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“Sorry for what?” Ellie reached out, taking Sadie’s hand as she pulled her back to her. “What’s wrong? Why did you say that?”

Sadie tried to play dumb, but knew it wouldn’t work. “Say what?”

“I can’t,” Ellie’s voice and eyes lowered, “tell you not to go.”

“I know,” Sadie sighed as she sat down beside Ellie on the bed. They took hold of each other’s hand as Ellie squeezed it, making tears nip at Sadie’s eyes. “I never thought it would be this hard.”

“I know.”

“Part of me wants to just tell them I’m not coming.”

“Sadie, no.” Ellie was on her feet now, hands on her hips as she locked eyes with Sadie. “This is yourdreamand it’s going to be amazing. You’re an amazing softball player, and you look hot in your costume.”

“Uniform.”

“Whatever.” Ellie didn’t miss a beat. “College is going to be so amazing for you and you’re going to have so much fun. And we’ll talkall the timeanyway. And you’ll be here on breaks and I can come and visit you some. We’re going to make this work.”

Sadie nodded. “I know. I just hate it still.”

“I know,” Ellie sighed. “But it’ll all be worth it in four years when you have that diploma in the wall and you’re in the hall of fame or whatever as the most amazing college softball player ever.”

“You’re a really good hype person, did you know that?”

“Only because you’re my favorite.”

Ellie took a few steps closer to Sadie, and Sadie wrapped her legs around Ellie’s. As Ellie ran her hands through Sadie’s hair, Sadie knew where thingscouldandwouldgo. But she was too paranoid that her parents might come home at any moment and Sadie hadn’t decided which would be worse: Delaney finding them in bed together or her finding the bedroom door locked.

The latter had been a rule for years, but it had never really mattered to Sadie until now.

“We should keep packing,” Ellie said as she quickly kissed Sadie. “Then this can be our reward for getting it all done.”

“I can support that.”

As they resumed packing the suitcases and cardboard boxes with Sadie’s clothes, books, and toiletries, Sadie asked the question she’d been too afraid to ask Ellie for months.

“Ellie?”

“Hmm?”

“What made you decide to stay here and go to college?” Sadie pretended to be more focused on the pile of shirts she was folding and placing into the suitcase than Ellie. But she could see Ellie shrug out of the corner of her eye as she taped up a box full of Sadie’s favorite books.

“Honestly?”

“No, lie to me,” Sadie teased as Ellie laughed. “Yes, honestly. I’ve never asked.”

Ellie sat down on the floor across from Sadie and began folding clothes with her and putting them into the suitcase.

“Well, for starters, I didn’t know what I wanted to major in. And although I’m fairly sure it’s going to be ultrasound tech and I’ll transfer to the tech school for that, I kinda want to get at least one semester under my belt to makesurethat’s what I want to do.”

“I get that.” They quietly folded clothes for a few beats as Sadie waited for Ellie to continue. When she didn’t, Sadie asked, “Were there other reasons too?”

“Yeah.” Ellie shrugged as her eyes slowly lifted to Sadie. “Brayden is one. He got a scholarship, but it doesn’t cover his dorm costs. And one night I heard Mom and Mama talking about how expensive it was. At the time, I was thinking of going to New York City for college just so I could be near Broadway.”

Another shrug, followed by a sigh.

“But, I don’t know. And I know it’ll make me sound like a loser, but I really don’t want to leave my parents or sisters. Mostly my parents.”

“That doesn’t make you a loser. It’s awesome you’re so close with them andwantto stay close to them.”