Page 11 of I Wish You All the Best

Then there’s college, and the letters that’ll decide my entire future. Letters that’ll be delivered to Mom and Dad’s house because that was the address I put on all those applications. I wonder if there’s anyone I can talk to at the schools, ask to be sent another letter. Or maybe I’ll have to apply all over again.

God, I don’t want to even imagine having to pay for it. I can’t ask Hannah to do that; I don’t want Hannah to do that for me. Maybe that’s some kind of blessing in disguise, Mom and Dad were definitely more excited about me going to college than I was.

Maybe now I don’t have to worry about it anymore.

I guess we still have a lot to discuss, but how am I supposed to basically ask my sister when she’s planning on kicking me out?

I’m getting antsy, and now isn’t the time to think about this stuff, but I can’t get my mind to focus on anything else. Every time I glance up at the clock above the door, it’s like time slows down, which is only adding to the torture.

And then the door swings open, and a boy walks in.

He’s tall—much taller than me, tall enough that his legs are the first things I notice—with a skinny frame and dark brown skin, black hair buzzed shorter on the sides so the top sticks out a little more.

“Hi, Kev,” he says with a smile.

“Hey, Nathan.” The secretary behind the desk smiles back. “Not in any trouble, are we?”

“I knew my street racing days would catch up with me.” This kid, Nathan, laughs like it’s his favorite thing in the world to do. “Principal Smith called for me.”

“You specifically?” Kev raises an eyebrow. “Must be some special occasion.”

“Maybe my status as a model student is finally getting recognized.”

“Hilarious.” Kev doesn’t laugh. “Well, she’s in a meeting right now, so just take a seat, shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“Cool.” Nathan takes the seat next to me, crossing one long leg over the other, and rests his hands in his lap. It takes just a few seconds for him to break the silence. “Are you new? I don’t think I’ve seen you around.” He adjusts the way he’s sitting so he can sort of face me.

“Yeah, um, just moved here.” I shuffle my feet, my socks falling farther down the backs of my feet.

“Nice. I’m Nathan.” He sticks out a hand.

I take it slowly but don’t shake, and I don’t really know why. It’s like my brain is falling behind the rest of my body. “Ben.”

“So where are you from, Ben?”

“Here.” I answer before I realize what I’m really saying. “Or, not here, but I am from North Carolina,” I sputter. Dammit, I can’t even get this right. “Goldsboro, I’m from Goldsboro,” I finally say.

“Oh.” To his credit, he doesn’t laugh at how much of a walking disaster I am. “So not too far out?”

“Yeah.”

“Ben.” Thomas saves me from any further embarrassment. “Principal Smith’s ready to see you.”

“Hey, Mr. W!” Nathan perks up in his seat. “Thought you were out today?”

“Hey, Nathan, just helping Ben with something.” Thomas tucks his hands into his pockets. “What’re you doing here?”

“Principal Smith called me in.”

“Oh,” Thomas says, looking a little confused before he glances my way again. “Come on in, Ben, she’s waiting.”

“Good luck, Ben, hope to see you around.” Nathan grins at me.

“Thanks,” I say, giving him a quiet smile back before I follow Thomas down the hallway.

Principal Smith has a slow way of explaining things that I really appreciate, because all this information feels like it’s going in one ear and out the other.

There are about two dozen documents to read over and fill out. Forms to get me back into my classes, authorization for a school ID, cafeteria account information, classes to sign up for.