The Nerd's QB

Rejection

My hands shook as I opened my laptop, logging into my email. I took a sharp deep breath seeing the mail. Did I do it? Did I get in? Opening this without my parents was a bad idea. But I didn't get into any of the other colleges, now if this one rejects me too, I'd never be able to face my parents.

My hands tremble, lips wobble as tears stream out of my eyes. I didn't get in. Harvard wait-listed me.

This is the third rejection. First Stanford, them Yale and now Harvard. What was the point of working so hard all through highschool just to be rejected. I sniffle, wiping my eyes, but more tears just came out.

I sit there, crying, for who knows how long. I'm so glad no one is here to witness my breakdown, so glad that my parents aren't home. They'd try to cheer me up but I don't deserve it. I'm just a fraud. An idiot who's had her her nose buried in a book all her life only to be rejected.

After I was done crying, that is when my eyes dried out and started hurting way too much, I took another deep breath and stood up. Be brave, Lily, I told myself as I stared into the bathroom mirror.

After I was done washing my face so that I didn't look like a zombie anymore, I grabbed my phone and called my brother. He's my best friend and he always manages to cheer me up.

"Hey, baby! How's it going," Aiden's happy voice floated through the speaker.

I took yet another deep breath. "Good, I just miss you. A lot."

I could hear him chuckling on the other side. "I miss my little-wittle baby bear too."

"Don't call me that." No matter how many times I said it, he never stopped. "So, are you," I was cut off in the middle of my sentence by someone swearing in the background and then Aiden hung up after saying be had to go. I sighed, he's busy, he has his own life. It's not his job to take care of me all the time.

I lay in my bed, contemplating life, I don't even realize when I fell asleep. However, the next morning I woke up to my mother caressing my head. "Good morning, sweetheart. Rough night?"

My mother's sweet voice made it impose to hold back my tears, so I broke down crying again.

My mother held me close and let me cry while simultaneously caressing my head. "Shh it's alright baby. Whatever it is, we'll work through it, I promise."

My cries finally reduced to small sniffles. "I got wait-listed at Harvard," I managed to stutter out, looking down in shame.

"Aw baby, it's alright. This is good too. Maybe you'll actually get in," my mother sounded really happy as she said that. Why's she so happy about it? Doesn't she see that I'm a failure? "Besides, it's just one the few colleges you applied to. I'm sure you'll get some good news soon. Don't cry over such silly things, okay?"

I sniffled, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "okay," I replied in a small voice.

"Good. Now come down for breakfast." My mom patted my shoulder before leaving.

Later that evening, my dad just had to ruin my mood. "Hey, did you hear anything from CALTECH?"

"No. I don't think I'm going to get in."

"I'm sure you will honey." I loved how my dad just believed in me. No matter what the task is, he always believed that I could do it. It's endearing. But also scary because if I didn't manage to do it then I'd be sad that I disappointed him, even though I know that he would never be disappointed in me. "And when you get in, we'll take a week off and go to the beach."

***

"No."

My dad looked pretty done with my stubborn attitude. "Honey, please listen to me. I don't want you living in the dorm."

My mother, as always, supported his nonsensical decision. "Yes, Lily, try to understand. We can't have you living in the dorm with a stranger. We don't know how that person's going to be. What be they're mean? I don't want my daughter living with a mean person. And what if you get sick? You know how easily you get sick, right? Who'll take care of you then?"

"That's right. You're not staying at the dorm. You'll stay with your brother, end of discussion." Why does dad think he gets to have an opinion?

"But dad!" I stomp my feet like a child and blink my eyes really fast to try to get the tears works started. But my tear ducts don't seem tk be on my side today.

"I don't understand why you're so against this idea. Living with Aiden will be good for you, Lily," mom asks.

I throw my hand up. Why don't they understand? "Because!"

Mom shakes her head. "That's not a reason."

"Because Aiden doesn't live alone, mom! He's roomies with his buddy Rex, and you know he scares me." Rex Montgomery, my brother's super hot best friend ever since they were in diapers. The Montgomery family lives right next door to us, which had made my life hell. Until their only child Rex, went off to college. No more Rex to scare poor little me.

Dad frowns, "So what? They have three rooms, you can easily take one. And your brother already agreed to letting you stay. Even Rex has no problem with it."

I shake my head. They don't understand. To them Rex is an angel. But I know the truth. He's nothing but a blood sucking demon. "Please let me stay at the dorms. I promise if I ever get sick I'll call Aiden straight away."

"No. This is non-negotiable."

I stay quiet for a few moments, trying to come up with an idea to make them come on board with me. Bingpot! "Do you really want your daughter living with a guy like Rex, dad," I make my eyes extra wide and pout. "He's a not-good guy. You know his reputation, do you want me to stay in the same house as him? Don't you want to protect your daughter, dad?" This will definitely work. Rex Montgomery is a world-class whore. He'll sleep with anything in a skirt and everybody in town knows that. My poor father seems to have forgotten that, but now that I reminded him of Rex's incandescent reputation, he'll definitely let me stay at the dorm.

But to my surprise, dad just laughs while mom puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. "He wouldn't try anything with you, dear. Don't worry about that. Besides your brother will be there too."

I huff. If this didn't work then nothing will. "Fine, I'll be roomies with Rex. But blame me if he knocks me up." I stomp out of there, knowing full well that that will never happen.