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She shrugs. “I’m no chicken.”
She hops up onto the float, while Farrow takes the throne, surrounded by the team, and instructs Dylan to sit at his feet. She rolls her eyes and plants her ass on the step between his legs.
“Hunter,” someone calls.
I turn, seeing a man approach me. He wears a yellow Clarke University T-shirt with a turtleneck underneath. His graying beard is tidy over his black skin, and he holds out his hand for me to shake.
“Hunter Caruthers?” he asks again.
I take his hand, shaking it. “Yes.”
“Good.” He laughs, letting my hand go. “You two look a lot alike.”
Yep. I’ve heard.
“Early admission letters will be going out first of November,” he informs me, “but I saw you standing here and thought it best not to waste a second.”
I dig in my eyebrows, not sure I understand.
“We’d hate to lose you to the University of Chicago.” His grin widens, and he shakes my hand again. “Congratulations,” he says. “I very much hope you choose to join us next fall.”
I glance at his T-shirt again. “I’m sorry?”
“Clarke,” he states as if I know what he means. “We were very impressed at your interview, and I must say, your admissions essay was incredible. Both yours and Kade’s. A couple of the best we’ve ever read.”
My interview? Admissions essay? Clarke is a university on the outskirts of Shelburne Falls. Hawke attends thatschool, and it’s a great university, but I didn’t apply there. My top choice is the University of Chicago, an hour away.
They interviewed me?
But almost immediately, realization hits.
Kade…
The pavement tilts under me.No.
“We should talk about maybe publishing it in the school magazine next fall,” he says. “It will be an honor to have you both in attendance there.”
He shakes my hand again, and I think I say, “Thank you.”
But it’s like someone else is saying the words because I can’t think. The man leaves. I didn’t even get his name. Obviously, he thinks we’ve already met.
Taking out my phone, I log into my application account for the University of Chicago, seeing the list of items needed to process my application—General Information, Transcripts, Essay, Recommendations…
And then I see, in red block letters,Application Withdrawn.
I drop my hand, my eyes burning. He called and had my application withdrawn.
I’m going to fucking kill him.
“Good morning, everyone!” my dad announces over a loudspeaker. “Thank you for being here on this beautiful Sunday, probably the last of the warm days this year…”
I rake my hand through my hair, feeling the sweat on my forehead. He had my application withdrawn for the only school I’ve wanted to go to since I learned it was one of the top research universities in the world.
He thinks I’m staying here with him after I fucking graduate?He thinks this won’t end?
“And we have two undefeated teams facing off this Friday,” Dad calls out to a round of cheers. “Please welcome the Shelburne Falls Marching Band leading our amazing Pirates’ team and cheer squad!”
The band kicks up the Pirate fight song, and the line starts moving, turning onto High Street. Batons and flags fly into the air, the majorettes leading the team.
