The Line We Crossed Quietly

I was in the final year of my master's program. All that stood between me and graduation was my dissertation-or so I thought. That was before office hours turned into late nights, and before my thesis became the second thing I couldn't stop thinking about...and suddenly, the only thing harder than finishing my dissertation was not falling for him.
Professor Thomas was brilliant, unreadable, and far too composed. He challenged my arguments, fixed my texts, and ruined any chance I had at emotional clarity. I never meant to fall into the gray zone between us. But we crossed the line quietly - and now, I'm not sure how to come back.