The door of the classroom is closed behind the last student, shutting out all the noise with it, leaving me and Carver in awkward silence.
He steps up before me and wordlessly places my paper down on my desk. My eyes instantly drop and rake over the paper. The first thing I notice is the bright red marker at the top reading ‘A+.’
Holy shit. This is my test from the other day. I completely nailed it, but then, I shouldn’t be surprised. I always nail my science tests. It’s everything else that seems to go a little differently. But…why does he need to keep me after class to show me this? Normally, he just hands our tests back to us during class before going over it and explaining where we all went wrong. As usually, the rest of the class seem to fail pretty badly.
“What are your plans for the future, Henley?” Mr. Carver asks, sitting down on the desk in front of me.
I look up at him as confusion clouds my mind. “Ummm, what do you mean?” I question, wondering where the hell he could be going with this.
“What do you want to do after you graduate?” he clarifies. “Do you plan on attending college?”
I outright laugh at the poor guy. “I’m sorry,” I say, trying to reign it in and focusing a little too hard on smothering my grin. I mean, is he for real right now? Surely, he understands what school he’s been teaching in the past few years. “College? No one from Haven Falls goes to college.”
“And why’s that?” he questions, giving me a strange, challenging look.
I thought the whole no college for Haven Falls was a well-known thing, especially by the teachers or maybe he’s actually asking my opinion. But then, maybe he’s trying to have one of those ‘serious’ talks that teachers often like to give out to sound important and inspiring. “Because, it just doesn’t happen,” I tell him, not really having a proper answer for his question. “Haven Falls’ kids don’t belong in college. We can’t afford it and we sure as hell don’t get the grades to make it happen.”
Mr. Carver nudges my test in front of me. “Really?” he questions. “Because that exam sitting in front of you says differently.”
I glance down at the test, my eyes raking over the A+. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying that you’re selling yourself short,” he tells me before waiting a short moment, watching me curiously. “What is it that you want to do with your life, Henley? And don’t give me the bullshit answer that you most likely gave the guidance counselor.”
“I…,” I glance away.
“You want to study science in a professional capacity, don’t you?”
I bite the inside of my cheek, terrified that he’s trying to fill me with false hope. “What makes you say that?”
“Apart from the fact that I see what you’re like in my class, I looked up your grades,” he admits. “And you know what I found? They absolutely suck.” My eyes shoot up at him, ready to jump on the defense. “Yet, here you are getting A’s or A pluses on every one of my exams. Science intrigues you. I see the way you focus in class. I see your eyes light up each time we discuss an experiment. This is something you want, you just don’t know how to get it.”
I can hardly focus on what he’s saying. I don’t like where he’s going with this. This is a setup, one that could only cause me to fail and feel like shit about myself.
“You have the potential to make something of yourself, Henley,” he continues, “You’re throwing it away because of some ridiculous stereotypical bullshit that kids from Haven Falls preach to make failing acceptable.” He scoffs as though the very thought offends him. “Well, guess what?” he adds. “If you want it and you actually put a little effort into your classes, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to get into a good college. Broken Hill University to be exact. They have a great science program.”
I shake my head. This is too much. “Thanks for the thought, but you’re forgetting one little, very important thing.”
He waves his hand in front of himself, indicating for me to go on. “Please, do share.”
“College is expensive, and I don’t know about you, but in my household, a bit of spare cash means the bills get paid on time and I don’t have to shower in cold water. I know you haven’t been teaching here that long, but to the kids of Haven Falls, having a college fund is as rare as winning the freaking jackpot.”
Carver slides another piece of paper in front of me with a knowing glint in his eye. “What if I told you there was a way?”
He’s got to be nuts, right?
I look down at the paper and read over it. Surely, I’m not seeing this right. A scholarship? What the hell? I suck in a breath. “What is this?”
“It’s exactly what you think it is. You have the potential to be better than Haven Falls. Right now, you’re letting your town dictate who you can be and how far in life you can go. Step outside of the box, Henley. I see so much more in you than waiting tables at Whataburger.”
I look down again. Hardly able to believe what I’m seeing. A freaking scholarship. Am I even eligible for this? No, it’s not possible. Not with my grades. I mean, my science grades are outstanding, but everything else? No, there’s just no way.
“What do you want to study, Henley?” Carver asks me softly. “And don’t even think about lying. I’m the one who grades all of your exams, I know when a topic interest you.
I bite down on my bottom lip before looking up at him and letting out a breath. What’s the harm in sharing? If anything, he could maybe add in a few more lessons on the topic. “Genetic Genealogy,” I tell him. “I don’t know, something about human DNA intrigues me. It’s fascinating and complex while so freaking straight forward at the same time.”
“It sure is,” he agrees with a proud smile before getting up from the desk, though I don’t know what he’s proud about, all I did was tell him something about myself. It’s not as though I just received an acceptance letter.
“Look,” Carver says, glancing down at the application form under my fingers. “Think it over and if it’s something you really want; I will help you apply and speak with your teachers about putting together a plan to help raise your grades. There’s a future for you here, I promise you that,” he adds. “You just have to see it and want it bad enough to make it happen.”
Well, shit. That’s not how I expected my afternoon to go.
I nod my head, unable to form any words as I continue staring at the paper before me that could promise a whole different life, one I never expected could have even been a possibility. “Get out of here, Henley,” Carver says, probably not even realizing the weight he’s just dropped on my shoulders. “Go get yourself some lunch and think over your options.”
“Ok,” I say, pushing up from my desk and grabbing my things before taking the scholarship application between my fingers. “Thanks for this. I, uhh…I’ll let you know.”
Mr. Carver nods his head before stepping back and excusing me.
I walk out of his classroom, hardly able to make sense of the thoughts running through my mind. I’ve never even bothered to consider college because it’s simply a luxury we can’t afford, but a scholarship…that would change everything. My only issue is making myself want it and working towards it, only to not receive it. That would be devastating and all the hard work I’ll have to do until graduation would all be for nothing.
I mean, not completely for nothing. There’s always room for a better education and receiving knowledge but to not get that scholarship; that would kill me.
I make my way down to the cafeteria on autopilot, not really seeing a damn thing around me. Pushing through the door, I spot Noah, Tully, and Rivers almost instantly. All three sets of eyes fly to mine with concern and I realize Tully probably explained that I was in shit.
Little do they know, Tully was right. I am in shit, just a different kind then what they’re expecting.
Seeing the concern on Noah’s face, the fog begins to clear. I walk forward and drop down by his side as Tully leans forward on the
table, peering around Noah’s side to get a better look at me. “What happened?” she questions, not blessing me with a second to work out how to word this.
I look up at her and I can’t help but grin, knowing exactly how she’s going to react to this. “Carver thinks I should be applying to college.”
Tully instantly booms out with laughter as Noah raises a brow in curiosity. “Why would he think that?” Noah prompts, realizing there’s a little more to this story than just an opportunity to mock our disgraceful standards.
“Because I seem to have a bit of a…gift when it comes to science.”
Tully scoffs beside her brother. “That’s a bit of an understatement,” she says. “She’s like a fucking science nerd. That shit gets her hot.” She nudges Noah’s elbow. “You should probably screw her in the science labs. I’d bet all the money in the world that she’d go off like a bomb in there,” Tully winks. “You can thank me later.”
Noah just raises his brow once again as Rivers watches on in silence. “Is that true?” Noah asks. “You’ve never told me that.”
“Why would I?” I laugh. “It’s not like you’re here telling me all about the fucking shit you were building during shop. If I start talking about that I’m either going to confuse that pretty little head of yours or send you into a coma out of pure boredom.” Noah rolls his eyes but I continue before he can disagree. “Besides, what does it matter? After graduation, that’s it. School will be over and we’ll probably never talk about it again.”
Noah continues watching me and it feels like his gaze is digging deep within me. “You want to go though, don’t you?”
“Come on,” I laugh. “College is like a distant dream that no one from Haven Falls has the right to even think about. You know that just as well as I do.”
“So, why would Carver bother bringing it up with you?” Rivers questions, finally adding a little something to the conversation while sounding extremely confused about it all.
I shrug my shoulders and consider not showing them the scholarship application. If I don’t talk about it, then it’s not really real, right? If I don’t apply and don’t work my ass off for it, then there’s no chance of getting my hopes crushed when they pick someone else. It’s the safest option, but Carver is right, if I was to do that, I’d be selling myself short.
I groan before letting out a heavy sigh. “He wants me to apply for a scholarship,” I say, grabbing the application form off my lap and sliding it in front of Noah. “He thinks I have the potential to get it if I can increase my grades in all my other classes.”
Tully’s eyes widen in surprise. “Shit. Really?” she grunts. “He’s not fucking with you?”
“Nope,” I say as I watch Noah reading closely over the application, so close that anyone would think it’s the only lifeline standing between him and a million dollars.
Noah grunts without taking his eyes from the papers. “You’d be a fucking idiot not to try.”
I look away from him. From everyone. “Yeah…but.”
Noah looks up at my tone and turns to face me, somehow managing to block out Tully and Rivers so it’s only us in this moment. “But what, Spitfire?”
My baby blues meet his stormy greens and all my troubles come pouring out like word vomit. “I just…what if I start pulling my shit together and working my ass off for it and then don’t get it? It would all be for nothing and I’ll feel like absolute shit. But then, what if I do get it? Dad couldn’t handle Aria all the time. He wouldn’t be able to work.”
“You’re thinking too much into it, babe. Broken Hill University is a fifteen minute drive away and it’s not like you’d be in classes from sun up to sun down. You’ll have a schedule and your dad could work around it, and if not, you’ve always got us. I could pick up Aria from school. She’d fucking love it. She’d show off to all her friends thinking she’s badass.”
“She is badass,” I grumble under my breath as I consider everything he’s saying.
“Besides,” Noah continues, “no one is about to deny you that scholarship.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I’ll be down there kicking some asses until they accept it.”
I roll my eyes. “You can’t do that,” I tell him with a groan. “If I’m going to do this, if I’m going to get in then I want to know I earned it because I worked my ass off, not because my scary as shit boyfriend threatened some old rich guy in a suit.”
“Hey,” Rivers cuts in. “You’d be surprised. The old rich guys aren’t exactly easily swayed. Noah would have to put up a pretty big fight. Trust me, I know.”
I ignore Rivers comments as a reminder of what he and Noah do isn’t exactly going to help calm my screaming mind right now. "Noah?” I prompt. “Promise me. If I do this, I do it on my own.”
His eyes soften as he leans in and slides his hands into place on my thighs. “Promise,” he whispers.
Noah’s forehead rests against mine and I let out a breath. “You’re lying,” I murmur, knowing him better than I know myself.
He shrugs his shoulders, completely unfazed by being caught out lying. “What can I say?” he grins, unapologetically. “You’re my girl and I fucking love you. I’m not about to stand back and not even try to give you the world. If this is what you want, then you can bet your ass I’ll make it happen.”
Jesus. It’s not like that is even in his realm of capabilities. “You realize this is a scholarship into a rich person college, not jacking a car? I mean, your manipulation game is strong, but it’s not that strong.”
“I got you, didn’t I?” he says with a cheesy as fuck grin.
“You’re an idiot.”
“And you’re going to be a college student.”
“We’ll see,” I mutter.
“Uh huh,” he says, pulling away from me and pulling a pen out of who the hell knows where before he starts filling out my application.
“What are you doing?” I screech, pulling at his arm.
Noah shakes me off and Rivers and Tully laugh in amusement. “Shut up,” Noah scolds. “I’m busy.”
I groan and let him do his thing. He’s most likely going to fill it out wrong anyway meaning I’ll have to start over, but if it makes him feel like a fucking boss doing it, then by all means, he can destroy the form as much as he wants.
Tully laughs on the other side of Noah and I glance up to find her face shoved into her phone as she busily texts someone. Rivers eyes narrow on her, knowing that with the four of us sitting at the table, there’s not many other people she could be texting, especially people who could make her laugh.
“Who the fuck you textin’?” Rivers grunts.
Tully’s head snaps up with a ferocious glare as Noah groans beside me. “That’s none of your goddamn business,” Tully scowls at him.
I didn’t think it was possible but Rivers eyes somehow narrow on her even more and then in the blink of an eye, his arm flies across the table and snatches her phone out of her unexpecting hands, shocking us all. “No,” Tully screeches as Rivers scans over the text. “Give me my phone, asshole.”
Rivers face turns a deep shade of red as he slams her phone down on the table, most likely smashing the screen as students all through the cafeteria whip their heads in our direction. “Like fuck you’re going out with Rocko tomorrow night.”
“I’ll go out with whoever the hell I want,” she throws right back at him. “You lost your right to have any say over my love life when you fucked us up.”
Noah’s head snaps up, all thoughts of college application forms gone as he stares at Rivers. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Tully shoots to her feet, still scowling at Rivers as she responds to her brother. “Nothing. It means absolutely nothing.” With that, she storms out of the cafeteria and not a second later, Rivers disappears in the opposite direction, leaving Noah and I sitting behind in complete silence.
Chapter 9
“Can you believe that fucking idiot?” T
ully demands as we walk through the campus of Broken Hill University.
“I know,” I tell her, not bothering to expand on my outrage as this is probably the twentieth time we’ve discussed it since lunch. Both Tully and Rivers disappeared and with everything going to shit for the afternoon, Noah and I left right behind them, skipping the rest of class for the day. I mean, it’s not exactly a good start to the whole ‘trying to get my grades up for college’ but our pack was in meltdown mode and we couldn’t just ignore that.
I get lost looking around at all the fancy ass buildings and realize this place looks way too major leagues for me. It’s freaking beautiful and screams money. I don’t belong here. I’d feel like a fraud getting a free ride to a place like this, but then, it would be the most moronic thing to turn it down if I was lucky enough to be accepted.
Crap. I knew when Kaylah suggested coming here tonight for Jackson’s football game, I should have rejected the offer. All this is going to do is make my head spin with unanswered questions. Either that or it’s going to make me see a future that is so far beyond my reach and that’s only going to cut me down if it doesn’t happen.
I’m setting myself up for failure. My hopes will be crushed, but Noah assures me that he’s got this.
That idiot. He might be Superman but he’s not a fucking magician. Only I can make it happen. If Noah went in there blazing with his threats and tough guy persona, he’ll get laughed out and I’ll lose whatever shot I had. I have to do this on my own and the only way little ol’ me is going to get noticed is by pulling some killer grades out of my ass.
Damn. That requires studying.
After finding Tully sulking this afternoon, I needed something to get her mind off it. I called Kaylah thinking she could come over to my place and we could have a girls’ night with Aria. Nails, hair, movie, and popcorn. It would have been great. Dad would have locked himself in his bedroom and not come out until the coast was clear, but the second Kaylah said she had promised Jackson that she’d come to his game, Tully was on her feet getting ready.
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