Page 36 of Bride of the Gilded Prince

I turned to face him as we settled down. “What did you want to ask me?”

He looked at his hands and didn’t meet my gaze. “I don’t know if this is the place for me.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

He took a deep breath. “I want to halt my education.”

I was taken aback. “Is there a reason for that?”

He looked up at me, his eyes pleading. “I just don’t see the point anymore.”

“Do you not enjoy your current classes?”

If the current course wasn’t for him, then maybe he could change it.

He shook his head. “It’s not that. I just…” he trailed off, lost in thought.

“Look, I’m not trying to pressure you into anything. But if you don’t want to continue your education, there are other options open to you. You could take a break, or change your course.”

He was quiet for a moment. “No, in general.”

My heart sank. This was rare. Most students who halted their education did so for specific reasons. But if he didn’t see the point in continuing his education, I wasn’t sure what I could say to change his mind.

I smoothed down my pants. “Do you mind if I ask why?”

His eyes were sad when he looked at me. “I don’t want to bother you with my problems. Professor Al-Fiqri told me I should approach you about this.”

And she did so with a reason. Come one, Massin.

“I see.” I paused, trying to gather my thoughts.

His eyes were resolved, yet despairing. He stood up. “Thank you for your time. I should get going.”

“Sit down, please,” I said, patting the bench. “We’re not done yet.”

He hesitated for a moment before he sat down again.

“It’s my job to help students,” I said gently. “And I can’t do that if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”

He was quiet for a long time. I could see the conflict in his eyes. “Is there a certain procedure I need to follow?”

His voice cracked.

“It’s uncommon for someone to stop, but it’s not impossible. You need to talk to the Administration office and fill out some paperwork. But before you do anything, I want you to think carefully. Are you sure this is what you want?”

He nodded. “I’m sure.”

I leaned forward. “Everything you tell me will be kept in the strictest confidence.”

He took a deep breath. “I’ve been struggling lately. I’m not sure if I can do this anymore,” he mumbled. “What’s the point?”

“It’s normal to feel like that,” I said. “The pressure can be overwhelming. But if you give up now, you’ll never know what you’re capable of.”

He contemplated my words.

“I’m not saying that it’s going to be easy,” I continued as I smiled at him. “But if you want to halt your education, I can help you with that. But I need you to be sure. This is a big decision, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Do you like it here?”

He looked at me, and I could see the passion burning in his eyes. “It’s my passion. I want to be an artist and open my studio one day, but I can’t afford the school tuition anymore.”

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