Saying goodbye to her students gave mrs. sue a bittersweet feeling. each year, new faces flooded in and out of the classroom, and she had come to love every single one of them. she had consoled herself each year thinking there would be new faces to see and love. thus, it was hard when she knew this was going to end for good. she was not going to be teaching anymore.
"well, i am glad this is over," she said, trying to get a laugh out of her students. "it was tough for me to stay awake sometimes, too."
but, the students sat in the classroom with their serious faces and folded arms. not a single one of them smiled.
"you can't just go," sheila said what everyone was thinking.
"trust me, you want to get rid of me as much as i want to get away from you," mrs. sue lied again. "well, children. i am never leaving you. i am always with the poems, stories, plays, and all the authors i taught you. whenever you think of me, read a book. believe in yourself. that would be the best going away gift from you to me."

which of these best shows that "trust me, you want to get rid of me as much as i want to get away from you" is an example of verbal irony?

a.

mrs. sue feels like she has not done a good job with the kids.

b.

the author follows the comment with "mrs. sue lied again."

c.

mrs. sue is not going to be teaching the students anymore.

d.

the author follows the comment with "believe in yourself."