Many Mistakes, No Regrets

Chapter 28: Adults Ruin Everything

Chapter 28: Adults Ruin Everything

-Months later-

            “Jake! Jake! Jake! Come here!” The door didn’t stop moving after I let go. Oops. It hits the wall with a loud bang. The band stops playing to stare at me. “Hi, guys!”

            “Hi, Rikki. Why are you so excited?”

            “Well, you know how I’m graduating in a month?”

            “Yeah?”

            “Well, I’ve been getting letters from most of the school I applied to but there was one I hadn’t heard from and I got the letter from them.”

            “Where?” from Amber.

            “Did you get in?” from Liz.

            “UMass Amherst and I haven’t opened it yet.”

            I flip it over and run my finger over the return address. What if I got turned away? Arms snake around my waist. His voice whispering into my ear says, “Don’t worry. You got in for sure.” How does he know what I’m thinking?

            “’Cause I’m that special.” He did it again.

            “How do you do that?” I turn and face him while still in his arms.

            “Your easy to read.” I look over my shoulder at Matt. “Well, she is.”

            Jake releases me and I sit down next to Liz on the same couch as the past three years. I turn the envelope over and run my fingers over the seam.

            “Open it!” looking up, I find five set of eyes looking straight at me. Slowly, I begin tearing it open but chicken out and hand the papers to Jake.

            “Ms. Rikki Bushman, we are pleased to inform you…” His voice was growing louder and louder as he read. But he only read that little bit. I let out a breath I wasn’t aware I was holding and jump off the couch. Jake dropped the papers and pick me up into hug and starts swinging me around. Before I go around once, the others have attached themselves to us.

            “Guys, having some trouble… breathing.” Within seconds I’m standing alone, but not for long. Jake is in front of me in no time. His hand reaches up to my face and he wipes away tears. Why the hell am I crying? I let out a laugh.

            He pulls me into another hug and whispers in my ear. I really love it when he does that. “Happy tears?” I don’t say anything. I simply nod.

            He turns the rest of the band. “Do you guys mind if we call it a night?”

            “Go celebrate.” I love my friends and my boyfriend.

            Seconds after walking out the door, Liz yells out to us. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!”

            I yell over my shoulder in response. “That’s a pretty short list!”

            “Ouch! Hurtful!” Laughing we run away from her. We stop outside Jake’s dorm.

            “I’ll be right back. I just have to sign out and get my keys.” He says into my forehead as he kisses it. Once he’s inside, I run back to my house and up to my room.

            I throw the papers on my bed and turn to leave. “Where are you off to?”

            “Out, okay?” That came out ruder than I had intended.