Achieving Unbroken

-Chapter 52-

Achieving Unbroken
Chapter Fifty Two

—

"Darling, all of my wrongs, they lead me right to you
Wrapped in your arms, I swear I'd die
For your love, your love, I'm a better, better man"
Better Man | 5 Seconds of Summer

—

Jason
[Wednesday, November 14th, 2018]

Now, I'm only going to say this once, because I'm worried that I am going to jinx it. But, for the first time in what feels like forever: Life is good.

Everyone at school thinks that Lilla and I are dating. Which is pretty nice, because we act like a couple wherever we go; whether our friends are around or not. I've become better friends with Patrick, Vince, and Peyton, and the four of us hang out pretty often.

Charlie and I even talk once in awhile. So, lets just say that Admin is relieved that there have been significantly less hallway conflicts than there were when him and I were at each other's throats.

Now, it's almost Thanksgiving, and Lilla and I are at the Honey Bear Bakey and Bookstore to celebrate the fact that we have submitted all of our college applications and now have that stress off of our shoulders.

"It would be so amazing if you got into Stanford," she says to me before taking a long drink of her latte. Stanford is one of the top schools I applied to because of their psychology program, even thought I think I am more likely to get into WSU or UW (another school I applied to).

Lilla also applied to UCLA, along with USC and other places in California, because she wants to get her foot in the door to the film industry, but also applied to some in-state schools. And I'm not saying that if we both get into the schools we want that I might choose where to go because of her...

But that's exactly what I'm saying.

"It would be crazy, but I doubt I'm going to make it," I tell her. She rolls her eyes.

"The story that you have to tell on why you want to go there for psychology is unlike anything else they will see on any application. That goes for every school you applied to! UCLA, Stanford, even Yale—even though I don't want you to be on the other side of the country."

"I probably won't go to Yale if I'm accepted. But I want the psychology program, so that's where I'm looking."

"I know. I'm just glad that all of those applications are done," she groans, faking exhaustion. I feel the same way; the applications took hours at a time and drained us.

"Well, cheers to finishing the application process and moving on to relax for our senior year." We raise our coffee mugs to toast, Lilla smiling; because we both know that we will not feel relaxed at all until our high school careers are completely over.

We talk and eat for a few minutes before quiet falls upon us, and Lilla shifts in her seat.

"So, Thanksgiving is next week," she says, clearly leading up to something.

"... Yeah?"

"And, the weekend before Thanksgiving, my dad's family and Devon's family—you remember her, right?" I nod. "They get together and have a semi formal family and friends meal that's not quite Thanksgiving but it's a celebration of sorts." She pauses.