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“Oh god, you didn’t know.” She shakes her head from side to side. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Tess, I’m so sorry. I just assumed. I mean, Ant just told me this morning.”
My earlier optimism that Bree had pointed out turns full circle, and my stomach knots with dread.
Sebastian got into LSU—a full scholarship?
The fact that Ant has known this long enough to share it with Courtney, and I had no idea only intensifies my feelings on the matter. It’s one thing to find out your boyfriend has been accepted to a college a thousand miles away, it’s another thing entirely to find out the news from someone other than your boyfriend.
“I knew he was applying.” I shake off the panic I feel creeping its way in long enough to answer my friend. “I just didn’t know he’d heard back.” I try to brush it off like it isn’t a big deal even though it feels like averybig deal to me.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No, it’s fine,” I reassure Court, not wanting her to feel worse than I know she already does. “I’m sure he’ll tell me about it later, probably just still trying to process it all.” I force a smile.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Can you do me a favor and not say anything to Ant about me telling you?”
“I won’t say a word to Anthony,” I promise, knowing there’s no way I’m going to be able to make the same promise when it comes to Sebastian.
When he finally makes an appearance a few seconds later I can’t even look at him. Bree scoots down a seat to let him sit next to me, though honestly, I wish she would’ve just stayed put. It’s easier to pretend like nothing’s wrong when he’s not sitting so close to me, his hand immediately finding my upper thigh under the table.
“Hey, babe.” He kisses my temple, his gaze burning into the side of my face when I make no attempt to respond.
I want to be mature about this. I want to handle it rationally and not cause a big scene, but the longer I sit here the angrier I become. If LSU did, in fact, offer him a scholarship to play ball and he hasn’t told me about it, it only means one thing. He’s planning on accepting or worse, he already has.
There’s no other explanation.
I knew this was coming. But with graduation just over three months away, I was starting to wonder if maybe he was reconsidering the schools he had shown interest in. I think a part of me was holding out hope that he simply wouldn’t be able to leave me.
I know that’s really selfish of me, but I can’t help it. The thought of being here without Sebastian is just too much to even fathom.
“You okay?” Sebastian finally asks after several long moments have passed.
“Perfect,” I grind out, turning to face him.
“You don’t seem perfect,” he observes, his voice low so only I can hear him.
“No?” I hate how sarcastic it comes out, but it’s like the more seconds that tick by the more out of control I feel.
“No. You don’t.” His eyebrows draw together in confusion.
“Funny. I guess learning that my boyfriend is moving like twenty hours away has put a bit of a damper on my mood.” With that, I push to a stand and quickly exit the cafeteria, dropping my still full tray into a nearby trashcan on my way out.
I can hear Sebastian’s footsteps close behind me as I stomp through the empty hallway toward the back doors. I don’t bother to turn around when he says my name. I just need to get out of this building.
Sebastian catches up to me the second the sun hits my face, his hand closing down around my forearm just as I suck in a deep inhale of cold air.
“Tess.” He spins me toward him.
“Don’t Tess me.” I rip my arm out of his grip.
“I can explain,” he starts, but I quickly cut him off.
“Explain what, Sebastian? How you purposely have been keeping things from me? How my best friend knew you had received a full scholarship to play football for LSU, and I didn’t even know they were a serious contender?”
“You knew LSU was where I wanted to go.”
“Yeah, because you mentioned it once—months ago.” I swipe angrily at the tears that seem to come on without warning.
“Tess.”
