“Can you believe he’s never decorated a room before?” she remarks.
I chuckle. “Doesn’t surprise me. It’sJosh.” She glares at me and I lift my hands in surrender before she places a gentle kiss on my forehead, temporarily shushing the thoughts of my future.
I caved.
It’s three in the morning and I’m on the Mella Colta website. I’ve scoured every club, searched every photo of the campus, and even done the virtual tour. Yet here I am hesitating on two blue buttons—one to schedule my future student orientation, or one to schedule a visitor tour.
I mean, I’ve never been to campus, and I’ve seen enough how-to college videos, and they all say to see the campus before enrolling. But I know myself—it’s a cop-out. I want to go on the tour, then convince myself the whole time that I hate it. In reality, I’ve loved this campus ever since I can remember.
It was his and my dream college, but he probably doesn’t remember that.
Going on campus as a visitor has no permanent ties; for all they know, I was denied from the school. But orientation means I commit ... It means that I’m going to be a future student there.
I hover over both buttons as my heart seems to lead almost every decision I make. With the night sky and the constellations as my only witnesses, I accept enrollment to Mella Colta, and schedule my orientation for this weekend.
“I was accepted into a college’s advanced animal science program, and I have orientation in four days.” The words blurt out, and for a moment, I fear Mom and Josh don’t hear me. Risking a look, they wear shocked expressions and her cutlery clatters against her plate. “It’s in San Jose, by the way,” I mutter even as silence envelops the dining room, and their jaws drop that much more.
“Is it Mella Colta?” Mom asks, hinting at the university she’s heard about since I was a kid. I nod in agreement as she lets out a scream of happiness. Jumping up, she comes around to hug me tightly as Josh remains seated, and she shakes me slightly. “Honey! This is so great! See, I told you, rejection is merely redirection.”
I can barely hear her over her slight screams in between words, and I chuckle at that, patting her back. I glance over at Josh as he straightens his tie and Mom pulls back, zeroing in on him.
“I wished you would’ve told us earlier,but congrats anyway.” I look up while Josh doubles down. “I mean, how were you planning on getting there?” I open my mouth, but come up with nothing. I was so nervous about telling them, especially since our move here hasn’t been entirely smooth. He grabs his phone, looking over his calendar. “We’re supposed to have dinner as a family in Santa Clara with a business prospect. Thankfully, it’s not too far.”
I nod. “Oh. Well, you guys can drop me off and you two go—”
He shakes his head, cutting me off. “We’llbe attending both orientation and the business dinner together. Many of my supervisors’ children go to that university. Can’t have them believe we let you go alone.” He flits his eyes to mine. “That won’t be a problem, will it?”
An innocent question, but again, there’s something sharp buried underneath. I catch Mom’s eyes, but she’s just looking at me curiously.
“Of course not.”
He smiles, no traces of the emotion he hides in the pools of his brown eyes. “Then, it’s settled. Send the details to your mother and she’ll give them to me.” Mom squeals and grabs both Josh’s and my hands. I let that bit of excitement reignite mine as I think about my brightening future.
CHAPTER SEVEN
BIANCA
“So, Mom, I have a question.”
She shifts in the driver’s seat, simultaneously fixing the rearview mirror. The back seats are filled with our weekend luggage and Josh. He’s got his arms crossed and a hat covering his face, resting. I turn toward her, and Mom looks at me for a bit before returning her eyes to the road.
“Yes?”
“Hypothetically, if Ana reappeared in your life—or if she found your new number and called you—what would your reaction be?”
A rustle sounds behind us, but I think nothing of it. Her head snaps in my direction. “Well, I’d be surprised, but I wouldn’t mind talking to her again. Our relationship did end rather awkwardly considering it petered out due to you and ...” She doesn’t finish, and I don’t rush to correct her.
Another rustle, and I look back, but just see Josh in a different position.
“So, what would your reaction be if I told you that I saw a fuchsia-colored Jeep in our neighborhood? Hypothetically, ofcourse,” I add the last bit, but it seems she’s starting to realize that I’m not speaking in hypotheticals.
“I would be surprised, but you saw Ana’s car? Where?” she asks, and I admire how quick she is to believe me.
“When we moved in, the house across the street had it in their driveway. I’ve been racking my brain. Ana and William already have a house,” I say, and she nods. Her lips twist from side to side as they normally do when she’s thinking. “But I haven’t seen it since.”
She sighs, laying her head slightly on her fist as she keeps the steering wheel steady with her right hand. “Why haven’t you said anything?”
I shrug. “Like I said, I haven’t seen it since the first day.”
