Buzzed Hearts

53: voice of reason

THE NEXT WEEK WAS considerably uneventful. Roma and Elle had a romantic getaway after prom—getting a hotel room near the beach. Jeremy and Laurent ditched school on Monday, nursing two-day afterparty hangovers, spending the day in a dimly lit bowling alley.

    And Camila did go home with Andrew. It wasn't done out of spite, or pettiness, like Elle had theorized the following Tuesday. Andrew's parents had their own dinner and a movie, leaving the two to their own devices.

    "So, Juilliard?" he asked.

    They were lying on his bed, Camila in an old sweater of his.

    "Juilliard. And you, Harvard?"

    "For swimming."

    "Oh, yeah. How did that happen?" Camila asked. She heard of envious students complaining about the sheer luck a certain Andrew West had—one they didn't posses.

    "Scouted me. My SAT wasn't high enough at the time but I retook it."

    "So, not-so-long distance?"

    "That's the plan," Andrew grinned.

    Camila hasn't told her friends about any of this just because it would seem entirely hypocritical of her. The only reason none of any of her relationships have worked out is because she denies the possibility of long distance. It's soul sucking, romance lacking, and physically void. But Camila wouldn't know—she's never tried it out.

    The exam proctor clears her throat and Camila starts bubbling her answers into the booklet. It's the AP European History Exam and Laurent sits in the next row over, diagonally in front of her. His head is covered by his hood and he's slumped against his table.

    Typical.

    Unable to concentrate, Camila taps her pencil against the leg of her chair and looks around. Elle's sitting three rows away, looking utterly bored. She's patiently waiting for the allotted time to run out, having already finished the multiple choice minutes after starting.

    Elle has always been a master at standardized exams and any test for that matter. Camila, not so much. But it doesn't matter, Juilliard doesn't require exam scores for this course, and Camila doesn't plan on sending it in.

    After they've exited the gym, Camila gives a twirl of joy. "Last exam ever!"

    "Don't gloat," Elle says. "I've got AP Latin soon."

    "Good luck, good luck." Camila kisses her on the cheek.

    "Why were you sleeping, King? Do you not care about your future?"

    "Why were you paying attention to me instead of the exam? That's a nasty little habit of peeping you got there." The small signs of sleep are still showing on his face as he stretches his arms. His eyes are clearest after waking up, summer sun upon rippling ocean waves.

    "Don't ignore the question."

    "You know, I wouldn't even be taking the exam if the school doesn't require it. Besides, I'm taking a gap year."

    "Gap year?" Elle puts an elbow on his shoulder. "Where you going?"

    "Just going to chill out."

    "I thought you had some soccer gig," Camila says.

    "Eh."

    "You are seriously apathetic about your future," Elle says.

    "Just because I'm not going straight into college doesn't mean I don't care. There's nothing wrong with a gap year or taking some time to myself. Besides, I'd probably finish school before you do, since you're going into medical."

    "But guess who's going to make bank? Elle Arora."

    "Is that really what you want in life? Money? That is so sad, Elle," Laurent says.

    "Shutup. Your voice makes me sick."

    "It's just the voice of reason."