A Last Letter for my Stargazer

es in life that I sincerely enjoyed. It was my way of relieving stress, a

and a slice of coconut cream pie, along with a hot Americano. On the other hand, I ordered a rice meal that consisted of garlic

ou know, until now, we still haven't properly introduced

Atreus Martinez, at your service." I reac

shake off her nerves, and said, "My full name is Claire Lumina. I'm an Economics professor at IAM, and as yo

that I almost leaned closer. The way she looked at people would be enough to entice any normal man, e

. "And I like to keep it that way. It gives me less people to w

her head to the left. "Well, you can introduce me to the o

.. the jury's still out on th

be your best friend?

ould do better," I added befo

forward with a glint in her eye. "You know, for someone who d

y is easier in small doses

of you?" She smiled, a teasing light in he

, aren't you?" I smirked, taking a sip of

e I wish I'd never trusted." She looked down, the playfulness fading just a l

too familiar. "You've been in the city a while

click with, even if it takes a while. Or maybe I just don't know how to fit in here y

"If it helps, it doesn't get easier just because you've been around longer. Sometime

do you ever feel like you're missing out on

nked in the distance. "Maybe. I guess I've le

on't know if I could ever get used to that. I like

me. As the waiter approached with our food, I thought about how rarely I'd le

someone from her academy, judging by his well-pressed suit and the slightly smug look

g her a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes. His gaze

I hope it won't be a distraction from

was forced. "I'm fine, Professor Be

ood. The academy values professionalism. We certainly wouldn't

iefly dropping to my casual clot

s as he left. Claire tried to brush it off. "He's stric

ated. "Strict? He looked at me

. They want us to avoid anything that c

act your reputation? So saving you and almost get

s not about you, Atreus. It's about how the academy operates.

I asked, feeling a sting I hadn't expected. "Someone you're c

to say something, but the wo

y she wrestled between her career and whatever this was between us. And in that moment, I wo

nett's words sink in. It wasn't his opinio

ociety. I just choose to keep a low p

ow who you are, Atreus, but my whole career depends on t

made sense to me. "So, you're saying that protectin

y, but the silence between

o I am and not just the image others expect." I

ob," she finally replied. "Everything I've built is t

t to live by their standards. I hoped you'd see me for

ne, I understood that her choice had been made. Her wo

. I took a bullet for her, but even that wasn't en

that, and I won't forget it. But I just can't figure out how to balance this with my work. My job is more than jus

ore in others who placed all their trust in institutions, hoping they could provi

ooked almost regretful. "It's not that simple, Atreus. If my position wasn't always under such close

not here to force a choice, Claire. I only wanted you to see me

ok. The academy has rules and expectations, and people like Professor Bennett enforce them. Ther

e worked to build something for myself too, and it's based on the kind of reality I

letting it fall back. "It's not as if I wanted to choose between m

ds. "Then keep your career, Claire. I don't need a place i

't look back. I knew that her world, with its rules and

ation in mind, letting the city swallow me up, but the thoughts stayed close. Claire'

ion that people felt around me when they saw I didn't fit neatly into the mold they needed. For them, I was either a stepping stone or a

ost enough to strip any attachment of its meaning. With every loss, I'd built another wall, layered my life in self-made

n't rely on the approval of others or on the shifting loyal

ne or the fact that she felt a sense of purpose that didn't depend on power or money. Or maybe it

sed on my instinct. That was all. But she had been so quick to categorize it, to fit it into

ssly. I had spent years building a world I could control, a reality based on my

ouldn't be the one to pull her out. I had my own path to walk,

d validation. I had live