AllFreeNovel
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For the first few minutes of the drive, we are quiet. The only sounds are the constant hum of my car. I sense movement in my peripheral and when I sneak a peek at Landon I notice him regarding me, his index finger resting on his lip. I try to ignore the sensation below that became amplified the second he talked about what could potentially have me swearing like a sailor.
“So, why UConn?” He breaks the silence.
“What do you mean?” I’ve been asked this question a hundred times, mostly with genuine curiosity. With my grades and SAT scores, everyone has an opinion about why I chose a state school for college.
“A smart girl like you…didn’t want to go Ivy? Your father has been bragging about you for years. I know you had your pick of schools.” Bragging about me? Surely, he meant Skyler...
“I wanted to stay close to home.”
He snorts. “What about Yale?”
“UConn offered more money. I got into Yale, but they didn’t offer to pay.”
I didn’t see it, but I know he rolled his eyes. “Your parents can afford it.”
Goosebumps pop up on my skin and tears prickle in my eyes as the sense of vulnerability washes over me. I’d never told anyone the truth, never spoken the words aloud.
I clear my throat and focus my eyes on the road.
“So, there’s a story.”
“I just…I’m used to being the smartest person in the room.”
“Big fish in a small pond. I get it,” he adds.
“And if I went to a school like Yale…”
He nods in understanding. “I see. You were scared.”
“I wasn’t scared. I just…wasn’t ready for all the other big fish.”
“So…scared.”
“Do you want me to leave you on the side of the road?” I point a finger out the window towards the rows of trees we are passing as I move down the two-lane highway. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, so I continue. “I’ll go to Yale for law school, happy?”
“No,” he says immediately. “You need to go away for law school. Somewhere that requires you to move out of your parents’ guest house. You need to experience life away from Mom and Dad. Have you ever been anywhere without them?”
“I’ve been to Italy.”
“Did you stay with family?”
I feel a flare of jealousy as I think about how different Skyler’s and my experiences were when we visited the motherland. Aside from the Italian boy that broke her heart, she had the time of her life exploring the city and immersing herself in the culture by living it. I spent most of my time there in the kitchen with my aunt, watching Italian telenovelas and reading about the culture.
“I’ve been to Greece,” I add. “Without family.”
“Better. Who did you go with?”
I take a breath, knowing he’ll have something smart to say about my answer. “A youth group.”
“So, church. Damn what kind of youth group goes to Greece? I thought churches went to third world countries and built houses and taught orphaned children. Since when do they go to Mykonos or Santorini?”
“Don’t be like that. It was a team building experience before we went to high school.”
He raises an eyebrow at me. “Sure, Bambi. Look, you’re twenty-one, you can’t hide out in your parents’ guest house forever. This is the time of your life. Have you even tasted alcohol?”
I’m confused by his nickname. A baby deer? Was that a term of endearment? Or an insult? “Bambi? What does that mean?”
“Answer my question first.”
