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“Yeah,” she sighs. “That’s what Theo keeps telling me. I wish I’d gotten that job at Sweet-a-licious. Can’t believe I lost out to Amber Buchanan.”
“I know, right? You are so much better at cake decorating than her, plus your customer service is far superior. Remember last time we went in and she basically snubbed us until we started incessantly ringing the bell?”
“Youstarted incessantly ringing the bell, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her face go so red.” Rachel starts giggling, and I can’t help laughing along with her.
Tears burn my eyes, but I squeeze them shut and order them to dry out immediately. I will not start crying over the phone. It’ll only make her worry, and I don’t want to do that to her. She already has a propensity to stress about the smallest stuff, and I won’t do anything to trigger her.
“Hey, so did I tell you my mom got that job in Jamaica?”
“Really?” I perk up. “Wow. She must be stoked.”
“Yeah, she’s pumped. She’s wanted to get into international teaching for so long but knew it’d be too much for me. She’s waited all this time for me to graduate, and it’s her turn, you know?”
“When does she leave?”
“About three weeks. They’re fast-tracking her visa to get her down there quicker.”
“Oh, dude. That is so fast.”
“I know. It’s gonna be really weird without her around.”
“Are you staying in the house?”
“She says I can, but I don’t know. I don’t really want to live on my own.”
“You could get a roommate.”
“Yeah, but the only one I’d want to live with is you, and you’re stuck in Colorado for the next four years.”
I wince, remembering how horrible our goodbye was. It’s not like I can afford to fly back… unless my mother or Jarrod pays for it, and I’m already dependent enough on them.
“How’s your mom doing?” She asks it softly, knowing it’s a sensitive topic right now.
“Well, she’s loving Aspen. Living it up in her new mansion with her two little Pekingese and my perfect little sister.”
“I bet Megan’s adjusting well to the move.”
“Ugh.” I stick out my tongue. “Megan adjusts well to everything.”
“I’m just glad you guys didn’t move until the summer. I would have hated graduating without you.”
“I never would have let that happen.” My voice dies off, strangled by the thought that I did let moving miles away from my best friend happen.
I originally wanted to go to UCLA, which would have been about a ninety-minute drive from the place I grew up in. But then Nolan University popped onto my radar when Mom told us we were moving to Aspen. Well, it had always kind of been there, since it’s Mom’s alma mater and she’s often gone on about wishing I could go there but knowing she could never afford to send me. Until she met Jarrod. Turns out they bonded over their shared love of this college, regaling each other with stories of how they both went here.
After that, the inevitable was set in motion. They wouldn’t have given me a dime toward college tuition if I hadn’t agreed to come here. I mean, they never actually put it that bluntly, but I could read between the lines. The look on Mom’s face when she was basically pleading with me to accept Nolan U was too much. She has these lofty dreams for me that will never happen because I’m not her. Yet I still felt compelled to do as she wanted. To not let her down. I hate that I feel this way sometimes. She caught me in a moment of weakness where all I could think about was how badly my dad had let her down over the years and how I couldn’t be another person to do that to her.
So, I agreed and made her smile, and then… Jarrod asked me to sign a stupid contract, like paying for his future stepdaughter’s college tuition was a business transaction. Mom wasn’t bothered by it.
“I’ve signed a prenup. What’s the big deal? It’ll keep you accountable. Jarrod likes things on paper. He’s worked really hard for his money, and he deserves some guarantees. He’s investing in your education. You should be happy about this.”
“But look at these conditions.” I tapped the second page, pointing out the clause about maintaining a minimum 3.5 GPA.
“Oh, sweetie. That’s just a way to encourage you to keep your grades up and not slack off. I’m sure Aimee has the exact same contract.”
I scoffed. “Does hers stipulate that she had to become a Sig Be sister too?”
Mom giggled while passing me a pen. “That’s a privilege, Mikayla.”
