Page 81 of Made Better Together

“Yeah, I think I’m done.” Mo seems like she’s already emotionally over him; she just needs the confirmation.

“Better to be free and independent than deal with that BS,” Bree adds.

Observing Bree in this moment, I realize if I need advice from my best friend about my situation with Connor, I can’t ask her, because I promised him we’d keep things secret.

Yeah, that won’t work for long. We talk about everything, and she’s my roommate…what if he comes over?

The thought sticks with me enough to be on my mind the next morning. So much so that when Connor texts me, I decide I want to bring it up.

CONNOR: Morning. How was the party?

EDEN: Fun, but I was home by 1.

EDEN: We were good girls. I was anyway

CONNOR: Glad to hear it

EDEN: I have a request. Can I tell Bree about our date? We don’t keep secrets, and it’s going to get weird since we live together. She already knows some of our history too.

It takes him a few seconds to reply.

CONNOR: Yeah, okay. If she doesn’t mind keeping a secret herself.

EDEN: I’m sure she won’t. Plus, then you can come over here…

CONNOR: Good point. Sold.

CONNOR: I thought we could go to downtown Orlando on Saturday? It’s so busy, no one will pay attention to us.

EDEN: Yeah, plus it’s such a hike from Tolliver, none of my classmates will be there to recognize us.

EDEN: We could do a pub crawl or something like that? When Bree and I went to Eclypse to dance, there were so many cute places around.

CONNOR: That could be arranged.

EDEN: I need to stick to tasting sizes though, being in season.

CONNOR: I’m not a big drinker myself. Sounds good.

CONNOR: I’m just glad this is finally happening

EDEN: NO JINXING

CONNOR: Let me push my luck—pick you up at seven?

As soon as I agree and he wishes me a good day, I’m across the common room knocking.

“BREEEEEE, I have some news…”

It turns out the news would keep rolling in. Friday morning, I get emails from the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Pennsylvania medical schools requesting interviews. Two elite schools—advancing the process for my admission.

Of course, all the prospective times that UCSF has as options involve conflicts: a class, practice, or a game.

I grind my teeth. This is it, the last step of the application process. But, honestly, it feels like I’m spinning my wheels, given where my head’s at about going pro after graduation.

I stare at my email inbox for a minute. Setting up a time for the interviews, going through with them…it doesn’t seem right.

Instead, it feels like it’s time to speak with my mom about what I really want.