Her eyes bounce between mine, like if she stares hard enough the joke will make sense. When I give her nothing, she jumps up. Her expression goes from confused to pissed in half a heartbeat.
“What the fuck, Colt? Why would you do that? You worked your ass off to be here.”
I take a breath, drumming my hands on my knees to work up the courage. Once I say it, it’s real.
“I’m flunking out. My advisor called me in this morning to tell me.”
She starts pacing. Other students split around her, grumbling as they go, but I don’t think she even notices them.
“Okay, it’s not going great right now, but you haven’t failed yet. The game’s not over until your grades are locked in. What did your advisor suggest?”
I laugh, a sound devoid of humor. “That I should consider if I’m meant to be here.”
The fire in her eyes could burn anyone in their path. I’ve seen her blush a couple times when someone annoys her, but now she was turning bright red in pure, unbridled fury.
She anchors her hands on her hips. “Tell meexactlywhat your advisor said.”
I walk through the meeting. How he said I’m gonna lose my scholarship. How I can pay my own way and try to bring up my grades, but I should consider if it was worth it.
It isn’t. Affording this school is so far out of my reach it may as well be on Saturn. I’d be stuck paying off those loans for the rest of my life, and my mom needs money sooner rather than later. I’ll have to get a job and hope one day I’ll get to try again.
“And he gave you no suggestions or action items to bring up your grades?”
“Nothin’.”
“Bullshit. I’ll come up with the plan myself. First, we’re going to schedule a meeting with the department chair. Your advisor was out of line and needs to be held accountable.”
I grab her hands, forcing her to stop her pacing.
“It’s done, Quinn. He said I wouldn’t be able to bring up my grades, and without my scholarship, you know I can’t stay here.”
Her eyes fill with tears. It’s breaking my heart that I’m causing her pain. That I’m hurting everyone who matters in my life. Momma’s going to be so disappointed in me. She’ll still want me to go to school and take out loans to help. It’ll take even longer for me to support her. God, she’ll be working until she has one foot in the grave.
Quinn grabs the sides of my head, forcing my eyes back to hers and stopping my spiral.
“Don’t do that. Don’t give up on yourself because one douchebag doesn’t believe in you. I know how colleges work. I’ve lived on them my whole life. I’ll come up with a plan if you promise to fight like hell to stay here. You deserve to be here. Plus, life would suck without you.”
I don’t know what I did to be graced with this perfect little spitfire. I doubt she can change my situation, but if it gives me a few extra smiles before I have to leave her, I’ll do whatever she wants.
“Okay, Chaos. Lead the way.”
14
QUINN
JUNE — EIGHT WEEKS TO WIN OVER THE FACULTY
When I leftfor Tuscany last Friday, I thought I’d come back relaxed and ready to jump into the work of winning over the last three professors. Instead, there’s a restlessness underneath my skin that makes me feel like my entire body’s buzzing. Inez spent the drive back to Rome telling us all about her interview, how kind everyone was and how her old mentor took her to get the best panini of her life after the meeting. Knowing how much she loved the team at Leonardo da Vinci doubles the pressure of the summer. If I have any hope of keeping her in Boston with us, I need to show her I can get the professors to play just as nicely.
I’m in one of the shared offices grading journals when a rap sounds on the doorframe, and I look up to find Sydney and Dr. Aguilar.
“Are you busy, Quinn?” Sydney asks, and I’m sure the way my eyes widen in surprise looks ridiculous.
I scramble to cover my shock at her seeking me out. “Just getting some grading done, but I could use a break. How can I help you two?”
The women come into the office, Sydney flipping the second chair away from the other desk to face mine as they settle across from me. “I was telling Andrea about our visit to the Borghese.”
Dr. Aguilar smiles at me, a genuine smile that shocks me even more than them asking to speak with me. “Impressive work.”
