Heartstrings - Forbidden Hearts Series Prequel

7| Double Scoops, Double Nope

"How are you getting to the campus tomorrow?"

"I'm taking a cab."

"A cab? By yourself? I don't think that's such a—"

I cut my mom off and continued pacing back and forth in my room. "I'm eighteen now. An adult. I can take a cab by myself, mom."

There were a lot of things I could do by myself now that I was all grown up. Like pick what college I wanted to go to, for example. Or how I wanted to live my life.

No matter where I went to school, one thing was for certain—come graduation, I was moving out of my parents house. Yes, I loved them more than anything and we were close. Really close. And that fact was one of the reasons why I was so stressed out about this. I just hated fighting with my parents.

My mom's sigh was heavy with disapproval. I could only imagine what she wanted to say in regards to me taking a cab. Thankfully, she didn't. "What time are you getting picked up from the hotel? I don't want you to be late."

"I won't be late," I drawled. "My appointment is at two. I'm going to call a cab at twelve-thirty just to be safe. The campus is only thirty minutes from here."

There was a rustling sound on the other end of the line followed by running water. A mental picture of my mom standing at the sink getting ready to wash dishes, phone between her shoulder and her ear came to my mind.

"That's good, Karma. I'm proud of you for doing this. If you get this scholarship, you can go to USF and become a nurse. Just like you've always wanted."

The phone creaked in my hand when I gripped it tightly. My eyes slid shut and I sat on the edge of my bed. I did want to be a nurse. It's been my dream ever since I was four. I did want to be a nurse and help people. I just didn't want to do it in a strange state that was one-thousand miles away from my best friends and family.

I did not want that.

"I know, mom. I'll do the tour tomorrow and get all the info you asked me to get."

"You have the—"

"Yes, I have the notecards." I eyed the bottom drawer of the nightstand where I shoved them upon my arrival and haven't opened it since. "I have everything you gave me. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, honey. Your father and I just want—"

"What's best for me...I know, mom."

I wanted what was best for me, too. I wanted to spend my senior year applying to the same colleges as my friends. I wanted to spend our freshman year of college sharing a dorm room and arguing over who gets privacy on what day to hook up with whatever guy they were talking to.

Because those were the kinds of things you did in college. Besides the whole learning thing, of course. You dated, went to parties, ate boring campus food, and fell asleep in at least one lecture.

I know I could do those things at any college, but I wanted to do all of that with Harper and Lanie. New York was my home. Not Florida.

"Karma?"

Harper's voice had my eyes popping open to see her standing in the hall. "One sec, mom." I covered the receiver with my hand. "Hey, Harp. What's up?"

Wearing a pink and white sundress, she leaned against my door frame. "Mama Jenkins said dinner's almost ready. I wanted to give you the five minute warning."

That made me smile. Harper loved calling her Mama Jenkins. Mrs. Jenkins was a second mother to us all, and Harper made sure she knew it. Poor Harper. Her parents were good people and cared about her, but they just didn't seem to get her.