Mia drops onto the bed next to her bag before pulling out her phone. “I’m glad your here. I found a few more apartments for us to check out. I know it’s early, but we should try to find something before all the good ones get snatched up.”
Shit.
Mia and I have discussed living off-campus since we were freshmen. We’ve already looked into a few places, but they were located further away from the university than convenient. It has to be within walking distance since parking on campus is a nightmare.
My gaze darts to the laptop screen. Only now do I realize that I haven’t mentioned the LCDS exchange program to her.
I mean, why would I?
I’d assumed nothing would come of it. Except...now I’ve been accepted. And I’m supposed to leave in July. That’s less than four months away. My belly drops to the bottom of my toes. It’s like I’m sitting at the tippy top of a roller coaster, waiting to take that first plunge. Unconsciously, my hand settles over my lower abdomen.
There’s no way I can turn down such an amazing opportunity to dance. Honestly, this couldn’t have happened at a better time. Escaping from Wesley for the year is exactly what I need to get my head on straight and stop thinking about Colton. I can finally purge him from my system once and for all. There’s got to be a few hot guys in London who can help with that, right?
Excitement bursts inside me like a bubble.
My gaze settles on Mia again, and some of my enthusiasm recedes.
How am I going to break the news to her? I feel like a real jerk for baling. We’ve had these plans for years. But...I can’t stay here. For my own mental health, I need to get away from Colton.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” I blurt, unable to hold the news in any longer.
“You still want to look for something off-campus, right?” With a frown, she glances around the confined space. “Because I seriously don’t think I can live in the dorms for another year. I need out.”
“Yeah.” I fall silent, unsure how to bring up the exchange program. “I mean, no.”
Her brows snap together as she straightens on the bed. It’s obvious from her expression that she has no clue where I’m going with this. “Oh my God, you want to live in the dorms again? Aren’t you tired of such cramped quarters? It’s like we’re on top of each other all the time.” Mia stares at me like I’ve grown a horn on my head. And why wouldn’t she? I’ve been bitching about this place since day one. If we could have moved off campus immediately, I would have done it in a heartbeat, but it’s university policy that freshmen and sophomores live in the residence halls.
Ugh. I’m making a complete mess of this.
I draw in a deep breath and hold it in my lungs for a moment before slowly releasing it back into the atmosphere. Maybe it would be easier if Mia reads the email for herself. Before I can rethink the decision, I grab my laptop from the desk and plop down next to her. “I received this today.”
She shoots me a quizzical look before her gaze settles on the computer screen. A few beats of silence pass as her eyes widen, and she glances at me. I can almost see the wheels in her head spinning. “Wait a minute,” her voice rises with each syllable that flies out of her mouth, “you’re doing a study abroad program next year?”
My shoulders collapse under the heavy weight of her words. “I only applied because Monsieur Dupre insisted. I didn’t actually think I’d make it.” Steeling myself for her response, I force out the question, “Are you angry?” This month has been difficult enough. I don’t think I can bear adding Mia’s ire to the list.
“Angry?” As she shakes her head, some of the surprise falls away. “Of course, I’m not mad. Although, I wish you would have given me the heads up when you applied.”
“Honestly, I didn’t think I had a shot.”
She frowns, annoyance sparking to life in her eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said. Why wouldn’t you get accepted?” Barely does she give me a chance to open my mouth before continuing, “You’re an amazing dancer. They’re lucky to have you.”
Thick emotion wells in my throat as I set the computer aside and pull Mia into my arms. This right here is exactly why this girl is my bestie. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive friend.
“As much as I’m going to miss you, I think it’s an incredible opportunity.”
“Really?” Hope rises inside me like a phoenix from ashes.
“Hell, yeah! I wish I could come with you. I’m so jealous!”
“You can visit!”
“Damn right I will,” she says with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll squat in your apartment. Or dorm. Or flat. Or whatever the heck they call it over there.”
That would be so much fun. I wish it were a possibility. A pang of sadness fills me when I think about not seeing Mia’s smiling face everyday. It’s funny, my mother tried to dissuade me from living with my bestie when I announced during our senior year of high school that we were going to room together at college. She said that it was a good way to lose a friend. But that never happened. Instead, we’re closer than ever.
And a year of separation won’t change that.
As much as I’ve insisted that I’m over Colton, it’s more wishful thinking on my part than anything else. It’s been five weeks since the blond football player dumped my ass, and he’s been spotted at several parties with his harem. Every time one of my so-called friends catches sight of him, I’m sent a barrage of photo evidence regarding how easily he was able to move on from our relationship. I finally told them to knock it off. Every damn picture was like a paper cut. Painful, yet not nearly enough to kill me.
Mia reaches over and lays a hand across mine before giving it a gentle squeeze. “Even though I’ll miss the hell out of you, it’s too amazing of an opportunity to pass up.”
She’s right. It is.
Now that all of this is out in the open, a fresh wave of excitement crashes over me.
I can’t believe that I get to dance in London for an entire year!
With any luck, when I return, the blond football player will be nothing more than a distant memory.
Chapter Eleven
Colton
Summer before junior year of college...
I pull my metallic gray 840i convertible BMW into Beck’s circular driveway before shifting into park and leaving the car to idle. I shoot him a text to let him know that I’m outside waiting before drumming my fingers impatiently on the sleek leather steering wheel.
A couple of minutes tick by, and there’s no sign of Beck. His truck is parked in the drive, and there are lights on inside the house, so I know damn well he’s here. We’ve got plans tonight, and I’m impatient to get to them. We’re supposed to meet up with a couple of chicks from high school. I fire off another text.
Let’s move!
When there’s nothing but stereo silence from his end, I slam out of the vehicle and stalk up the wide stairs to the massive front door before rapping my knuckles against the mahogany.
No answer.
I ring the bell and listen as it echoes throughout the house.