to live for the hope of it all.

Chapter 5

August 22nd, 2023

"Take this rock and start a fire,
Raise this up, we're feeling high,
They can't tell us anything,
Something big is happening..."

Beckett

She just got out of a relationship and her grandfather basically just told me to make a move. In front of her.

Told me to make a move. In front of her.

Good God. This is humiliating.

Bailey is sitting at the table while Delilah shows her all her new school supplies for school in a few days, and I'm headed towards Grandpa Matt to make sure I'm not dreaming what he yelled.

Please tell me I'm dreaming.

"Please tell me you did not yell that aloud," I whisper.

"Bet your ass I did, boyo. She's been done with Brady way before they broke up, now is your time."

Nodding my head toward the hallway, he follows after me.

"Grandpa Matt, I don't like her like that."

Lie.

"Sure, boyo," he scoffs sarcastically.

"I'm serious. You can't say things like that, I've hardly spoken to her."

Because you're too chicken shit.

"That's why you make her those flowers every year? Why I catch you doing your homework on the front porch so you can listen to her play piano? Why you get nervous hearing what she has to say about how you play soc-"

"Okay! Okay," I huff. "Jesus, why do you and Caleb say things like that so loud when she's literally within hearing distance?"

"Maybe because you," he pokes my shoulder. "Refuse to do anything yourself."

Am I seriously that obvious?

"I didn't know you knew," I offer weakly.

"Boyo, everyone knows, even your damn dog," he points to Beau at my side before the table where Bailey is laughing at something Delilah says. "Everyone except my granddaughter."

"And you're okay with this? Aren't you supposed to be threatening me for even thinking about her?" I question him. He laughs, and I mean full holding his belly laughing before answering.

"Beckett, you two have grown up next to each other since you were both 7 years old, y'all have classes in school together, we trap y'all here for dinner once a month, we go to every single one of your games, and you have never had a conversation with her that lasts more than a minute, if even that. If it's taken you this long to just talk to her, I don't see a use for threatening you," he laughs, but then his smile turns into a sly smirk. "Plus, I heard her and Wren on facetime last week and they submitted their applications to Pennbrook."

I freeze.

Bailey is applying to Pennbrook? My Pennbrook?

"Pick up your jaw," he laughs. "And do with that information what you shall." He walks back to the kitchen while I stay frozen in the hallway.

Pennbrook University has always been the goal since Caleb's dad took us to our first collegiate soccer game there.

We both have already received offers to play for them, but we haven't signed off for sure yet because we feel like we owe it to ourselves to see what other school's offer. But Pennbrook has always been the plan since we were kids, and I have no doubt it's where we will more than likely end up after dreaming about it for so long.