Page 10 of Am I the Only One

“How much longer will it be then?” I mumble as I lie back down. “Because I’m sick of waiting.”

Tripp doesn’t respond, and no other words are spoken as we lie on opposite sides of our bed.

Emma

“Why are you studying so hard for finals?”

Looking up from my textbooks, I glare at Luca and respond, “Because maybe, just maybe, if I make high enough marks on these last exams, the university will take pity on me and reinstate my scholarship.”

“Is that even a possibility?”

“I have no clue, but I’m desperate for anything at this point.”

It’s been a couple weeks since receiving the last of my rejection letters and, even though I’ve been doing everything I can to pull my grades up, I’m still falling beneath the GPA requirements for my scholarship.

Luca walks across my dorm room and sits next to me on my bed. “My mother was asking about you.”

“When?”

“She called me last night.”

“You didn’t tell her anything, did you?”

“No, but I wish you would let me,” he says.

Luca’s mother has always liked me since I am the one and only consistent girl in her son’s life, and one who’s far from the unwitty tarts Luca often finds himself falling into bed with. His mother respects my tenacity and hard work, often teasing Luca that he could learn a thing or two from me. I have a feeling that she likes me enough to offer to lend me the money I need to finish my degree, but the last thing I want is a handout, so I made Luca promise to keep his mouth shut.

“She was wondering if you were going to make it to the New Year’s Eve party.”

“Crap. I totally forgot to RSVP.”

“So, you’re coming?”

“Of course I’m coming,” I say. “That’s one party I refuse to miss. Plus, it’s become our one date of the year.”

New Year’s Eve would forever be our night together. After the first one we spent together, Luca told me that he refused to share that holiday with anyone other than the person who meant the most to him, and it’s likewise for me as well.

“What are you going to say when my mom asks about school, because you know she will.”

“Hopefully, I can get a plan in motion in the next couple weeks so that when she does ask, I won’t seem so adrift. But first, I have to ace this last final,” I tell him. “And you need to get off your cell phone and start studying too or else your mom won’t even care about my issues because she’ll be too busy jumping down your throat if you screw up your GPA.”

Pausing whatever he’s doing on his phone, Luca peers over at me, teasing, “I do a lot of screwing, we both know that, but never with my grades ... only chicks.”

“You’re disgusting.” I scoff, scrunching my nose and closing my books.

“Where’re you going?”

“I need a break. I’m going to run out and grab a coffee. You want anything?”

“Nah.” He flops back onto my bed, distracted once again by his phone.

“What’s got all your attention on that thing?”

“Some girl I met at The Tombs last Saturday.”

“Of course,” I reply with a roll of my eyes. “I’ll be back in a few.”

Pulling on my snow boots, I laugh to myself when I hear Luca’s delayed, “See ya,” before I leave.