Taming the Street Racer ✔️

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I return home the next evening after spending the night at Gray's. My talk with Sadie weighs heavily on my mind, but I feel my college decision become more obvious. As Sadie said, I know, deep down, where I want to go, and I'd be breaking my own heart if I don't follow it.

Spending another night with Gray--dreaming about our futures together and just laying wrapped up in each other--reminded me how much I would lose if I left for Florida. Being with Gray also reminded me how much I'd gain if I stay.

By the time I walk through my front door, tired but happy, the decision seems clear as day. My life is here--my happiness is here--and I can't let fear or doubt keep me from taking hold of the future I deserve. I got into my dream college, and I'll do what I have to do to keep that dream running.

My heart is here. Regardless of how I manage to do it, I'm going to UNC-Chapel Hill. I'm staying with Gray.

After I quickly shower and change my clothes, I go downstairs for food and find my parents sitting together in the formal dining room. Their frantic typing on their laptops halts as they acknowledge my presence. Their awareness of my presence has increased over these past few months, and it's weird to have them pay attention to me.

I guess all it took was them gambling away my college fund for them to finally feel any emotion toward me, even if those emotions are mostly just pity.

My mom's lips curl into a wide smile. "Honey, you're home! Your father and I were starting to think we wouldn't see you before you left for UNC." She smooths out her pencil skirt and straightens her back, staring at me.

I press my lips into a thin line before realizing that my mom does that all the time. I relax my face, putting on an air of indifference. "Since when do you guys care about seeing me at all?" I ask coldly. "And how did you know that I decided to go to UNC?"

The shrill laugh that comes out of her mouth startles me, and I start to walk toward the staircase. "You can't keep things from us, River. We're not stupid, remember?" She chides. "And we're boosters for UNC. We donate money to them regularly, so we have access to this kind of information. We also get first dibs on tickets to football games."

My feet slow to a halt as I process this new information. I turn my head back toward my mother, who has gone back to typing away on her computer. "What? You never told me that you guys were boosters."

So they can donate money to UNC, but they can't give me money to attend UNC. Wow, I think to myself, trying to calm myself down.

She waves me off with a flick of her boney hand. "Of course we are, sweetie. Everyone at the country club donates. Hell, our status as boosters was probably the only thing that got you admitted."

My blood freezes. I take a few tentative steps toward where they're sitting, and my mother turns back toward me. "What did you just say?" I grit out, clutching my overnight bag with white knuckles. Noticing the fury in my voice, my dad finally turns back toward me, lowering his reading glasses from his eyes.

"River, don't do this," my dad says, leaning back in his chair. "You always complain about how we only care about building our reputation, and never care for you. And now you're getting angry over the fact that our hard-earned reputation has gotten you into the school of your dreams? River, you're being irrational here."

The condescension note in his voice, as well as his use of the word 'irrational', tightens the growing tension in my chest. "No, I got into UNC on my own. I was in multiple clubs, president of the National Honor Society, the founder of a community service initiative, and the co-captain of the Varsity Soccer team for two years. We won States twice. I did all of that, not you two. You two did nothing for me," I spit.