“Ah,” Mr. Henderson clicks his tongue and glances at his desktop. “I think we can drop two of these. That way, you’ll still maintain a full-time student workload with just four classes. Sound good to you?”
“Yeah, that’s great.”
“I see you’re interested in physical therapy as a career option. No interest in the NFL?”
“Not really. I mean, I love football, but I don’t think I can see myself living in that kind of fast-paced lifestyle.”
Genuinely, I didn’t. Football has been a huge part of my life, but the idea of the NFL lifestyle—constant travel, high pressure, and the limbo of it all—doesn’t quite appeal to me. After the year I went through, I’m also not interested in the spotlight that the NFL comes with. There’s something about stability and helping people get back on their feet through physical therapy that just feels right to me.
Mr. Henderson nodded thoughtfully, jotting down a few notes on his notepad. “That’s a great way to think about it. I always encourage my athletes to have some kind of backup plan in place. I love the passion.” He congratulates with a smile, then it fades. “I hate to bring you down, but I noticed when you were at Clemson, Cell Biology was one of your courses, then you dropped it by spring semester because of interesting circumstances. Is that correct?”
I nod. That was the semester some girl got really motivated to date me—like, waiting outside my classes every day kind of motivated. I ended up switching to remote classes for the rest of the year and transferred out the first chance I got.
“We do things a little differently here, but the bottom line is, you’re missing a few credits. So you’ll need to retake that course this semester if you don’t mind switching out a class for it. We only offer them with lectures and labs combined in the fall. If you don’t take it this year, you’ll have to wait until junior year.”
I process Mr. Henderson’s suggestion that I’ll have to retake the class, and a “WTF” moment flashes through my mind. Here I was, thinking I had everything planned out, only to be thrown a curveball because of a stalker who ruined my life. It was one of those surreal moments where life quite literally bitch-slapped me right in the face.
Chapter 3
Alli
“I should’ve joined a club or something,” I mumble to myself, pushing the last pin into the corkboard above my desk. The burden of missing home still clings to me, but I shove it aside as I step back to assess the pictures on the wall—family moments frozen in time. Each one stirs a pang of nostalgia, but dwelling on it won’t get me anywhere. I should be grateful and make the most of my time here. Earning a full-ride scholarship wasn’t luck; the least I can do is figure out how to actually belong.
Joining a club on campus couldn’t suck so bad, right?
Chess club?
No, I’d be horrible at it.
Book club?
Let’s be real… I wouldn’t last a week.
Hiking club?
Do I even own hiking boots?
“This is insane.” I strike, then begin to tidy the pile of homework on the desk.
It’s Friday night, and I finished all of it. I even started on next week’s assignments. My back aches from spending the afternoon hunched over my coffee table, trying to focus on biology in a spot that’s definitely not designed for studying. I ended up saying no to Olivia’s invitation. I wanted to be alone and at peace with myself, and apparently, with the worst posture known to man.
I grab my phone and call my older cousin, Evelyn. She’s the whole reason I’m studying hours away from home. Evelyn is like the older sister I never had. As a girl with three older brothers, I always wished for a sister, someone who could balance out the endless sea of testosterone. When she moved from California, I wanted to be like her. It sounds pretty psycho, but she was everything I idolized as a young girl. She’s beautiful, confident, smart, and her personality lights up the room the second she walks in.
As we got older, our bond grew stronger. She took me out on late-night drives and weekend coffee runs before hitting up TJ Maxx—she was always there. She’s the one who encouraged me to apply to Carolina Coast University, insisting it would be an amazing opportunity. ‘We can’t spend our whole lives in the same town,’ she’d said, practically shoving the application into my hands. And maybe she was right.
“Hi, Alli girl! How’s my favoriteprimadoing?” Evelyn’s cheerful voice greets me.
“Hey, Evie,” I say in return, feeling a little better just hearing her voice. I sit down on my bed, absentmindedly picking at the corner of my textbook. “I’m… okay. Just feeling a little homesick, I think.”
“That’s totally normal,” she assures me. “I remember my freshman year was rough. Sophomore year was better, though! You’re tougher than you give yourself credit for. You’ll figure it out.”
I exhale slowly, her words easing the tightness in my chest. “Thanks, Evie. You’re the best. Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Of course! So, what’s up?”
“I was supposed to go to this party tonight,” I admit, glancing at my reflection in the mirror across the room, “but I bailed to study. Now I’m second-guessing it.”
“Definitely go,” she urges. “You need to have some fun and make some memories. College isn’t just about studying, you know. It’s about finding yourself all while having fun.”
