Page 14 of Library or Lattes?

“I don’t know …” It was all so soon. Thanksgiving was less than two months away, and this course started … next September? I was happy here in Oak Falls. Wasn’t I? I felt sick about leaving, terrified about failing the exam, and somehow also fizzing with excitement when I imagined stepping off a plane into England.

“Willa, stop! Okay, let’s make a plan. How about this? You can spend every weekend in the library studying. That should be enough.”

Except I was still in high school, and I had a job. “What about the coffee shop …?”

Lennie nodded. “Yeah. You might have to quit your weekends there—or at least take a break. You’ll need that time.”

“And Pop …”

“You haven’t told him yet?”

“No, I have, he was there last night when I got the letter,” I admitted, trying to think straight.

“And what did he say?”

“He was happy for me …”

“Of course he was. This is amazing, and you can do it. Stop making excuses. Aunt Lisa even says it in her letter. Listen to Aunt Lisa. Right?”

“Right?” I said it as a question. Reluctant to sound like I was happy already. Scared to admit it.

She just leaned over and hugged me, and I let myself relax into the arms of the best friend any girl could ever have.

Somehow I agreed to call Pop, right there and then, since Lennie made me braver.

“Willa? What’s wrong?” he asked when he answered.

He sounded slightly out of breath, like he’d rushed for his phone.

“Oh, nothing’s wrong. Where are you?”

“That job near the mill. What’s up, sweetheart?”

“Remember Aunt Lisa’s letter?” I began.

“Has something else happened?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just, there’s a course I was thinking of maybe applying to. In London. And there’s an exam at Thanksgiving, and I think I’ll have to quit the coffee shop to have time to study—”

“Will, honey, calm down. This is all okay. We’ll figure it all out, and if you need to quit the coffee shop to study, then that’s okay.”

“But what about the money? Are you sure?” I’d been giving Pop some of my paycheck every month, just to help with bills and repairs.

“That’s not for you to worry about,” he insisted. “Look, Will, I have to get back to work, but we can talk about this when I’m home. In the meantime, promise you won’t worry. That money is for you, and if you want to do a course in London, then London it is.”

When I hung up, I looked at Lennie. Her eyebrows were raised.

“Well, that was painful to watch. You were totally spiraling,” she said.

“I was not spiraling,” I lied.

“You totally were. But your pop’s cool with it, so what’s your next excuse?”

“Can I ask you a favor?” As if she hadn’t already volunteered to do so much already.

“Hit me,” Lennie said. “I’m ready.”

“Will you come with me to the Acorn?” I asked her. “I don’t think I can handle this alone.”