“Sure was,” he says, pulling out of my arms and holding out the envelope. I take it from him with drawn brows. “This came for you.”
“What is it?” I ask, scanning over it to see my name printed on the front. I don’t think I've ever received a letter in my life. The only things that we ever used to find in our mailbox were bills, overdue notices, and an eviction notice. Though, the letter I got from Tommy Peters in first grade telling me he thought I was cute doesn’t really count … or does it?
“How am I supposed to know?” Colton says, his voice thick with sarcasm. “Why don’t you open it up and find out?”
I roll my eyes and flip the envelope over and stamped across the back is the return sender details together with the logo of The University of Bellevue Springs.
I suck in a breath and find myself holding the letter out as far as it can go, almost as though it’s diseased. “What are you doing?” Colton grumbles, looking at me as though I just boarded the train to crazy town.
“It’s from the college,” I say, knowing damn well that he would have already seen that and was just waiting to see my reaction. My nerves bubble up in my stomach as I ignore Colton’s presence beside me, unable to stop looking at the letter. This tiny slip of paper determines what I'll be doing for the next few years. Assuming Russo and the Wolves don’t get their filthy paws on me again. “What do I do?”
Colton chokes back a laugh and holds a straight face. “Um … read it?”
I roll my eyes. He’s such a boy, but despite that, he’s right. There’s no use standing out here, staring at it. I need to figure out what it says and start planning my future.
Taking a shaky breath, I slip my finger under the lip of the envelope and tear through it, hoping that I'm not accidentally destroying what’s hidden inside.
I get it open and my hands instantly begin shaking. I can hardly see the paper, it's so bad. Flipping it over, I unfold it and the dread begins flooding me. If this was an acceptance letter, wouldn’t it be a thicker envelope? More papers with course details and all that kind of shit? Just one lone piece of paper seems a bit … bad.
Shit.
I’m just about to start looking over it when a thought occurs. This is a huge moment for me and maybe I should be waiting for Mom, but then, do I have the strength to hold back? The curiosity of leaving it lay open on the table would kill me.
No. Sorry, Mom. I love her and all but I can’t wait. This is too big.
Colton steps right into my side and starts reading over my shoulder as I begin scanning the letter, my breath coming in short, sharp pants.
Dear Miss Oceania Munroe,
It is our pleasure to congratulate you on your acceptance to The University of Bellevue Springs…
A high-pitched squeal wails out of me and I jump up and down, clutching the paper so freaking hard that it crumples between my hands. “HOLY SHIT,” I squeak. “I GOT INTO A FUCKING COLLEGE WITHOUT SUCKING SOMEONE’S DICK.”
Colton grabs me and pulls me up off the ground, sharing in the joy as he spins me around. “I fucking knew you would do it, babe,” he says, crushing his lips to mine. “Now, let me take you somewhere to celebrate.”
Chapter 24
I sit across the table from Colton in one of the fanciest restaurants that Bellevue Springs has to offer and I’ve never felt so out of place. It’s not my kind of restaurant. The meal costs more than I could make in a week but damn it, it’s so good. It’s certainly no Chuck E Cheese or Chili’s though.
My acceptance letter sits on the table between us and I find myself reading over it for the millionth time, only my mood isn’t soaring anymore. My whole world fell apart as soon as I finished reading the opening sentence and got further into the details of what it means to be a college student.
Finance.
“Jade, come on,” Colton says, reaching across the table and taking my hand. “I don’t know what you're freaking out about. I've got you. If you want to go to college, then I’ll sort it out. Why are you worrying about this so much?”
“I’m not taking your money, Colton,” I say, looking up to meet his eyes while wondering how the hell Mom and I are going to make this work. The fee structure is insane and I already know without even trying that I’m not exactly the greatest candidate for a student loan. “You’re my boyfriend, not my sugar daddy. I've already let you get away with paying for my school fees. It’s not about to happen again. I can take care of myself. I’ll find a way.”
“Babe, come on,” he groans. “Do you have any idea how frustrating it is knowing that you’re going to sit here and panic over paying it when I could have the tuition transferred and paid by the time we’ve finished dinner?”
“Gee, thanks for rubbing my nose in it.”
“That’s not what I’m doing and you know it. I don’t want to see you going through that kind of torture when I could take it away for you.”
I shake my head. “No, I’m sorry, but no. I’m not tying myself to you financially. Mom and I will talk about it tomorrow and see what we can come up with.”
Colton falls back into his chair and stares blankly at me. “You’re serious about this?
