I sank into my chair, draping my napkin across my lap. Perhaps this was the perfect moment? No sense in waiting until after the meal if we were already on the topic.
“I’m glad you feel that way,Chelsea,” I started, my heart suddenly crawling up my throat. “Because she asked me to move in with her and I said yes.”
The emotional shift in the room was so abrupt, I regretted not planning out my presentation of the big news more. Chelsea’s expression fell with wary concern while Trey’s brows furrowed.
“Penny lives in the dorms as a student. You can’t just move in,” he said, breaking the silence.
His immediate assumption that I didn’t know that or hadn’t thought that far ahead was almost insulting. To the point I wanted to snark back with a sassy comment or two, but I bit my tongue.
“I understand. That’s why I enrolled at SDU. I guess I had applied and was accepted before the accident. I actually found my acceptance letter in that bag you got for me.” I smiled while the crease between Trey’s brows deepened. “At the scrimmage, when I met Penny, she said they needed another roommate. So, I called the school on Monday. They’re allowing me to start this semester since I had a pretty good excuse for missing those first semesters. I start next week with everyone else.”
I looked at Chelsea. I already knew that Trey wouldn’t be totally on board for this right away. He would want me to be kept safe at home.
So right now, Chelsea’s opinion and approval mattered more than anything. She had helped and pushed me so much. If she didn’t think I was ready for this, I would listen.
Her considering eyes studied me. “Will you live close to Trey?”
I nodded. “I’m pretty sure it’s less than a five-minute walk from his place.” I turned to Trey, but he didn’t confirm, deny, or show any signs he was listening to the conversation. His focus drifted to a random spot on the far wall.
I twisted back to Chelsea. The worry lines in her facehad softened a fraction, but her lips still held tight in consideration. She squirmed in her chair before letting out a deep breath.
“Just one more thing,” she said. “You’ll still come back home to visit, right? Because I’m not changing that room. It belongs to you, and I’d love to see you in there reading your books on weekends when you’re not busy and continue our romcom marathons together.”
I choked back the sudden emotion that threatened to launch me into a full-blown sob. Chelsea had a gift in saying things that made me stupid emotional.
It was embarrassing.
“Of course,” I tried to say in a normal tone, but the words escaped in a sputtered whisper.
Her uncertainty immediately broke into a bright grin. “How exciting,” she exclaimed. “This is such fun news. I’m so proud of you. And now I have two college kids to brag to my friends about.”
She gestured for my plate. I handed it to her, and she dished a beautiful helping of the pasta. She then reached for Trey’s plate, dishing him up as well.
“It’ll be nice to have you driving home together for the weekend instead of Trey making that drive alone,” she said as she returned him his dinner plate.
I peered back at Trey, who was still watching me. His dark-framed green eyes slipped down to my hands that sat folded on my lap. The old, healing scrapes on my palms burned with the attention.
He never should’ve caught me sneaking back into the apartment that morning. It was humiliating enough that I had eaten asphalt in front of a sweet old couple on their morning walk.
I tucked my hands under my legs.
The rest of dinner was spent with me explaining the job I had lined up working with Penny. Then Chelsea and I planned a shopping trip to get room decor, clothes, and other necessities I would need in my new apartment.
My heart was full to bursting as she and I schemed together.
Trey excused himself early from the table to shower while Chelsea and I made our way to the couch to watch a romcom she picked.
She didn’t stay long enough to finish the movie though. she had to change into her scrubs and leave for her shift at the hospital. Once she was gone, I retreated to my room and pulled my phone out. The phone only rang once before Penny picked up.
“Excuse me, where’ve you been? It was cruel making me wait for an update this long.”
“I’m sorry, Penn—But I have good news.”
Before I could explain the good news, she squealed a pitch that made my ear drums ring.
“Oh, my gosh, Belles! I’m so excited! This is going to be the best semester yet. Mark my words!”
She was practically screaming over the line, and I couldn’t help the giggling thrill that bubbled from me.
