Two weeks had passed since the cafeteria incident, but the silence that followed screamed louder than any argument ever could. A thick, uncomfortable distance had grown between Dr. Aldrich and me. It wasn’t like I hated him or anything—I just didn’t know how to act around him anymore. I had felt humiliated that day, not just because of what Marylyn did, but because of how helpless I had seemed in front of him. I was too proud to let him see that broken part of me again.

So I shut him out. I acted like we were just new workmates who knew nothing about each other. I did my work...