The Story of You and Me

Chapter 31

Dylan

I lean against the counter and leaf through the pile of mail I found resting there. All I see are bills until I get to the bottom of the stack. When I see the formally typed return address on the last envelope I nearly drop the entire stack on the floor.

My heart beats frantically as I hastily toss everything else on the counter behind me, my eyes never moving from that return address. Stanford University. Stanford, California 94305.

The contents of this envelope hold the key to my future and I desperately want to know what the letter says. At the same time my mind is screaming at me that this has the potential to absolutely destroy me just as much as it has the power to let me fly.

With shaking hands I turn the letter over and slowly slide my finger under the seal, breaking it. I slowly pull out the letter, reminding myself over and over again to breath.

Dear Dylan,

I take great pleasure in offering you admission to Stanford's class of 2020.....

I scream without even realizing it. I hear footsteps hurrying quickly towards the kitchen but I don't care as I continue reading, drinking in the words. "What is going on? Dylan are you alright?" My mother's voice asks.

I look up from the letter at her with a huge smile on my face. "I got into Stanford!" I squeal excitedly. Her face pinches together at my words. "Oh, Dylan." She says in a tired voice, giving me a look, "It's so far away, I thought we talked about this."

I stare at her, dumbfounded. "Did you not hear me?" I question, "I just said I got into Stanford, as in Stanford University, the second best medical school in the U.S." She just gives me another tired look.

"Dylan, I thought I made this clear, I just don't think medical school is a good fit for you. I feel like you would be better somewhere else, in a different field." I stare at her and then shake my head.

"Do you realize what you're doing?" I ask, trying to keep my temper in check. "Because I don't think you do. You don't realize that you're pushing me away by the minute. Everytime I talk to you, you act like I'm inferior, you're so condescending. When are you going to realize that this isn't your decision to make, it's mine and I'm going to be the one to make it. Not you." I take a breath before continuing.

"I just don't think that you see it, how you treat me, what it's doing to me. You're just driving me farther and farther away every time we do this. Every time you tell me that I'm not good enough or that my dreams aren't realistic enough. I hope you know that eventually you're going to push me so far away that I won't come back. I'm going to get the hell out of here and I'm never going to look back."

My breathing is heavy by this point and once I'm done we both stand there staring at each other, seething. She opens her mouth to say something but then closes it again, trying to process what just happened. I shake my head, and storm to the back door, shoving it open. "Just so you know, they gave me a full ride. Thought I'd tell you since you didn't care enough to ask."

With that I walk out of the house and slam the door behind me as hard as I can. Once outside my breathing starts to slow and the reality of what just happened starts to sink in. By the time I reach Cole's house there are tears streaming down my face.

I knock on his door and moments later it opens, revealing his father on the other side. "Dylan!" He says surprised, "Are you okay?" I shake my head, "Can I see Cole?" I ask, my voice a little shaky.

"Of course." He steps back and lets me enter. "Thanks," I say softly before moving past him and up the stairs to Cole's room. I knock on the door, "It's open." He calls. I push it open and step in, "Dylan, what's wrong?" He asks, jumping to his feet.

I open my mouth to tell him but I'm met with a fresh wave of tears. "Come here." He says, opening his arms. I step into them and melt against him. He pulls me down onto the bed and holds me tightly, kissing my forehead gently. "It's okay Dyl." He whispers against my hair.

Cole

Once the sobs subside a bit she pulls away and looks up into my face. I meet her gaze with a concerned one of my own, reaching out and stroking her cheek. "Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, not wanting to push her or anything. She nods and then, as if changing her mind, shakes her head. She lets out a frustrated sigh, "Just... give me a moment." She says, closing her eyes. "Take as long as you need." I tell her, giving her a squeeze.

I watch as she takes a deep breath, composing herself before she tells me what happened. I didn't want to push but she was starting to scare me. "Me and my mom got into it again." She says, everything suddenly makes sense.

"I'm sorry," I tell her, "It must have been pretty bad." She nods and looks at the ceiling, "Yeah," She says softly, "I finally told her." She whispers, barely loud enough for me to hear. Now I'm confused again.

"Told her what?" I question, staring down at her face. She bites her lip and, even though she's been crying, she's still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

"Everything," She says as if that clarifies things, "I told her what she's doing to me, how it makes me feel." She sniffs and looks away from me, visibly trying not to cry again. "I said that one day I'm going to get the hell out and never come back."

I stare at her for a long moment, shocked and strangely proud that she actually got up the nerve to tell her mom that. "Dylan," I begin but she cuts me off. "No, I know what you're going to say. That I was stupid and shouldn't have done that."

I give a little laugh and shake my head, "Actually I was going to say that I'm proud of you for finally sticking up for yourself." She looks up at me with those big blue eyes. I lean down and kiss her nose, bringing a small smile to her lips. "You're gorgeous you know." I tell her, brushing a few strands of hair from her face and smiling at her.

"I got into Stanford." She says in response to my words. To say I'm shocked would be an understatement. "Are you kidding me?" I ask incredulously. She shakes her head, "No, that's why I got into it with her."

"Dylan, that's f***ing amazing!" I exclaim, I'm so proud of her. "Did they say anything about a scholarship?" She nods and bites her lip again, "Full ride." She whispers. "Dylan!" I yell excitedly, sitting up and pulling her with me.

She stares at me with a surprised expression on her face. "I'm so incredibly proud of you. You got a full ride to one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country and that is something to be proud of. I don't care what your mom says, you should know that you are smart and beautiful and loved. I love you Dylan, with my whole f***ing heart I love you."

That manages to bring a smile to her lips, "Thank you Cole, you have no idea how much that means to me." I lean forward and kiss her, "Someone should tell you they love you every freaking day of the year Dylan becuase you are absolutely perfect." I give her another smile and she wraps her arms around me, kissing me again and again.

"You got into Stanford," I say between kisses, "We should celebrate." She smiles as she leans against me, both of us laying back down on the bed. "I'm with you," She says matter of factly, "That's all the celebration I need."