Chapter Twenty-Three
Eryn
I still couldn't believe it. It was going to take some time to sink in – but it was real. It was beyond a dream, yet it was happening to me. I couldn't believe how things had changed so radically in such a short space of time; just a few weeks ago, it looked like my volleyball scholarship from FSU was going to be revoked, which would mean I would have to drop out of college.
And now, I was on the verge of accepting a full scholarship from one of the most prestigious universities in the country, to play volleyball with some of the best players in the country.
But then, I'd have to move to the opposite side of the country and be thousands of miles away from my mom…and Wade.
I wasn’t sure I could say I loved him; we’d only been together for a short time, but I had never connected with a man on the level I had connected with him. We had grown close so quickly and effortlessly that it was like what I imagined a modern-day fairytale was like.
Of course, I wanted to have it all: Stanford and Wade.
As soon as he had told me the news of the offer, my mind had gone into overdrive, desperately scrambling for some way I could both accept the offer and continue to be with him. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it just wasn't a realistic possibility.
He sure as hell wasn’t about to give up the job he'd just taken at FSU to move all the way back to California. He hadn't told me all the details, but he had told me he'd wanted to get as far away from that place as possible. We didn’t have enough history to ask something like that of him.
I knew he'd suggest that we try to maintain a long-distance relationship. If he didn't suggest it, I would. But I thought that both of us knew it wasn't a viable possibility. I knew he could afford to travel easily enough, but I couldn't; I didn't think it was fair to ask him to do the majority of the flying, or ask him to buy me plane tickets to visit him.
No, the long-distance thing might sound like a possibility in theory, but in reality, it just wouldn’t work.
“Have you called the Stanford guy yet?” My sister's voice jolted me from my thoughts.
“Not yet,” I mumbled in reply.
“What? Come on, sis; what the heck are you doing? Pick up the phone and call the guy! Tell him you're gonna grab onto that damn scholarship with both hands!”
“All right, all right, I'll do it.”
She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “What's gotten into you anyway? You're acting real weird about this whole thing. This is your dream, Eryn! It's what you've wanted for so long! It's like winning the lottery, seriously! I can't understand why you're not bouncing off the walls and doing cartwheels and somersaults.”
“I'm just tired, that's all. The game earlier really took it out of me. I had to use every ounce of strength in my body. I just need some rest, okay?”
She didn't seem to believe me, but she gave me some space. “All right, all right, I don't mean to argue about it.”
“Thanks. I'm sorry I'm in a weird mood. Like I said, I'm real tired from the game earlier, and this, this is just some really crazy news to deal with. It's all a bit overwhelming.”
“I understand. So, I'm guessing you don't really want to come out with May, Sara, and I for drinks tonight?”
“They're your best friends, Anne, not mine. I mean, I like them, I don't mean to suggest otherwise – but like I said, they're your friends. I was never close to them. It's fine; you go out and have fun with them. I'm just gonna rest.”
“Okay, sis. I'm going in about half an hour. I'll probably be back late.”
“All right. I think I'm gonna have a bath now and then head back to my place, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Sure thing. Have a good restful evening, sis.”
“You, too, Anne. Love you!”
“Love you, too!” She gave me a warm, tight hug, and then went to the spare room to start putting on her makeup and getting ready.
I sat on the sofa, where Mom was dozing after we'd all watched a movie together. I was worried about her, as well. With both myself and my sister living across the country – and with my sister expecting yet another child, which would make finances for our family even tighter — what was gonna happen with Mom? She'd be by herself here, with nobody to come in an emergency. The thought of that almost made me sick.
Yes, she'd told me that she wanted me to take this opportunity. And, I knew how stubborn she could be. If I tried to refuse, and stay here with her, she'd get on my case and make me feel guilty about it, even though I was doing it for her.
That didn't stop me from worrying, though.
Just then, she started to stir and her eyes flickered open. “Ah, Eryn,” she murmured. “You're still here. I thought you'd be going out with Anne and her friends to have a drink to celebrate this wonderful news.”