❝ I genuinely thought the worst of this nightmare was over ❞
Halle Brewster told a lie, and the secrets kept growing. After slaying one stalker, another reared its nasty head, and Halle was starting to wonder if she'd ever be free from the friendshi...
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College was on the lips on nearly every single person Halle came across. From her own, to her best friends and her parents, to every teacher in the Rosewood High vicinity. It seemed everybody now wanted to know what college she was going to — which college Rosewood's Senior Class President was attending. But Halle hadn't a clue. UPenn wasn't a rejection — it was a wait-list, which in Halle's mind was a rejection. She hadn't known any prior student to have turned an Ivy school wait-list unto an acceptance. Halle doubted she'd be the first.
Their applications had to be in by the end of next week. That was what all these campus trips were about, nosing around the colleges to see if it was the right fit. Also, it gave Halle the opportunity to build connections at UPenn — to bring her higher up the list towards being accepted. All she wanted was that acceptance. She didn't even want to go, but seeing those printed words of, 'congratulations, you're in,' translated firmly to 'you're enough.'
Soon enough, college interviews would rapidly approach, then exams, with graduation just around the corner. It was all happening so fast, but no way near fast enough. A part of Halle wanted to hang on — cherish as much time she could being in high school, spending every day with her best friends, being eighteen for as long as possibly. But the other half screamed at her to get out. Rosewood was a cosmic void — a black hole sucking her in. Halle knew she wanted out; she had done for years.
"So—" Luisa set down a thick, compact black binder down onto the table next to Halle's breakfast of a steaming cup of coffee and Special-K cereal. "I've scheduled out all the weekend college visits for you to take, starting with UPenn this Saturday," she informed. She smiled and said, "These are potential colleges and information on courses there — you know, opportunities and cheer."
Halle swallowed the mouthful of soggy cereal and milk in her mouth. "Oh, right," she said, clearing her throat. Her mouth was coated still and she felt ill suddenly. "Okay, well, thanks."
"And I thought we could stop by the admissions office tomorrow, when we tour the campus, to talk about getting off that wait-list." Luisa's eyes drifted and met her husband's pointed stare. "That's if you want to see if you could turn it around."
Nick added in reassuringly, "You don't have to do anything if you don't want."
"Actually," Halle piped up, "I've made plans to go with Noel tomorrow, since he's going to UPenn fall. I figured we'd go together," she explained. "And I made an appointment at the admissions office already."
"The appointment's made?" Luisa asked, blinking back her shock.
"Hmm," Halle hummed while nodding.
"And you made the appointment?" Nick wanted to clarify.
