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Congratulations! you have now successfully submitted your application for first year students to Charleston college.
I let out a shaky sigh as the laptop screen illuminates over my face, the submission confirmation staring back at me dauntingly.
I crack a small smile, excitement rushing through my body as I finally take back some sort of semblance of control over my life.
I don't want to sit back and let my life be dictated for me anymore, not wanting to just wait for it to be served to me on a silver platter like I've been so prominently reminded of for most of my life.
I'm painfully aware of the fact that the college I've applied for is in Charleston, a decent distance from the OBX, a decent distance from Rafe specifically.
But that small part of independence that's flickering inside of me again, is telling me that I shouldn't care. That our relationship is something that should simply stay in the past, something to grow and learn from.
I know deep down that really isn't the case, that it'll quite literally kill me to have to leave him for good, that I won't be able to function properly without him by my side.
Even as hard as it is to admit to myself, I need Rafe. I need him like I need water to survive, like I need oxygen to stay alive. He is my life line, whether I like it or not.
But that needs to change, I need to change.
No more bubble wrap for me.
"You okay? You seemed distracted today" Rafe says from beside me, lightly tugging on my hand to gain back my attention.
I blink a couple times, his voice finally registering in my mind as I turn to look at him, giving him a small smile of reassurance.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm good" I tell him as we walk across the dense sand of the boneyard, towards the crowds of drunken teens partying.
"Did you even hear what I was saying?" He asks me with furrowed brows, obviously growing unhappy at the lack of attention I'm giving him.
"Uhm... no" I purse my lips to hide my smile. My mood has been on an elated high all day, ever since I submitted my college application, knowing that soon enough I could be starting a new life, somewhere else, somewhere out of Outer banks.
"You're being weird" he states in a suspicious tone, the grip he has on my hand tightening slightly.
"Am I?" I laugh softly, enable to wipe the giddy smile from my face.
I can practically hear him rolling his eyes by my side, his hand letting go of mine as he repositions it on the small of my back, keeping a tight hold on me as we get closer to the commotion of the party.
"Remind me again why we're on the cut?" He practically spits out in disgust, his icy blue eyes darting around his surroundings as if I've just taken him to the worst place imaginable.
