Reckless Entitlement

Chapter 46: Nick

"Let me look at you again."

Maya and I sat in her car outside of the Kennedy Institute.

Today was the day.

This interview would determine whether I got into the program or whether I went to school at all. Needless to say, I'm nervous as hell.

Maya fussed with my hair. She was just as nervous as I was if not more. We'd been living together for a few weeks, and things are great between us. We learned something new about each other every day. In the last few weeks, I've learned that Maya is terrified of bugs, like standing on top of the toilet seat to get away from a spider terrified. Oh, that was a fun morning.

As happy as Maya is about me living there, I don't think anyone is as happy as Charlie. Every morning, I wake up to him curled up on my chest. It can be kind of a pain; he's gotten fat over the last few months.

"There," Maya said, sitting back. "You look great."

"Thanks," I breathed, looking up at the building. The modern building sat on its own concrete plot in the middle of Glendale. It was much smaller than East Chapel, but that's one of the things I liked about it.

Maya reached over her center console, threading her fingers through mine. She drove me here for moral support, you know. After a lot of deliberation, I decided to sell all the other cars, and buy a new SUV. A little early birthday gift to myself.

"Everything is going to be great, they're going to love you."

"How do you know?" I asked, nervously. I tossed and turned all night thinking about today. I want this so badly, it just seems like the perfect fit. I can't even imagine going anywhere else.

"Because you're the best," she shrugged. "And I love you, and I'm a pretty hard sell."

I pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. "I love you too."

Grinning, she asked, "When you get in we're going to celebrate, what do you want? You can have anything you want."

"Something that's not Thanksgiving leftovers," I said jokingly.

"Yes." Squeezing my cheek, she said, "No more Thanksgiving leftovers."

"Or birthday cake?"

"Or birthday cake." With my birthday being so close to Thanksgiving we did it in one fell swoop. It was definitely the most festive birthday I've ever had, turkey and birthday cake is a strange, but delicious combination. As much as I loved Maya's homemade cake and the green bean casserole I made, I'm ready for something new.

"More for me then," she hummed. "So what do you want?"

I thought about it for a moment, "I want a cheeseburger."

"That's it?"

"And chili cheese fries. And a waffle. And a milkshake."

She nodded, laughing. "Interesting combination, but I think we can do that."

"And if I don't get in?" I asked already expecting the worst.

"That's not going to happen," Maya assured me. "There is no if, or won't, because you will. And when that happens you will have a cheeseburger, chili cheese fries, a waffle, and a milkshake." She pulled me towards her giving me a kiss, "Everything is going to be okay."

I glanced at the time on the radio. Nine-forty five, my interview is at ten. "I should go. I don't want to be late."

"You're going to blow them away. I'll be waiting here when you get done."