Just Good Friends

Chapter 59

"Oh, the mail's here..."

I peer into the small black mailbox mounted to the front of our house and grab the handful of mail as the mail truck drives to the next house on our block. After closing and locking the door, I walk inside and toss the mail on the kitchen table before grabbing a chocolate frosted donut.

"They're early today..." Mama notes while grabbing the pile of mail and filing through it in her hands.

"That reminds me, I gotta request my mail to get sent here now..." Antonio comments. "Pretty soon, both of our names will be on the mail at our new house... Mr. and Mrs. Martinez. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" He asks with a grin, peering down at my mama who has an excited expression frozen on her face. Her jaw was practically on the floor.

"Samantha... you got a letter from UCLA Admissions..." she says with excitement in her voice. She hands the letter to me. "Open it."

My body tenses as I glance at the letter in her hand, and I slowly grab it from her. UCLA... I applied to them last year. They were the only school I was interested in and the only school I've always dreamed playing ball at. This letter would decide my future. I slip my finger underneath the envelope flap and tear across the top, quickly taking out the letter and opening it to read.

"'Dear Samantha: We are pleased to offer you admission to UCLA for the Fall term...' -- I GOT IN!! I'M GOING TO UCLA!" I announce with an excited expression on my face.

"What?! Baby, you got in?!" Mama tap dances with joy and runs around the kitchen counter to give me a huge hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

"And they're offering me an athletic scholarship, too!" I announced with joy. This is the happiest I've felt in a while.

We were smiling really big as Antonio also came over and gently wrapped his arms around us. "Congratulations, Sam. That's amazing," he says.

"That's so amazing... thank you, God. God is good!" Mama rejoices while wrapping me in her arms even tighter than before and shaking me left and right. "This is going to be an amazing month... I can feel it! Ah! My baby's going to college!"

She practically screams in my ear, causing me to squirm in her very tight embrace.

"Agh, my ear..."

"This calls for a celebration, oh my goodness," she says before finally letting me go. "Let's go out to eat to celebrate your college acceptance. You can have whatever meal you want."

As tempting as that sounded... "Eh... I don't really feel like leaving the house today. I already had to wake up early - no offense, Antonio..." I groan.

Antonio shakes his head. "No worries. I understand. I'm not a morning person either unless I have to be."

"Ugh. But we have to do something~" This time my mom was the one whining.

"How about we order out?" Antonio suggests. "We can get some food delivered from your favorite place and eat in? No one has to leave the house. I'll pay for it!"

"Ooh, let's get some pizza and some wings!" I say with a smile.

Antonio checks his watch. "It might be a little early for that, but we can make it work. I know some people that can move some things around..." He grins while mama sizes him up.