Resisting Temptation

Chapter 36

~.~  D  A  N  I    L  A  V  E  K  ~.~

I woke up the next morning early, I didn't know what time. I felt...different, a bit sore but...I felt wonderful. There was this feeling of pure bliss, overwhelming joy. It was like this sinful pleasure, knowing you did something completely wrong, but at the same time there's a rush. I felt Zac's fingers lazily twirling around in my hair, he lay next to me, only wearing his hoodie with the zipper down and open, eyes half-closed.

"Morning." he murmered, noticing I had awoken.

"Morning." I said.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Actually...very satisfied." I replied. It couldn't have been that early; the sun was pouring through the translucent curtains, making the room shine and illuminate the purple walls. There was no hurry for us to get up, it was only Sunday; and assuming that our parents wouldn't be awake for a couple hours, we had the time.

"I'm glad I didn't disappoint." he said.

"How was I?" I asked, I started feeling nervous about his response. Zac took a minute before shrugging.

"That was your first time?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"You were perfect." that made me smile. Just knowing the he thought that, it was special to me.

Zac picked up his phone, and he started texting somebody. This was only my first time, but I knew enough to know it wasn't right to be on your phone after an encounter like this.

"Excuse me, that's incredibly rude after what we just did." I told him, a joking grin on my face. He nodded, putting down his phone, then my own phone started to buzz. I eyed him carefully, before grabbing my phone off the side table and checking my alerts. I had one incoming text.

From: Zac

When should we do this again?

"You couldn't ask me that to my face?" I asked him.

"I was trying to do all those cute boyfriend things you see in movies. Did I achieve?" he asked.

"Well...I'm not so sure." I replied.

"You know I did." he said with a satsified look.

"God, the ego." I giggled. Zac laughed, then sitting up and starting pulling on his sweatpants. He then rounded the bed, bent down and leaned over me, supporting himself on his elbows.

"I have to go at ten, I'll be back at one though." he said.

"Where're you going?" I asked him.

"Track practice, then university council at Hudson. Orientation and stuff." he replied.

"You got five hours 'til then." I wasn't even bothered by the fact that we had applied to different universities. "We got time." Zac smiled, then pulling off his shirt and crawling back into bed.

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"Uh huh...uh huh...wow. Dani this looks fantastic." Howard said, putting down the paper. I decided to visit him at work, as I wanted him to read my university application for approval. He had attended Yale, with straight top marks and got his degree in less than five years. All I needed now was a letter of recommendation, and who better to write it than an A-List Lawyer in the Big Apple?

"Thanks, I debated whether or not to mention my first place medal at the Regional Science Fair." I replied.

"Well I think Oxford is gonna love this. This is very well written too." he said.

"Thanks, I just need a letter of recommendation now." I said, hoping he would get the hint.

"I understand." he said, standing up from his desk and taking a little stretch. "This is a wonderful application, but as much as I would love to write a recommendation letter, I'm not qualified to. You need either a teacher or a counsellor or-or even your principal to write it. A teacher that you know and who knows you."

"Alright, that's easier said than done." I replied.

"You know what? Why don't I contact Murriel Winston? She works alongside chairman of the School Board, and she has ties with Oxford. Maybe meet with her and she'll write your letter." he suggested.

"Really?"

"Oh yes. She's very well aqquainted with the UK, she'll get you a recommendation letter for sure." he replied.

"That sounds great. Thank you." I told him.

"Anytime, we're gonna be family anyway. I gotta say though, I wish Zac was more motivated like you." he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I graduated from Yale at the top of my classes, your mother is a graduate from Princeton. You're sending in an application to Oxford, one of the top universities in the world! And Zac just wants to stay at home and apply to Hudson." he scoffed.

"It's his choice where what he wants to do, I don't see why he should be penalized for that." I said.

"I'm not penalizing him. I'm just saying I'm sending him to a fantastic school with both the Ivy League and IB program, I just wish he would try a little harder." he replied.

"He does try, I've seen him work. Zac may like to cause trouble, but tries very hard. And if he wants to go to Hudson, then that's his choice. Hudson is a great university anyway, he could become a great engineer with a Hudson degree. You should give him more credit than you think he deserves." I said. Howard looked down at his desk, sighing in thought.

"Okay, I'll email Murriel and see what she can do." he said.

"Great, thanks Howard." I said.

"Sure, close the door on the way out?"

"Yeah." I stood up from my chair and made my way into the hallway of the large law firm. I shut the door behind me, just like he requested, and stepped into the elevator. What bothered me most from that conversation was how Howard talked about his son; he didn't work hard, he didn't want to try, he only wants to go to Hudson. Is that so bad? Hudson is a great unviversity, it's gotten many great reviews, and there are many successful doctors, lawyers, and scientists who've graduated from Hudson.

What was so bad about Zac's decisions?