Without You (gxg)

Part 16 - High School

"Has Noelle decided on where she's going to school?" Priya asked me.
It was a few weeks after my birthday now, at the beginning of February. Priya and I had gone to Starbucks after school to hangout and get some homework done.
"Not yet. She's deciding between three places. Where you're going- Temple University, another school about two hours away...and then West Virginia." I said, my stomach dropping at the last option.
"I still don't quite understand why she would want to go so far." Priya said to me. She then glanced her eyes over at the barista she had been flirtatiously looking at for the past hour.
"She had decided right after she moved here that she wanted to be close to her dad and back in that area where she grew up. Apparently her heart had always been set on going there...and if she wants to, I have to respect that it's her decision and I can't stop her." I said.
"But you'll miss her."
"More than anything, believe me. But we would do long distance though."
"Long distance is tough. But I know you had her love each other. And if you finish your cosmetology program, you could always move there." Priya said.
"Honestly I was thinking that. While I do not want to be away from my family at all, I thought about that possibility." I said.
"You'll have to see what happens, if Noelle even gets into the Engineering program at the college."
"I hope she does." I said, "I know how badly she wants it."
"But let's be honest, a little part of you hopes she doesn't." Priya laughed.
I chuckled, "Maybe like one percent, but that's just selfish."
A few days later Noelle was at my house. It was a Saturday, and she had just gotten done her work shift at her gym. We were going to go out to dinner, and I noticed she kept looking at her phone.
"Is everything okay? You keep looking at your phone. Waiting for your other girlfriend to text you?" I joked.
She laughed and shook her head, "Never. Actually...the Engineering program at West Virginia is posting results within the week. I just keep on checking."
"What happens, do you get an email with acceptance or not?"
"I get an email alert that the results have been posted, then I have to log into a portal." Noelle said, "They said they starting posting results yesterday. But don't worry, I won't look at my phone while we are eating our sushi." she said, and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
I drove us to the Japanese restaurant we were going to about 20 minutes away, and as I was pulling into the parking lot, Noelle said, "Oh my god. I got my results."
"No way!" I said, my heart beating fast. "Check it out before we go in."
"Are you sure that's fine?" Noelle looked at me, her eyes wide.
"Of course."
Noelle pressed a few buttons on her phone and then held her breath, "I just logged in. I'm waiting for it to load."
I put my hand on her free one, and she pressed a button on her phone again. She stared at it for a moment, and then looked at me. "I got in!"
I felt two emotions. Happiness for her. I wanted my girlfriend to pursue her dreams. Get what she wanted. But there was also a slight feeling of dread. Knowing what was to come with having to be long distance. Knowing I was going to miss her. I already was starting, yet she was right next to me.
"I'm so happy for you." I said, putting on a smile and then I leaned over and gave her a kiss, "Let's go celebrate with some sushi."
I was trying to celebrate with her- but she kept on looking at her phone the whole time.
"Noelle. I know you're excited, but I'm trying to talk to you." I said, starting to get annoyed.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I joined the Facebook group for my year for the engineering program. I'm just looking through posts." she said.
Facebook group. That's pretty official.
"Well do you mind looking at that after dinner?"
"Yes. I'm sorry." she said, taking her phone off the table. She glanced at it one more time, and I saw her face drop slightly. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
"What's wrong?" I asked her, picking up a tuna roll with my chopsticks.
"Um...my ex...I just saw that she posted in the Facebook group." Noelle said.
Wow. This might just keeps getting better and better.
"Okay." I said, slightly narrowing my eyes, "You can just ignore her."
"Oh, I plan on it." she said, putting her phone away.
"Was this the ex that you dated before me?" I asked her. I knew her name- Julia.
"Yes, Julia. That was like...something we bonded over, I guess. That we both wanted to be engineers." Noelle said.
"Oh. How cute." I said sarcastically. I knew I was being an immature, jealous girlfriend but I couldn't stop myself in this moment.
"Harley." Noelle looked at me, "Don't be like that."
"Don't be like what? Slightly uncomfortable that my girlfriend is going to be seven hours away with her ex?"
Noelle sighed, "You have literally nothing to worry about, I promise. When I tell you what I felt for Julia does not compare an ounce to what I feel for you, I mean it."
I felt my demeanor soften a bit, "Are you sure?"
"Am I sure? I am absolutely positive. Julia was always causing so much drama. Making fights out of nothing. But you're the complete opposite- like a breath of fresh air. With Julia I always felt like I had to put on a front- try to show how smart or tough I was in front of her. But it with you, I can just be myself. And I've never had that before, with literally anyone." Noelle said.
"I love you." was all I could truly think to say back. She didn't have to reassure me like that, but she did. And it made me feel better.
"I have an idea. Over spring break, in April, I am going to visit my dad for a few days. Drive down to where he lives again. Would you want to come with me?" Noelle asked me.
"Of course I would." I said, "Are you sure your dad would be fine having me come with you?"
"Definitely. He asks about you all the time when I talk to him on the phone."
"Well then I guess we are going on a road trip." I smiled at Noelle.
"To the middle of fucking nowhere Pennsylvania." Noelle laughed.
I didn't want to mention to Noelle yet that I had been thinking about possibly moving close to her college when I graduated from cosmetology school. So we would only have to do long distance for a year rather than four. But I would mention sometime. Could I be visiting my future home? I guess I would have to see.