Foes & Cons by Carrie Aarons (i am malala young readers edition .txt) 📗

breath as I set my backpack on the counter next to the letter and then pick it up with shaking hands. Whatever is inside of here determines my future. It determines whether I’ll get one of the best political science educations out there. It determines whether I can move on to the career I envision for myself. It determines if Sawyer and I get to adventure into our next chapter together.

My eyes flutter shut for a moment, and then I tear at the top with my pointer finger. I don’t think my heart is even beating as I take out the contents, a brochure falling to the ground.

We are pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to …

Those are the only words I need to read before I’m jumping up and down, shouting with joy, and then launching myself at Dad.

“I got in!” I yelp, hugging his neck.

“You got in!” Dad scoops me up in a bear hug, and a second later, I feel him heave a giant sob.

“Dad, are you crying?” I’m laughing, and find that my eyes are filled with tears, too.

He pulls back and holds me by the shoulders, examining my face and then the letter in my hand. “You and I will remember this moment forever. I’m so proud of you, Blair.”

“Aw, shucks, Dad. You’re going to make me cry more.” I shyly flutter my eyes down to the floor.

“You haven’t had the easiest childhood, and yet you’ve been the easiest child. You work so hard, are whip smart, and I’m constantly in awe of you. Out of all the daughters in the world, I got the best one. And now, you’re going off to achieve your dreams.”

He’s gushing, and I think for the hundred-thousandth time in my life how blessed I am to have the most incredible parent. I may not have two, but the one I do have is dedicated, supportive, and so loving.

As Dad hugs me, and I get a flash of myself on the Brockden campus as a college student, I search my heart. In the biggest moments of my life thus far, I’ve always wished my mom would be present. When I received National Honor Society status during my freshman year. When I won the state mock debate championship. When I flew to Haiti. I vividly remember feeling upset that my mom wasn’t there to witness those things alongside Dad and me.

Except, after Christmas and everything this year has brought, I can’t find one shred of me that misses her right now. This is going to be my next chapter, the one where I grow into the person I am meant to be. I feel it already, how this acceptance letter and what it means is allowing me to shed all of the hurt in my past.

Dad and I go on to read the letter together, where it states that not only have I been admitted to Brockden University, but that I will be a direct admission to the political science program. I know how hard I’ve worked over my high school career to get here, but I’m almost in disbelief that this moment is finally happening.

After the initial shock wears off, I pick up my phone and hit the second name and number in my favorites section.

“Hey, you. Miss me in the ten minutes we’ve been apart?” Sawyer’s voice is smooth and deep, and it never fails to send a flock of butterflies floating through me.

“Did you get your Brockden letter?” I don’t bother with pretenses.

“What?” His tone changes. “I just parked in my driveway, hold on.”

I’m all but biting my nails as I wait for Sawyer to get inside his house, the frantic sounds on the other end of the phone making me more anxious.

“Mom, did you get the mail?” I hear as Sawyer talks to his mom.

She must say yes, because a second later, his voice is fully back on the other end of the line. “Mine is here. Did you get in?”

“I got in!” I burst, the words exploding from my throat.

“B! Yes! So proud of you. Wow. I can’t believe the letters are here.” Sawyer seems to be stalling.

“Thanks. Now don’t make me wait another second. Open it, open it!” My nerves and excitement are making me act like a giddy school girl.

I hear tearing on the other end of the phone. “Give me a minute, jeez. You have the patience of a gnat. It’s a good thing you’re beautiful.”

Sawyer’s compliment makes me blush, even if he can’t see it. “What does it say?”

There is a beat of silence. And then another one. My heart wavers between sinking and flying, stuck in purgatory.

“Sawyer? Are you doing this on purpose? Don’t be an ass …” My nervous laugh invades my whole body.

I expect him to answer my tease in a second flat. Instead, I’m met with the beeping of the line going dead.

Dad is standing on the other side of the kitchen, pretending not to listen, but turns around when I set the phone down. “What did he say?”

“I think the line might have gone dead.” I say this, but in my heart I know it’s not true.

My suspicion is confirmed when I try to call him right back, and I’m sent directly to voicemail. My fingers fly to write a text message, asking him what’s going on and to please call me. It goes blue, meaning it’s delivered, but those three dots don’t appear. I wait a couple of minutes, and they still don’t pop up.

Which can only mean one thing.

Sawyer didn’t get into Brockden.

All of the happiness deflates out of me like a busted balloon, and what should be the best of days just turned into the worst.

When I submitted the application initially, I thought I’d be getting away from everything I hated about Chester. But over time, it became a shared dream, one that Sawyer and I would embark on together.

That was dashed, and I am left feeling even more alone than