This was the most interesting faculty meeting they’d had in a long while.

As usual, Marie ran off as soon as the meeting adjourned, and Deja and Toni walked briskly out of the auditorium to beat the rush.

They made a detour to the bathroom across the hall, making it into the two stalls just before the post-meeting crowd. By the time they were done, there was a line out the door, and they had to practically shove their way back outside.

“Deja,” someone called.

She turned at the sound of her name, surprised to find the Dean of Arts & Sciences, Maisie Ward, smiling at her by the door to the auditorium and waving her over.

“Oh lord,” Toni breathed. “Pretend you don’t see her.”

“How? I’m looking right at her?” Deja whispered.

“Don’t go over there. Just point at your watch and look apologetic.”

“I can’t do that. She’s the Dean,” Deja said.

Toni shrugged and started backing away. “Oh well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Where are you going?” Deja asked, panicked.

“She called your name, not mine. I’m not getting roped into whatever committee she’s about to ask you to join. No friendship is that important to me.”

“Toni,” Deja hissed, shocked.

Toni shrugged again. She waved and then fled out into the stairwell while Deja looked on in horror.

“Deja,” Dean Ward called again.

Deja took a deep breath, knowing instinctively that what Toni said was true. She was also pissed that her friend had abandoned her.

“Deja.”

Deja put her work smile on before she turned back toward the auditorium. She walked on stiff legs the wrong way through the crowd.

“Deja, wonderful, I’m glad I saw you,” the older woman said happily.