Fly With Me | ✓

38

"Oh my God, you're in love with Maverick," Juno said, eyes shining. Not even a hello before that sentence rolled out of her mouth like smoke out a chimney on a chilly winter's day.

Everleigh looked around the restaurant. "I've been here twenty seconds."

"And you're smiling," Juno said. "Last time I saw a smile that wide from you, you were accepted into grad school."

"I... I might have two reasons to smile."

"Is it the dog?" Juno asked. "Because, Christ almighty, you're domesticated in this relationship. It's amazing. I better get to meet him."

Everleigh opened her phone and slid it across the table and toward Juno. As Juno leaned forward, Everleigh slid her coat off. September had come a little too quick and nothing nipped like autumn. As she draped the coat over the back of her chair, Juno squealed.

"Leigh, this is amazing, I'm so proud of you."

Maverick had still been sleeping when Everleigh got the email. He'd been doing that a lot; sleeping until noon or one. She supressed her excitement and used it to practically fly to lunch with Juno. Unfortunately, that gave her a little too much time to think about things. All he'd managed to wake up for was her leaving, and he hadn't even changed out of his pyjamas to drive her to the restaurant; it was only down the street.

Everleigh Meadowlark,

We are pleased to inform you that pending completion of the Autumn 2022 semester with passing grades, you are approved for graduation come January 2023.

"What if I want a PhD?"

Juno looked up at her. "Do you?"

"I don't know." Everleigh sat down. "Is it really that exciting if I do?"

"Leigh, it's a master's degree. And you've worked really hard for it. Give yourself a break. This is exciting."

"But what if it's not the end?" Everleigh asked. "What if it's just another step—"

"That's okay," Juno said. "You've been to a uni grad before, wasn't it still exciting?"

"I guess so," Everleigh said. "Until I realized I didn't want to be a fuckin' flight attendant my whole life. What if I wasted my time all over again?"

Everleigh spent so long wrestling with the idea of ever going back to school in the first place that the idea of it being the wrong thing made her want to vomit. Maybe that's why she hadn't told Maverick she'd gotten her graduation approval. The last thing she ever wanted was to see him disappointed. Her family was one thing. Her Maverick? Whole other football stadium.

"It's okay to change your mind."

"Not again."

"As many times as you need."

"June."

"Leigh."

"I don't want to feel like I failed. Again. It's expensive to do everything all over again."

"Good thing you've got a boyfriend who makes—"

"I wouldn't ask him to pay for school, don't even say it."

"Consider it a student loan," Juno said. "From someone who you sleep with."

"That's called prostitution—"