Emory
Nine Years Ago
“Here you go.” Mr. Kincaid handed me a pack of college brochures, secured with a rubber band. “When you apply, though, your acceptance letters will come to your house.”
He winked at me, and I gave him a tight smile.
Reaching over his desk, I took the booklets. “Thanks.”
Believe me. I knew I’d have to deal with this sooner or later.
I left his office and walked through the main office, heading out to the hallway. My brother expected me to go to college. It was one of the only areas we agreed and where I didn’t experience resistance from him, but that might change if he learned my choices. I wasn’t ready for his opinion on the matter, so I asked the dean to request the brochures for me for now. I still had a year to apply and face the fights.
I pushed through the doors, opening the top booklet as a few students made their way down the hall.
“Ooooh, Berkeley.” Someone snatched the booklet out of my hands.
I turned my head to see Elle flipping through the brochure. “Hey,” I scolded, reaching for the brochure.
She pulled away, looking at it. “You couldn’t get any farther away from here,” she said. “But I guess that’s what you want.”
I stole the booklet back. “Yep.”
Berkeley was at the other end of the country, and I could afford maybe two years with the college fund my parents had put in a trust for me.
I wasn’t planning to use any of it, though.
I’d barely slept last night after Will left, spending much of the night replaying him in my head, part of me sure I should’ve just let him leave when he tried the first time, and the other half of me sorry that I let him go the second time.
But I did decide on one thing that had been troubling me. If my grandmother were still alive when I left for college, my trust would be more than enough to pay for a year at the best convalescent home in Meridian City.
That would get her out of my brother’s house, and I’d be able to go to school without worry.
All I had to do was earn a scholarship—or ten—to pay for my education.
I looked ahead, hearing a group of students laughing.
Will stood against the lockers, surrounded by his friends, his arms wrapped around Davinia Paley as he lifted her off the ground and stared into her eyes. She smiled at him.
My heart sank, and my mouth went dry.
I faltered for a moment, blinking and looking quickly away. Looks like he found his Homecoming date. What a prick.
Elle stopped at my side, follo
wing my eyes as I looked up at him again. He held Davinia like she weighed nothing, talking to her and looking playful and happy, while everyone around them, with their clothes and their cars and their friends, looked like a Teen Vogue ad I’d never belong in.
He looked over at me, and I dropped my eyes, turning away. It was just as well.
I continued down the hall, feeling his eyes on me as I passed, and Elle and I rounded the corner, stopping at my locker.
“Will I see you in class?” she asked.
“Ugh.”
She snorted, because she was well-aware I hated literature class. Touching my arm, she continued on. “Maybe see you at lunch then.”
“See you.”