My Starseed Meets Me In A Different World

CHAPTER LXIX

Melinda

The grand opening of many grand closings.

Springfield, MA; Age 18.

"You know Melinda..."

"What?"

"You'd be perfect if you didn't talk so much."

Mid-sentence I had been cut off by my boyfriend Kiran, the sixth time actually, not that I was counting. I was really excited when he came to visit me from his university so we could spend time together; long distance in a relationship especially when it was fairly new was exhausting. Though I wouldn't admit it to his face, I preferred the space, whenever Kiran was around it was only a matter of time before he would attempt to get physical and I'd immediately get uncomfortable.

Being across several states or behind a computer screen sort of protected me from a scenario such as that happening.

But today... today I genuinely was excited to see him because there was so much I had accomplished in just a short period of time. Graduation from both high school and the college I had been attending was approaching, not to mention there was also prom; Kiran said he would dip out of school long enough to be my date to the event so I guess I had nothing to worry about that front.

Though that wasn't why I was as stoked as I was it was because I had gotten into my dream school!

Dartmouth College.

Ever since I set my eyes on the remote and comfy campus I was sold that I wanted to attend there. I was never for the large and grand-scale atmospheres that a lot of these particularly well-off ivy leagues tended to boast about it; something about the atmosphere of New Hampshire—Hanover to be exact just reminded me of home, the solitude of being close and near to loved ones was also an added benefit I'll say that.

Both Andrew and I had gotten in together, so ill say it was an absolute sign that it was meant for the both of us to be there.

Don't get me wrong I was happy that I also got into other places such as Harvard, Princeton, Standford, etc. I applied to a lot of places and I did win a lot of scholarships and grants to attend these places in addition to that, but those were all my backups in case I didn't get into my true desired school. I was now free to celebrate in peace.

And speaking of celebration my mother hadn't stopped cheering since I got the notification of my acceptance through the mail. She's called just about every single family member in Jamaica to brag about how all these schools wanted me and how it was just a matter of choosing which one was best for me. Mom wanted me to go to Harvard but that would mean not being able to be with Andrew and live our college experience together.

I didn't want to go there either, again big-city pretentious school vibes.

Dartmouth just had such a laid-back energy to it that made me feel comfortable; they were serious about what they did and who they were, but they didn't need to scream it from the mountaintops for everyone to know.

And I was telling Kiran all of this, even down to the professors that I already started emailing in the Chemistry and Physics department to chat about their research papers and any strides they had made in their field when he stopped me once more to let that comment out.

I had completely frozen. Unable nor unsure of how to respond to something like that. He said I'd be "perfect" if I didn't talk so much. But how would he know all of this if I had just kept quiet? I thought he'd be happy for me but I was feeling more self-conscious the longer he stared at me with a rather bored and dull expression.