Forces Beyond The Grave

2.6

At Kaila's mention, Lennox turned to look at Skye with a sudden defensiveness. "Why?"

Skye leant back slightly. "I just...wondered. She's not here."

"Oh. She's out with Caleb, he offered to look at some apartments with her today, I wasn't interested." 

"Cool. So what, you guys are moving out of the house?" 

"As soon as we can. Dad said he'd put towards a new place with the money he got from renting out the apartment after you and Caleb moved out." 

"That sounds good, but it's really expensive around here now. I don't know if you've noticed, but the town has had something of a face lift since you went missing." 

"I did notice. I don't like it much." 

"Neither do I, I liked it the way it was. Some things just don't need to change, you know?"

Lennox didn't reply, but instead thought about Skye's statement. She couldn't help considering if it was just a casual nod to Skye's reluctance to change or a dig at how much Lennox had changed. The thought was quickly shattered by Skye's sudden gasp and excitable taps of her hand on Lennox's arm. 

"I know where you should go!" She beamed, Lennox leaning away from her with a look of pure judgement and confusion plastered on her face. 

"Are you actually gonna tell me or just keep tapping me?" She asked blankly. 

Skye quickly stopped, putting her hand in her lap as Lennox's tone dulled her buzz for a few seconds. When Lennox lifted an eyebrow in anticipation Skye's mischievous smile returned. 

"You should come to college with us!"

The suggestion alone caused a reaction of genuine surprise from Lennox. "College?" "Uh huh." "You can't be serious." "Oh I'm deadly serious, think how amazing it would be. You're 18, and the application deadline isn't for another month, you've got plenty of time to fill one in and start in September."

Plausible, Lennox thought. She narrowed an eye as she broke the suggestion down into the logistics. 

"I didn't finish high school Skye. Nice idea, but I don't think so." She tried to smile politely and then turn her attention back to her dad, but after just a few seconds Skye had another metaphorical lightbulb. 

"You could get your GED." 

Lennox's face scrunched. She slowly angled her head towards Skye, who's grin took up more of her face than ever. Much to Lennox's disappointment, Skye was right - hypothetically speaking she could spend six weeks at her old high school getting her GED, which she knew she would achieve with no problems. It would take her through the summer break and she'd be finished just in time to begin the new college semester for that year. Her face didn't say 'sold', so Skye gave her own persuasive speech. 

"Think about it, if you applied for college now I could talk to the dean and put in a good word for you. He'd most likely give you a conditional offer until you pass your GED and we all know you'd pass with flying colours, and then you could get residency on campus and with the extra money you could even get a bigger room. You'd have something to do through the summer and be ready to start college in the fall, it's the perfect solution."

Lennox just sighed. "I suppose...it's not, an awful idea." 

"Yes!" 

"But if this goes wrong it's your fault."