thesis, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation. Stella, always the supportive friend, was beside me, offering words of encouragement.

"You're going to do great, Jules," Stella said, her voice brimming with confidence. "Just breathe and stay calm."

I nodded, trying to absorb some of her positivity. As we rounded a corner, I spotted Cooper and Paul up ahead. Cooper's face lit up when she saw us, and she rushed over, enveloping us in a big hug.

"How are you, Cooper? We really missed you," I said with a smile, hugging her back.

"I missed you guys so much!" Cooper replied, hugging Stella and me once more. "I'll come and visit you all this weekend."

"And... about Paul... don't tell me you..." Stella started, her words trailing off as Cooper understood the unspoken question.

"Babe! Come over," Cooper called, motioning for Paul to join us. He walked over, a shy smile on his face, and wrapped his arm around Cooper.

"Nothing can keep us apart again," Cooper added, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

For a moment, I felt a pang of sadness, hoping my story with Damien could have ended like that. But I pushed the thought aside and focused on the conversation.

Stella turned to Paul, her tone serious. "Don't mess up again, Paul. If you do, you know what I'll do."

"C'mon, don't threaten my babe," Cooper said, smiling and grabbing Paul's hand tightly. "He's changed. We're good now."

"Anyway, Julianna needs to meet her supervisor to approve her thesis," Stella informed Cooper.

"Oh! That's good. I'm just coming back from mine, and he approved it. Finally!" Cooper said happily, as she and Paul left us to continue their stroll.

As we approached the building where my supervisor's office was, Stella stopped outside the door. "I'll wait here. Good luck, Jules."

I took a deep breath and stepped into the office, greeting my supervisor, Professor Anderson, who was seated behind a large oak desk.

"Good afternoon, Professor," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Good afternoon, Julianna. Please, have a seat," he replied, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

I handed him my thesis, and he began to flip through the pages. I sat there, my heart pounding in my chest, praying silently that he would approve it. As he read, I studied his expression, trying to gauge his thoughts, but his face remained impassive.

Finally, he looked up, and my heart sank at the serious expression on his face. "Julianna, your thesis is well-written, but there are several areas that need improvement."

My heart dropped. "What areas, Professor?"

He began listing them off. "First, you need to provide more evidence to support your argument in Chapter Three. Your analysis of the legal precedents is too superficial. Second, your conclusion needs to be more comprehensive. You should discuss the implications of your findings in greater detail."

I nodded, trying to keep my composure. "Thank you, Professor. I'll make those adjustments."

As I left his office, I felt a wave of frustration and sadness wash over me. Stella was waiting impatiently outside.

"Well?" she asked, her eyes full of hope.

"He didn't approve it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I have to make some adjustments."

Stella groaned in frustration. "That supervisor is really troublesome. But don't worry, Jules. You'll get through this."

We were about to leave when we spotted Jack heading towards Professor Anderson's office. Stella and I exchanged curious glances and decided to wait for him to come out.

When Jack finally emerged, we greeted him. "Hey, Jack! What brings you here?" I asked.

Jack smiled warmly. "Oh, hey, Julianna. I just came to see my friend's uncle. He's actually Professor Anderson."

I couldn't help but vent my frustration. "Your friend's uncle is giving me a hard time. He didn't approve my thesis and now I have to make adjustments. I don't even know where to start."

Jack's expression softened. "I can talk to him for you. Maybe I can help smooth things over."

Stella gave me a knowing look and then said, "I'll leave you two to talk," before walking away.

"Thank you so much, Jack," I said, my eyes welling up with gratitude. "I really appreciate it."

Jack nodded, his hand resting on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Julianna. Professor Anderson is tough, but fair. I'll do my best to help you out."

As we stood there talking, I realized we were holding hands, and it felt surprisingly comfortable. When I noticed, I awkwardly pulled my hand away, blushing. "I'm sorry, Jack."

He smiled, looking a little surprised himself. "No need to apologize, Julianna. It was actually quite... nice. More comfortable than I expected."

There was a tense and deep look in Jack's eyes that made my heart skip a beat. For a moment, I almost leaned in to kiss him, our lips just inches apart. But then I came to my senses and pulled back, feeling embarrassed.

"I... I have to go," I stammered, turning and running off. My heart was pounding as I fled the scene, the awkward moment lingering in my mind.