Page 69 of Echoes of a Silent Song

He didn’t thank me for writing the piece that changed his destiny.

Did he even remember that?Did he remember that even though his name was on that acceptance letter, his work hadn’t been in that envelope?

He did.Of course he did.How could he not?He’d thank me.I knew he would.

Wait a minute.If his letter had arrived, then mine likely had too.It sat in my mailbox.Waiting for me.

Unless my parents already got the mail.Unless they already knew ...

“Let’s go to my house next.”I grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the car.“Want to drive me so we’ll get there faster?”

Victor pulled back.“But I have to go tell my parents the good news.”

It was so strange.When I cried, my face turned red and blotchy, and my eyes stayed swollen for a good ten minutes.But Victor’s face looked totally normal.Hadn’t he just sobbed on my shoulder a second ago?One would never know.How did hedothat?

I blinked up at him.“But don’t you want to come see if we both have good news?”

“Well yes, of course, Iris, but I have to tell Mom that she doesn’t have to worry about me going to ’Nam anymore.I have to go tell Pop that he can stuff it, because I’m better than he thinks I am.I have a way out now.”

A way out that I gave you.And I need to go see if I managed to find a way out for both of us, not just you.

As though he’d read my mind, he put a hand on my shoulder.“I don’t know what you’re so worried about, Iris.If I got in, there’s no way you didn’t.”

“I’d still like to know, though.Preferably before my parents do.”Would they hide an acceptance letter from me?My father wouldn’t.But Mother ...

“Just let me tell my parents,” Victor said.“Let me tell them, and we’ll—”

“You know what?”I fought to keep my irritation out of my voice.“Go.Be with your family.I’ll walk home.It’s not that far.”I’d done it before, after all.

“Iris Wallingford, you are an absolute gem.What would I ever do without you?”He kissed my cheek, then started up the walk toward his house.“You’ll call me tonight, right?Let me know the good news?”

“Of course.”Did he really not want to be with me to find out?Was he really going to make me do this alone?

“Mom,” he called as he opened the door, and then he shut it without even looking back.

Okay.That was that.

I started home—that white-columned world I’d be trapped in if I didn’t get into Whitehall—fueled by adrenaline and anger, my heels tapping against the sidewalk in a rapid staccato.It wasn’t that cold out, thankfully, but I didn’t think I’d have felt it if it had been.

Victor was probably right.One of my pieces had been good enough to earn an admission.Surely the other one would be too.Right?

I bit my lip as I opened the mailbox.Sure enough, there sat a crisp white envelope with the same bold crimson seal.

I tore it open, my heart hammering in my throat.

Dear Miss Wallingford,

On behalf of the Admissions Committee, I want to thank you for submitting your application.We have carefully reviewed your materials, and while you were a competitive candidate, we regret to inform you that we cannot offer you admission.We wish you the best ...

The letter fell to the ground, and my heart sank right with it, shattering into a million pieces along with my hopes and dreams and ambitions.

I didn’t get in.

I didn’t get in.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

BLAIR WASdowning the last few bites of her lightning-fast lunch when the door to the choir room opened and Callum walked in with their special guest: a slender brunette in a pencil skirt.