5.
“A full ride,” Jenny said, peering over the papers in her friend’s hands. “It’s more than I dreamed, especially after what happened this year. Mom’s been putting on a brave face, but she can’t hide it from me.”
Jenny’s father had lost his job six months ago. There was not much of a market for bound books anymore, which is why the chain bookstore had closed down several of its stores and fired thousands of employees, including regional managers. Mrs. Daniels had come back to her work from maternity leave and found a forty percent reduction in her paycheck. Around that time, Jenny’s grades at school plummeted, despite the hours she and Monica had been studying.
“That’s just…wow,” Monica said.
“I know, right?” Jenny beamed, her light blue eyes dancing as she looked at Monica.
“I was afraid they would think it was some sort of joke. They heard you were set on Belkin, and then they were guilty that they couldn’t afford my tuition, and so I went through their computers when I was watching the kids and deleted anything having to deal with schools.”
Monica straightened her back against the headboard. “I thought we were going to Belkin together. You would do your history, and I would go into journalism, and we would be together. My dad said he’d pay for both of us, for the entire thing.”
“You know how proud my dad is,” Jenny said, sighing. “He would never agree to it. He won’t even accept unemployment checks.” She thought briefly. Her hand seized Monica’s wrist. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
Jenny’s wide eyes opened even further. “Let’s go to Darrowwood together.”
“That’s crazy. I already said I was going to Belkin.”
“You mean you don’t want to go to school with me?”
“I do, Jenny, it’s just that Darrowwood isn’t good.” Monica had no idea what made her say that. Her pointer finger itched on the ink in the signature of Mr. Alendro Sinclair.
Jenny recovered the papers and stuffed them into their envelope. “You mean you hate it.”
“I didn’t say that.” Monica glimpsed the beautiful woods of the West Virginia through her friend’s fingers, their leaves pointing to the forlorn expression just above them. “To prove it to you, I’ll go with you for the preview week.”
“Really?” Jenny squeaked.
“Yeah, sure, let’s do it.”
“You’re awesome.” Jenny hugged her friend. She rushed off to the doorway, flapping around the envelope. “Mom, guess what?”
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