boy of my dreams- JESS MARIANO

CHAPTER 13

The next day arrived, and I woke up feeling the heaviness of yesterday still lingering. My eyes were sore and red from crying myself to sleep. I reached over to grab my phone, hesitating for a moment before checking my emails. There, at the top of the inbox, was the one I had been anxiously waiting for: the email from Yale.

My heart pounded as I tapped to open it, my breath catching in my throat. I quickly scanned the words, my stomach sinking with every line. *Unfortunately, we regret to inform you...* The rest of the words blurred together as the meaning sunk in. I didn't get in. Yale had rejected me.

A surge of anger and frustration flared up inside me. I kicked the corner of my bed hard, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through my foot. "Are you kidding me?" I muttered under my breath, feeling the sting of disappointment. I slammed my laptop shut with more force than necessary, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet room. It was just another blow, another reminder of how out of control everything felt.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled myself off the bed and headed to the closet. I threw on a black zip hoodie, some black wide-leg jeans, and my Doc Martens, not bothering to put much thought into my outfit. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess, my eyes puffy and rimmed with red. I looked like I had just come out of a war zone. *Fitting,* I thought bitterly.

I didn't have the energy to care about fixing my appearance. With a sigh, I turned away from the mirror and headed downstairs. My movements were sluggish, my body weighed down by disappointment and exhaustion. I grabbed a box of cereal from the counter, eating it straight from the box as I leaned against the kitchen island.

After a few bites, I tossed the box back onto the counter, not really tasting anything. I just needed to get out of the house, to escape the walls closing in on me. Grabbing my keys, I slipped on my shoes and headed for the door. The cold air hit me as I stepped outside, and for a moment, I stood there, breathing it in, trying to clear my head.

Where do I even go? I thought to myself. I didn't have a plan, just a need to be anywhere but here.

As I stepped out into the cold, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, seeing Tristan's name flash on the screen. I sighed, pressing the phone to my ear. "Hey..." I mumbled, my voice heavy with exhaustion.

"Hey, you," he replied, his tone gentle, instantly picking up on my mood. "You sound... off. What's going on?"

I pushed open the door to the bakery, the warmth and scent of freshly baked goods wrapping around me like a hug. "It's just... everything," I muttered as I walked up to the counter. "I didn't get into Yale, and it's just... I don't know, it's one of those days." I rubbed my temple with my free hand, the weight of everything crashing down again. "I'm at the bakery. I just needed something to take my mind off things."

Tristan paused for a moment, letting my words sink in. "I'm so sorry, Avery," he said quietly, genuine concern in his voice. "I know how much that meant to you. Look, why don't you come over to my place for a bit? We can just hang out, take your mind off all this crap for a while."

I bit my lip, feeling a lump form in my throat. Part of me wanted to just disappear for the day, to wallow in this disappointment alone. But another part—the part that didn't want to fall apart completely—found comfort in his offer. Maybe I needed the distraction, a reminder that not everything was falling apart.

"Yeah," I replied softly, nodding even though he couldn't see me. "Okay. I'll finish up here and head over."

"Perfect," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I'll be here. And don't worry, we'll do whatever you need. Movies, food, just talking... whatever helps."