Stronger than the Boys {1}

Chapter Forty-One - The Future Looks Complicated

My parents came by that weekend with their new addresses in town. My brothers and I had a meeting afterwards. Sky and Hunter got accepted into schools in America and Germany to start in the fall. They both wanted to move as soon as they found a place to stay so they could get jobs. Charles had also been accepted but in Canada, and he was going to stay in dads old apartment, so he didn't want to move until he absolutely had to. (That and he was still trying to complete his senior year of high school here on the island first.)

This whole conversation prompted a conversation with Jay about his future plans and schooling because I truly had none. Jay had plans, however.

"Of course, I want a degree or something. My dad isn't going to hand the pack over to me any time soon or without education past high school. I have a duty, and honestly, I would love some life on the mainland before I'm stuck on islands forever."

This left me with big decisions to make. Would I go to school in two years? What would I study? Would I go far? Would I follow Jay? Or maybe one of my brothers?

I didn't even know where to start looking.

On Monday morning, I marched into the office and asked to speak to the guidance councillor. That's what they're here for, right? To help us when we need guidance. She took one look at me and excused me from my first two classes that morning.

"Alright, tell me what's happening."

I took a deep breath, "okay, so. My parents are in the middle of separating, and I guess they weren't even married in the first place, but they both live apart now. And they also both live with different people who they apparently loved years before, but we've always been such a big, close-knit family that this has been a huge shock for everyone. not to mention now my brothers are getting accepted to universities all over the world and moving soon to Germany and Canada and America and I don't even know what I want to do with my life. Do I go to university? Do I stay on the island and help take care of my younger brothers until they want to go to school somewhere else? Should I follow my boyfriend to his dream school, or do I find my own? What if we're on completely different continents? What if I go to school and I hate it? Am I wasting money?"

I took another deep breath, and the guidance councillor held up a hand to stop me.

"Do you want to talk about your future, your brothers' futures, your parents' futures, or your boyfriend's future?"

I paused. Which was more important?

"Mine?"

She nodded and smiled softly, "alright, so we'll make a five-year plan; how does that sound?"

I nodded, "that sounds great."

I went home that day rather quiet, with a binder full of information about schools and programs and future paths. I didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer like my brothers, I didn't want to design or sew or create as some other people might. But I had to think of something that might be interesting enough to pursue at least four years of education.

I didn't go to training, and when Jay came to check up on me in my room, I barely spoke to him.

For the rest of the week, I read panflits and information booklets and looked at so many websites I thought my eyes were going to dry up. Then I started signing up for tours and informational sessions.

"What is all this?" Jay gestured to my room Friday night when we were supposed to be going out with Zara and Jeremy.

I sighed, "I think I'm having a mid-life crisis a couple of years early."

Jay laughed, "more than a couple of years."

I frowned, "I just don't know what I want my future to look like. So I'm trying to weigh all my options."

He nodded, "want to let me in on any ideas?"

I thought about it for a long moment, "if I dragged you along to schools for tours and informational sessions around the globe would you come with me?"

Jay grinned, "I would absolutely love to come with you. Maybe together, we can find our dream school!"

I smiled, "you want to go to the same school?"

Jay looked at me in disbelief, "I didn't even think there was any question about that."

I pulled him in for a hug, and it surprised him so much that we fell onto my bed and the mountains of paper on top. An overwhelming sense of being right where I was supposed to be came over me, and I couldn't help from crying right then.

"Are you crying? Are you okay?" Jay started to hold me tighter with one arm and wipe my face with the other one.

"I'm totally more than okay," I smiled at him and pulled him in for another kiss.

Jay decided that he and I needed a relaxing day at home, watching movies instead of going out with everyone else. So that was what we did. And in the morning, I let him see all my summer plans.

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Three chapters in one night? You saw that right, folks! One more part and then this story is done! I just want to set it up for the spin-off series I'm so excited to write. Dun dun duuunnnnn....

Smarter than the Vampires!

That's what I'm going to call it, and it's going to feature a girl you'll meet in the next part, so stay tuned! Hopefully, it too will be up tonight, and then this story will finally be finished! Also, keep an eye out for Faster than the Wolves