Our eyes lock for just a second before he looks away, setting his bag down and connecting his laptop to the projector. His voice is steady and professional when he speaks, like nothing happened. Like he didn't view my photo within minutes of posting, like we didn't have that charged moment in the hallway on Friday, like his son didn't threaten to expose us.
"Today we're discussing the concept of dialectical tension in media relationships. The push and pull between opposing forces. Autonomy versus connection. Openness versus privacy. Predictability versus novelty."
He clicks to the first slide. "These tensions exist in all relationships, but they're amplified in mediated contexts. When your relationship plays out online. When audiences are watching. When every interaction is potentially public."
His eyes sweep the room and land on me again. "The question becomes: how do you maintain authenticity while managing performance? How do you be real while knowing everyone is watching?"
