REALLY ✓

38: The Idle Town

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T W O   M O N T H S   L A T E R

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     TAYA's POV:

My footsteps echoed in the long hallway as I made my way through the familiar row of blue lockers. Weird, I know, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I would miss high school. From meeting my best friends on the first of day of freshman year in gym class, to stalking cute surfer guys and hot football players all throughout sophomore and junior year, joining the theater club in my senior year, and finally having the best boyfriend ever.

Funny how things just... fall into place.

And I was referring to that night when I just fell on top him. I couldn't help but smile as I remembered everything that had happened since then. Maybe it was just me having my period today, but I think the reason why I was feeling super sentimental this morning was this: it was college acceptance letters day.

"Guess who just got her letter of acceptance from NYU this morning!?" I heard a familiar squeal before I was grabbed into a tight hug from the side.

"Oh—Hallee!" I gaped as soon as I noticed the white piece of paper in her hand with the NYU logo on it.

"Tisch School of the Arts, theater directing program—Tay, I am freaking out! This is the best day of my life!"

"That is so amazing! All that hard work, the play, everything's all paid off," I was smiling from ear to ear as I hugged her tight. I couldn't be more proud of her. She truly deserved it.

We were jumping up and down in the middle of the hallway, causing a bit of a commotion.

"Move it, losers," the annoying bird-like voice chirped from behind us. It was no other than Viviane and her gang of minions. Plus Cameron?

Cameron had his hand on Viv's hips as they were walking side by side. Maddie and Peyton were behind them. Not waiting for Hallee and I to move over, Viv decided to just shove past us, followed by her entourage.

"I didn't know Viv and Cam started dating," I said to Hallee when they were all at a distance from us.

"Yeah, it's been going on for a week now. You'd notice if you're not so preoccupied with the bad-boy sex-god," she snickered nonchalantly as I gaped at her.

That's what I get for spilling the tea to Hallee.

Hallee was just teasing me, as per usual, and we ended up laughing about it. But as I turned my head back over towards Cameron and Viv, I noticed that a group of guys were greeting them. Blake was amongst them, and he was wearing a Yale sweatshirt.

I turned my head away immediately before Blake could see me. It felt so awkward every time we saw each other in the halls, so I would do all I could to avoid any eye contact with him. If things had ended better between us, I would go up to him and congratulate him for getting into Yale. Maybe I'd even ask him about Princeton. But we weren't on that level, and maybe it was all my fault.

"Finally, I'm gonna be where culture is. So long shirtless surfers and flip flops, you shall not be missed," Hallee said again, referring to the group that was Blake, Cameron, and their friends.

"Right," I agreed with her. One look at the group and the amount of ego in the room was just suffocating.

"But I will miss Jesse. That's for sure," Hallee pouted, referring to her longtime boyfriend, who was still attending college in Hawaii.

"You guys can do it. If any couple can pull off a long distance relationship, I know it's you two," I said reassuringly. "You're both mature and you two love each other,"