FORGET YOU LAUREN

CHAPTER 30

Track 21: I Did Something Bad (4:09)
Camila POV
"Would you like another cup of coffee, Miss Cabello?" My academic advisor, Mr. Hinton, sat in front of me on Friday morning. "How about some tea?"
"I've had two cups already."
"Oh yes". He looked at me. "Would you like some extra cream?"
I held a sigh. I was sitting in his office twenty minutes ago and he filled the time with questions about drinks, instead of explaining what the "urgent" and "important" email was from weeks ago.
"I have someone I need to meet in an hour," I said. "Is this just a regular check-in meeting?"
"Not exactly". He shook his head. "It's about your credits here at the university."
"OK". I smiled, knowing where he was going with it. "I'm aware that I'm still missing the necessary writing lessons, but I intend to take them next semester, since spelling and written analysis are still my weaknesses."
"Essay writing classes are not the problem..." He took a spreadsheet and gave it to me. "At the moment, you are technically classified as a freshman at this university."
"No, I've attended three years of classes and I'm currently in fourth grade. That makes me a veteran."
"Yes, well..." He cleared his throat. "It happens that I forgot to tell you a little about how credits work according to the adjusted policy of Semester at Sea. It was changed during the second year of high school, and it has made me completely crazy since you chose to turn several years old." He had the audacity to smile. "But don't worry. It's quite simple."
He looked at me like he was waiting for me to smile back.
I don't smile.
"All right then," he said. "So here on campus, all classes are worth a total of three credit hours. On the ship, the same goes for the main classes of her undergraduate, but her elective subjects are only worth a credit and a half, as these classes are taught by Semester at Sea partners and not official university staff... You receive half additional credit per course in the summer months, and the courses you took during the four weeks of stay in Thailand and Australia resulted in two credits for you."
"Mr. Hinton, what are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying that if you want to graduate from this university, you have two options. Option number one, you can do three more semesters, of course here. That would mean next spring, next summer and next fall." Or you can join a spring and a half summer session aboard the next semester at sea. There is a repositioning trip this winter as well, if you want to have a super advantage."
My heart fell. "Are you fucking playing with me?"
His eyes widened. "Miss Cabello, there is no need to use obscene language. I'm just the messenger."
"You're the messenger who just ruined my plans." I narrowed my eyes to him. "I'm planning to do a graduate degree next fall."
"And you can still do that... You just, you know, will have to choose the option that allows you to do it." He shook his head and looked down, without making eye contact. "I'm sorry."
"Why has no one told me about this policy change before?" I was in second place to shout. "Certainly someone on the ship could let me know. I would have dumped and completed the rest of my work here."
Still refusing to make eye contact, he leaned on the chair.
With every second that went by, all I could think of was how, just over three years ago, he sold me this program "once in a lifetime" and assured me that the courses were the same as on campus. He said it was "better than normal college," and I wouldn't have to make up any credit when I came back. He would take my father and I to dinner every week to discuss the matter, court me with all the new brochures and made a point of keeping in touch with me while making my decision.
I remembered to write her words literally in my letters to Lauren, insisting that I was the person who was going to college "the right way".
I didn't feel like completing another period at sea and didn't want to spend the next year and a half taking useless and dull courses.
"Is there a way to talk to the dean, Mr. Hinton?" I asked, feeling the tears flow from my eyes.
"You can," he said. "But you need to know that it was he who instituted the policy. He wanted to make sure the students weren't trying to go the easy way."
"There's nothing easy about living on a ship without Wi-Fi and with strangers for three years." I rolled my eyes.
"Well, I really understand that you're upset, but..."
"You don't understand anything." I cut it and stood up. "You're telling me I completed three years of college on a boat for shit and giggles."
"I wouldn't necessarily say 'shit and giggles' by itself. I'm sure you've earned a lot while you've been away and I'm sure you'll value these experiences for life."
"I would have if you told me I would be the only freshman on board for the first year, or if you told me that most people only do one semester at a time." I looked at him and took my purse. "I should know you were full of it when you let me sign up for the program as a freshman."
"Many freshmen do the semester at sea, Miss Cabello." He seemed offended. "This varies from year to year. And you were happy to sign all the final forms, as far as I can remember."
"Do you get a kickback or bonus for each student who signs up for longer periods?"
"What?", His face palened. "What the hell are you trying to say?"
"Nothing". I went to the door. "Your face says it all."
***
Later that night, I sat on Lauren's lap in the hot tub, looking at the ocean. She was looking at me closely, dragging her fingers on my lips. Although I was upset about the state of my college career, I was sure that being with Lauren was what seemed to be in a great relationship. Otherwise, it had to be very close.
"Are you going to say anything?" she asked. "You've been quiet all night."
"Would you mind if I did the semester at sea again?"
"It depends". She pulled her hand away. "What would be the reason?"
"Because my stupid advisor screwed me." My voice failed. "Twenty-five percent of the credits I received on board do not count, so technically I'm still a freshman. He said I can do a spring semester and part-time on board or do another year and a half here on campus. He even said I can embark on the next winter match, which is absolute bullshit."
"What did you say to him?"
"I haven't told him anything yet. I need to think about it."
She stroked my back. "Well, if you come back, it's not like we haven't written letters before."
"That was before we were a couple and started having sex."
She smiled, letting out a low laugh. "Do you honestly think I would cheat on you while you were away?"
"No..."
"Okay, then. What's the problem?"
"I just need to think about it." I leaned against her shoulder. "Can we talk about something else?"
"Sure," she said. "I have good news."
"Does Greg finally have a new girlfriend?"
"He has, but that's not what I'm talking about." She kissed my lips. "I was accepted into the Accelerated MBA program at Hudson University. It's in New York."
"Oh". I forced a smile, feeling my heart sink. "This is... That's great. What makes it fast?"
"The fact that I start next semester." She kissed me again, much longer this time. "See? We will be separated again, no matter what path you choose."
"What happened to the writing programs, Lauren?" I asked. "You hate business."
"Is that why I have all the A's?"
"You have all the A's because math and everything that's remotely connected to math has always been easy for you," I said, looking into her eyes. "For someone who has always been so determined to tell me to pursue art, going to Hudson makes you look like a hypocrite."
She raised her eyebrow. "Are you upset about this?"
I didn't answer.
She blinked and gently grabbed my hips, taking me off her lap. Then she got up and came out of the hot tub.
"I believe the word you're looking for is 'Congratulations,' Camila," she said. "That's usually the first thing someone says after discovering an achievement."
"I'll give you a 'congratulations' when you join a program you want to join. Something related to writing that will help you finish the novel you've been working on since you were a freshman. You're still working on it, right?"
"Yes..." She clenched her jaw. "I said I would finish next year"
"In your letters, you said you had eighty percent finished. Why not just complete it and apply it to some writing programs instead of doing what your dad expects you to do? Instead of working to receive a company you don't even want to own?"
Silence.
"I don't want to argue with you about this, Camila," she said. "Not now, anyway."
"You're the one making a scene and leaving the hot tub." I crossed my arms and her lips bowed in a smile. "I'm not the one being hotheaded this time. I was just giving you my honest thoughts as your so-called girlfriend. I don't remember reading about you arguing with other people."
"Sincerely, I don't remember any of the others." She laughed and ducked, pulling me out of the water. "How about we talk about something different from the future for the rest of the night?"
"I'd like that. What do you want to talk about?"
"I think we should discuss the fact that Greg stays out of town for a whole weekend, and we have the whole house for ourselves." She pulled the string from my bikini, dropping it in the hot tub. "And for 'discussing', I'm not really interested in talking..."