To distract myself from my terrible home situation, I continue to throw myself entirely into my work. I push myself to the limits, even eating at my desk to work through my lunch. I don’t take any breaks during the day, except the occasional five minutes to run to the bathroom.
Eventually, my work starts to pay off, when even Lila begins to praise my research.
“I admit I didn’t expect much from you,” Lila says. “But these research reviews you’ve been giving me are both detailed and thoughtful. I wouldn’t have thought you capable of expanding the idea in this direction.”
That’s a backhanded compliment if I ever heard one, but I keep my mouth shut. For Lila to give any compliment, even a backhanded one, feels like a victory.
Lila lowers my work down to her desk and then, leaning back in
