Harper Reed swallowed hard. A student had just informed her that the Dean, her father, had called for her, and she knew what it was about. It had been one week since she assured him she'd fix things, and still, she hadn't regained her pure name. The gists about her seemed to increase.
Harper stood in front of the Dean's office door, her palms slightly clammy. Taking in a deep breath, she knocked on the door. There was a heaviness in the air.
"Come in." His voice was low, as usual. Firm, commanding, but... softer than she expected. She stepped in, her heart racing softly. Each step felt heavy as she walked towards his desk.
Her father sat behind his desk, reading glasses perched low on his nose. But he wasn't looking at any paperwork. His eyes were already on her.
"Sit," he said, gesturing to the chair across from him.
Harper obeyed quietly, sitting with her hands knotted tightly on her lap.
