I genuinely did not understand how Lloyd had so much energy when he was on the go all the time.
He had already left the bed after kissing me goodbye on my forehead, setting off for his early early morning trainings. The times that I used to despise, the early hour that had haunted me so much that it became my normal.
Luckily, Garmadon was not shy about his soft spot for me. I was granted a pass for my morning lesson (but I 'absolutely had to attend the afternoon session, no excuse'), so I got to stay in bed for longer.
Hell, I was happy enough just to have a sleep in. That was the best Christmas present anybody could give me, excluding the dragon necklace Lloyd got me. That would always be my favourite.
Unfortunately, however, my body clock had shifted. While I had the opportunity to sleep the early hours away, I found myself unable to. I was too used to the early mornings.
I stared at the ceiling of Lloyd's room blankly and mentally cried.
Deciding to at least be a bit productive, I grabbed my phone to scroll through the notifications I'd missed during the two weeks on Mahō no Shima. I drifted through the list mindlessly, eyes unfocused and brain uncaring.
My thumb stopped.
I had an email.
My lips parted in surprise as I stared at the address.
No way. Surely not. This soon after? Sure, it'd been three weeks, but that still felt way too fast. What was the normal turn around period for these kinds of things? Why was I asking myself that question? I'd only been to one college interview. It's not as if I had other experiences to compare it to.
'May as well get it over with,' I thought to myself with a sigh. My gut was twisting in a way that made me feel a little too sick for my liking. 'I probably didn't even get in, anyway. Not after the attack - Borg probably doesn't want anything to do with me. I'm not smart enough to enrol at his college. The acceptance rate is so low. Besides, what's good about college, anyway? Sure, I really wanted to continue studying and the courses his institute offers are incredible but-'
During my mental ramble, I clicked on the email.
My heart stilled for the second time that morning before racing so fast that I blinked and found myself barreling down the hallway.
I crashed against the doorway of the dining room, startling those at the breakfast table. Everyone was there, caught mid-conversation and staring at me with bewildered expressions as I stood at the entrance in my pyjamas, panting and wide-eyed. I definitely looked feral. I definitely was too preoccupied to care.
I lifted my phone, the screen showing the email.
"I got in," I announced breathlessly.
Everyone was still for a few long seconds while the news sunk in.
"You got in?" Kai echoed with wide eyes.
"I got in," I repeated to myself.
"She got in!" Jay exclaimed. He raised his glass of water to the ceiling in triumph, as if we'd just won a decade-long war.
"I got in," I whispered once more, because I quite simply couldn't wrap my head around the concept.
I got in. I got accepted to a college with an acceptance rate so small that the only students consisted of geniuses on scholarships and kids whose rich parents bought their way into the ranks.
I was one of those genius kids, apparently.
How the fuck did I get in?
"That's so wonderful!" Misako commented with a proud smile, but I was starting to overthink again. "I knew you had it in you."
Ohh my god. My imposter syndrome reared its head viciously - what if I only got in because Borg knew who I was before the meeting? What if it was just an apology for being attacked in his building? What if I wasn't actually smart - what if I got kicked out before the first semester ends because I can't keep up-
My spiralling thoughts were interrupted by Lloyd pulling me into a hug. It pressed pause, because nothing in this would could ever override a Lloyd hug.
"You deserve this," he murmured into my ear. It took me a few seconds for my brain to tick over and comprehend everything, but then I was throwing my arms around him in flourish. Part of me wondered if he saw the building doubt on my face and read me perfectly like the open book I was (or the exceptional reader he was), or if saying the needed words at the right moments was just another gift that the demigod had.
