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Chapter thirty-one

Out of Time

Josh

“What happened?” Mother sits up in bed. “Why are you calling so early?”

“I’m sorry for waking you.” I swallow a sob. “I just needed to hear your voice.”

Father turns on a lamp, blinking at the sudden light before putting on his glasses. “What’s the matter? Are you in trouble, Junoon?”

I shake my head, then press my palms together and bow to him in apology. “Nothing’s wrong, Father. I should have waited to call until our usual time.”

“Don’t be silly,” Mother says. “We’re here for you, no matter the time of day. Now, tell us why you’re calling. Did you and Karma elope?”

“What? No! Why would you even think that?” Where do my parents get such crazy ideas? “I told you, Karma and I aren’t getting married.”

My parents glance at each other from the sides of their eyes. There’s a long pause while they have another one of their telepathic conversations. Finally, Father says, “Your grandmother had a vision of a ring. It was on your right hand.”

OK… that’s weird. “Father, that vision couldn’t have been about us eloping. Americans wear their wedding rings on their left hands.”

“Yes, but you are Indian.” Mother lifts an eyebrow. “We wear our wedding bands on the right.”

“Is there something you need to tell us?” Father asks.

There is, but it’s not what they’re thinking. “I might have to leave Spartacus for a semester or two, or switch to a new university altogether. I’ve got a decision to make, and I could really use your help.”

Mother puts a hand to her mouth. “Did you and Karma have a fight?”

“Everyone has difficult moments in a relationship,” Father admits. “It doesn’t mean that you’re breaking up. Tell us what happened. It can’t be so bad that it would cause you to leave the country.”

“This isn’t about Karma,” I say. “There might be a problem with my student visa.”

My father frowns. “What problem? What has changed?”

“It’s my fault.” My chin wobbles. “Everything was fine until I spoke up at graduation. Now, because of my big mouth, I’ve got to make a choice. I can either stay at Spartacus University and pursue a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering… or leave.”

“But what about Cosmology, Junoon?” Mother asks.

I grab a tissue from the nightstand and pause to blow my nose. “Dr. Yoshida might not have room for me in his program next semester. If he doesn’t, then I can’t stay. Well, I can , but not as a Cosmology student. I can either remain here and pursue an AE master’s degree or return once a spot in Cosmology opens up. My only other option is to go to another school—though it’s unlikely that anyone else will have an opening any sooner.”

Father’s frown eases. “What’s the problem? Obviously, you’ll choose to study Aerospace Engineering. It’s a good career, an honorable profession. Cosmology can be a hobby that you study in your spare time.”

Mother places a hand on his arm. “Darling, we said that we’d be supportive of our son’s career decision, remember? Besides, if he leaves Spartacus for a semester or two, that means he can come home. He can be here for the wedding!” Her eyes brighten.

This isn’t helping. I need to talk to someone who can give me advice, someone who can focus on what I want.

The problem is, I want both Karma and Cosmology. How am I going to choose between them?

“ Six months? “ Ruby gapes at me. “Do you know how long that is in gay years?”

Simon pats my hand. “Long-distance relationships are common. You can make it work, if you try. Plus, you can always pass the time with online activities .“ He bobs his eyebrows up and down.

The stylist wrinkles his nose at the businessman. “There’s only so much ‘quality e-time’ a gay man can take before he needs to suck a real dick.”

I sink into the booth at the back of the café and bury my head in my arms. Ruby’s right. I can’t expect Karma to wait around for me. Sure, we can try to make our relationship work long distance, but what hope do we really have? He’ll meet someone new and that will be that. We’ll part ways as if we never even happened.

“There’s gotta be a solution,” JR says. “Karma’s crazy about you! Six months apart will fly by. You’ll see.”

“The Cosmology program is competitive,” Fletcher points out. “There’s no guarantee that Dr. Yoshida will have a spot for Josh six months from now.”

When I glance up, I see my best friend shaking his head at his partner and making a chopping motion across his neck.

“He’s right,” I say to JR. “Who knows how long it could take? The truth is, once I leave Spartacus University, I might never come back.”

His face falls. “What do you mean?”

“I contacted a recruiter from MIT this morning,” I murmur. “They offered me an internship in Astroparticle Physics. They say it could be a foot in the door to their Cosmology program.”

Fletcher arches an eyebrow. “MIT? Impressive. I’ve always said you were my smartest TA.”

“Isn’t MIT near Boston?” Ruby asks. “That’s a bazillion miles from here!”

“It’s closer than India,” Simon points out. “At least you’d still be in the United States.”

“But we’d never see you!” JR’s eyes well up. “I mean, I knew you’d have to move away eventually, but I thought we’d have more time. I’m not ready for you to leave, Josh.”

Another piece of my heart breaks. “Neither am I, buddy.”

“MIT? Those bastards ,“ Dr. Yoshida curses under his breath. “Sorry for the language, Josh, but I don’t want to lose you as a student. Unless, of course, you want to go to MIT…?”

“I’d rather stay at Spartacus, sir.”

The professor blows out a breath. “Good, that’s good. When I say that you’re my star pupil, it’s not just a Cosmology pun. I look forward to having you in my master’s program.”

“Do you know yet when that might be?” I ask. I don’t want to push him, but I’m running out of time.

“I’ve approved your application, so now it’s up to the admissions committee. Are you sure you can’t take other classes while we wait for a spot to open?” He gives me a hopeful look.

I shake my head. “Not according to my student advisor. I must be enrolled in either Aerospace Engineering or Cosmology for my visa to remain valid. She says it would cause suspicion if I changed graduate programs midway through. That it could hurt the university’s reputation.”

“I see,” Dr. Yoshida murmurs. “And how long before you have to decide between programs?”

My stomach sinks. “Less than two weeks.”

His lips pinch into a flat line. “That—as you youngsters say—sucks.”

“No shit,” I say in agreement, then blink at the professor in shock. “Oh. Sorry for the language, sir.”

He laughs and pats me on the shoulder as the other interns walk into the lab. “Let me speak with the admissions committee again and see what I can do. In the meantime, you’ll be working with Gabriel today.”

I nod, then hurry across the room. What was I thinking? My parents would die of shame if they ever heard me curse in front of a professor.

As I kick myself over my slip of the tongue, Gabriel sits down at the table next to me. “Um… hi, Josh. I hear we’re working together…?”

I give him a half-hearted smile. “Yeah, if that’s OK.”

Gabriel nods his head quickly up and down. His glasses slip down his nose, and he pushes them back up with one finger. “I was hoping I’d have a turn with you today. I’ve been wanting to ask you a question.”

“Oh? What is it?” I can’t imagine what someone with a doctorate would want to ask me. He’s been researching space a lot longer than I have.

His eyes dart around the room, pausing for a moment on Petra. “Um, this might sound stupid, but… did someone give you a makeover?”

I gaze down at the outfit I’m wearing. Ruby had insisted it ‘looked snatched’. “Is it too much? My stylist can be kind of extra sometimes.”

“You have a stylist?” Gabriel gulps.

Ugh. Now I’m the one who sounds extra. “My friend, Ruby, has been helping me with my look. I needed a boost of confidence when I first started dating my boyfriend.”

“You have a boyfriend? “ His eyes pop out. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I wish I could find someone.” His eyes drift back over to Petra.

I glance between my DES teammates. “Maybe you should ask Petra out? She’s really nice, and you both have Cosmology in common.”

Gabriel shakes his head quickly back and forth. His glasses slip again. “What? No! She’s way too pretty. She’d never go on a date with a dork like me.”

“Hey! You’re not a dork,” I tell him. “You’re cute! I’d bet Petra thinks so, too.”

He snorts. “You’re just saying that. We both know she’s out of my league. I’d never have the courage to ask her out, not in a million years.”

It sounds like Gabriel could use a boost of confidence himself. “There’s nothing better than a makeover to help you feel brave. I’m sure Ruby could give you one, if you want. He’s helping my friend, Tyrell.”

“ Tyrell Jones? “ Gabriel splutters. “From the Golden Gladiators football team? The guy who can get any girl on campus?”

I’m not so sure about that—Evie certainly doesn’t seem impressed with him. I pull out my wallet and dig out Ruby’s card. “Give him a call. I’m sure he’d be happy to help you.”

“OK… maybe.” He fingers the card, then glances back over at Petra. “But where would we go on a date? And what would we talk about? I don’t want to say something stupid and look like an idiot.”

I know that feeling all too well. “Why don’t you ask her to go dancing? That doesn’t involve much talking. My friends and I are going to a club next week to celebrate my birthday. Would you like to come along? I can ask Petra and Charlotte to come, too, that way we can all hang out together.”

“You’d do that?” Gabriel blinks. “That’s so cool of you, but I don’t have anything to offer in return.”

“You can tell me about your research into the cosmic microwave background—and the more that you can tell me, the better.” Not only is the data fascinating, it might come in handy at MIT.

MIT… a bazillion miles away from Spartacus.

Away from my friends.

Away from Karma.

I rub a hand across my chest as another piece of my heart breaks.