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Harper sighs. “They’re offering me a position here, starting as soon as possible.”
I can hear her smile, but I stammer out, “What about school? Isn’t that a requirement for the job?”
She explains, “It’s not abnormal for some internships to lead into a job.”
“Yeah, but that is usually after you graduate!” Ava exclaims, clearly sounding upset by this. Part of me knows we should be happy for her, but the thought of her being gone and not having a proper goodbye makes me feel a bit ill.
I clear my throat, trying to make my voice sound level. “Harper, this is a big move you’re making. What if you talk to them and say you will take the position when you graduate?”
“And come home to what? Ava, you have a baby and a guy that loves you.”
I cock my head while holding the phone. “And what do I have, Harper?”
Harper gives a sad sigh. “Mia, I’m so sorry about what happened to your parents, and I wish I could be there for you.”
“You could. If you talk to your bosses and tell them you’ll take the job if you still want it when you graduate.”
She sighs again. “Guys, this is a big opportunity for me. I’d be crazy not to consider it.”
“Well, when do they need an answer by?”
Silence.
“They’ve given me a month. After that, I’ve gotta make my decision.”
A sad silence lingers between us over the phone as the reality of this sinks in. To think, just a year ago, we were huddled on Ava’s couch, watching movies together. I bit my lip to stop the tears at the simplicity of those times, my heart aching at how far away we are from there and knowing we may never make it there again.
I clear my throat, trying to swallow the emotions threatening to bubble to the surface as I tell Harper, “Just think about it, okay?”
Another tense silence fills the line before she finally speaks in a soft voice. “I promise I will.”
I hear a slight sniffle before Ava speaks with a cracked voice. “I miss you guys.”
If only she knew how much I missed them, too.
CHAPTER 20
RILEY
Mia and I have finally fallen into a rhythm together within our first week.
Get up, then have breakfast in silence until we retreat to our separate rooms. If we have a shift together, we will walk down together and walk back up with a simple goodnight before going back to our separate rooms again. But with neither of us working tonight and food getting really scare, I knocked on her door this morning, asking if she wanted to anything from the grocery store. She surprised me by being dressed in a red short-sleeve top and denim jeans she rolled at the ankle, springing out of her room with energy I didn’t think anyone had in the morning and proceeding to put on a pair of runners, listing off the items we would need to get.
It took me a second to register her words and her heading towards the door before I realised that she had invited herself to come shopping with me.
Well, this is a surprise. I make my way down the stairs, following her to my car.
We drive in silence, and during that silence, my mind does nothing but think about the vanilla scent that has filled the car and it doesn’t take me long to realise where it is coming from.
The smell of Mia is so relaxing and happy. I didn’t know a smell could be that, but apparently it is.
I clear my throat, drawing Mia’s eyes to me as she casually props her feet up on the dashboard, crossing her ankles as she looks at me with raised brows. I search my brain for something to say, only taking a second until something sparks and I suddenly ask, “So you don’t drive?”
She furrows her brows at that, irritation dancing across her face, as she says simply, “No.”
“Why?”
She sighs, playing with the ends of her T-shirt. “My parents didn’t see the point in teaching me.”
