“Really?” Kennedy sits down on the grass, crossing her legs as she raises a brow. “Not gonna explain that at all?”
“Some things are better left unsaid, love,” I grin. Kennedy rolls her eyes but doesn’t pry further. “So? How was class?”
“Meh,” she mutters, scooting closer to me and leaning her head on my shoulder. “Glad it’s over. I almost fell asleep.” She yawns. “How was your meeting with Rothland? Everything good?”
“Yup,” I say, passing her the document. “A student once again.”
“That’s great,” she says quietly, rubbing her eyes and suppressing another yawn. “Now you can accept the internship, right?”
“About that—” I clear my throat. “I think I’m going to reject it.”
As I said, paths aren’t always linear. And honestly, I want to walk on the same path asher.
Just for a while.
“What?” Kennedy props up, frowning at me. “Why?”
“‘Cause I want us to be together.” I reach out, twirling her hair between my fingers before tucking it behind her ear. “Like physically together. I don’t want to leave you, Ken. Not after everything we’ve been through.”
Internships come and go. I can always get another one. For the first time in my life, I’m happy. I don’t want to risk that. Not now.
“Oh, Ollie.” Kennedy sucks in a small breath, her gaze flickering across my face. “You didn’t reject it already, did you?”
“I was going to talk to Takanaki on Friday,” I reply, shifting slightly. “Why?”
“Well...” Kenny smiles, sucking in a long breath as she glances quickly at the school. “I’ve decided to defer Harvard.”
“What?” I balk, eyes wide.
“Just for a year or something,” she adds.
“When did you decide this?”
“Like fifteen minutes ago when I almost fell out of my seat in class ‘cause I couldn’t keep my eyes open,” she replies, cringing. I press my lips together, the image in my head quite hilarious. “Don’t laugh.”
“I’m not,” I say, trying hard not to be a liar. “So, you almost fell asleep and now you don’t want to go to college? Seems like a leap, no?”
“I’m just so tired, Ollie,” she says. “I’m tired of studying and reading and sitting in class. I want a break.” She sighs. “I used to love school... like it wasactuallyfun for me, but now? I don’t know. I think I need to just... exist for a little bit. Figure things out.”
See? She’s also unlearning.
“I think that’s a great idea,” I say, pride radiating off my body. “And uh— where do you plan on figuring things out?”
“Hmm,” she hums, a flirty undertone in her voice. “I don’t know. Maybe Texas? Oklahoma? Oooh... I’ve always wanted to go to Kansas.”
“Really?” I smirk. “Those all sound like lovely places but I hearCaliforniais just magnificent, very warm, very beautiful.” I tap my finger against my lips. “And correct me if I’m wrong, but a certain someone’s mum lives there, no?”
“Huh, look at that, you’re right. I didn’t even think about that,” Kennedy chuckles, giving me a light shove. “Guess you’re stuck with me now, Knight. You okay with me tagging along?”
“More than okay,” I grin.
“Yeah?” she coos. “Even if I don’t let you eat on the bed?”
I give her a crooked smile. “Bed? Singular?”
Kenny shrugs coyly. “Perhaps.”
“Now I’mreallyexcited,” I say, my gaze flitting down to her lips.
