Camp Wisahickon

Chapter Thirty

Things are about to get interesting... Xo

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I leaned against the last bookshelf in the back of the library with my laptop resting on my knees as I scrolled through Juilliard's website. My letter- of rejection or acceptance, who knows- should be coming in a few weeks. Even though my parents were constantly jumping up in anticipation every time the mailman came by, I dreaded the arrival of the letter.

If I got in, then I didn't know what I would do. It felt like the same lifelong struggle between pursuing piano to make other people happy versus deviating from the path to find something that actually makes me happy. Last year, I had applied to a handful of schools without telling my parents, mostly on the West Coast, but some in New York. 

If I had admitted that I wasn't putting all my eggs in one basket with Juilliard, that I wasn't truly committing to the arts, then they would lose their minds. For that reason, I paid the application fee myself and spent hours in the middle of the night applying to different schools in case I worked up enough courage to refuse my own admission to Juilliard. 

"Juilliard, huh?"  I don't have to turn to see who said it, considering his voice sent shivers down my spine. "You're still looking to go there?"

Cautiously, I nod stiffly. "The letter should come some time in the next few weeks."

Silence follows my words, and I almost think that Carter left, until he shuffles around to stand in front of me. I'm struck by the sudden emotion on his face as he looks at me with a somber kind of concern flooding in his eyes. My lips part and I stare at him in awe, confused by his mood shift. 

"Amelia, we really need to talk," Carter breathes, his voice a little horse, and the sound makes my heart beat pick up speed. "What I said-"

"Excuse me," An elderly woman snaps and I tear my gaze away from Carter's intense eyes to look at the librarian as she scowls at us. "I can hear you two from up front. Quiet down, please."

To my surprise, Carter's soft expression twists into a scowl as he growls, "You can't hear without your hearing aid anyway, grandma. We're talking."

The librarian looks at Carter in absolute shock as she splutters, "How dare you? What is your name? I'm going to report you to the Principal immediately!"

Carter smirks a little. "My name is Jake Sloan. Go report me and I'll finish my conversation."

I watch in disbelief as the librarian scowls at him and scurries away to her desk, no doubt to report Jake to the principal's office. While Carter is chuckling at his own handy work, the warning bell signals, and I begin collecting my things in my backpack. He sobers up when he sees me about to leave, but before I can walk away, Carter grabs my wrist. 

"Amelia," Carter's smirk is long gone as he looks at me seriously. So seriously that my heart trips over itself and I literally gulp down my words before I can speak them. "We need to talk." 

I shake my head and lie, "Later. I have to go to class."

Carter's shoulders slump as he lets me go and I rush toward the front of the library. As I'm leaving, I can see the librarian talking to someone on the phone furiously behind the front desk and can't hold back the small smirk on my lips. Jake deserved it anyway. 

I suffered through the first few periods of school drowning in my thoughts, per usual. As always, there was a certain bad boy on my mind that I couldn't stop thinking about, and he occupied my thoughts during my first half of the day. I didn't see Georgina until right before lunch, when she stopped at my locker and grinned happily at me.