warmth {complete}

28||so open your eyes and see the way our horizons meet

"Oh, honey, I'm so excited," Mom squeals, smiling broadly at me as we wait for Principal Mitchell to join us in his office. "You're finally gonna be valedictorian!"

"Uh-huh, this is great."

"Katherine, don't be so worried. You're a shoe-in."

"I bet."

Maybe at the beginning of the year I was a shoe-in, but grades have been the least of my concerns recently. Luckily, I go to school with a bunch of dimwits, so at the very least, I'll be salutatorian. I already got into an Ivy League, so I don't really care anyway.

Well, I care a little bit, but not as much as my mother. She's been nervous and anxious all week, waiting for us to get called to the office and given what she thinks is already mine. In all honesty, though, Jamie Wu has been working harder than I ever have in these past few weeks, and she definitely deserves it more than me.

"Ah, the Worthingtons," Principal Mitchell greets, sweeping into the room with a flutter of too-strong cologne and unshaven features. "My favorite people."

Mom laughs and gives me an isn't-this-exciting look. The principal takes his seat, then smiles warmly at us. "So. I bet you're wondering why you were called here."

Another laugh from Mom.

"Well, Katherine, you're one of our best students here at North." My mother's smile slips a little because one of. "You've worked very hard these past four years, and we thank you for setting such an example for your peers. But you haven't participated in many clubs—in fact, you haven't participated in any clubs—so we've been forced to give this position to Margaret Vaughn. And salutatorian is going to Jamie Wu. I'm so proud of your success here, Katherine."

"Thank you, Principal Mitchell," I say, smiling genuinely at him. "Tell Jamie and Margaret I said congrats."

"I will."

My mother walks out before me, and I can tell by the clenching of her jaw that she's going to start complaining the second the door closes behind us. Predictably, she does.

"I cannot believe you aren't valedictorian," she sniffs, folding her arms over her chest and stomping past Mrs. Mathord. "You deserve it much more than Jamie Wu or Margaret Vaughn. And you're much prettier."

"Mom, it's fine. I really don't care. And this isn't Miss America, no one cares if I'm pretty."

"Katherine, you don't have to pretend to be okay with this," she says, patting my cheek sympathetically. "You were robbed."

"I was not robbed— "

"You've worked so hard all these years— "

"Mom, I didn't do anything but turn in assignments on time and pay attention in class. I didn't join any clubs or become class president—being valedictorian is more than grades."

"I know, sweetie, but I wish it was you."

"Yeah, I can tell," I mutter, climbing into the car and turning on the radio before she can say anything else.

I really don't mind that I'm not valedictorian, but her disappointment is taking its toll. I'm not disappointed with myself—I got into an Ivy League, for Christ's sake—but this would be much nicer if she weren't gazing forlornly at the road. I don't even sing as we drive, for the first time in my life.

***

"Hey."

I nod my greeting and fling myself onto the bed next to Griffin. He pulls me back against his chest and buries his face in my hair.

"So what's up?" he asks.

"My mother's grumpy because I'm not valedictorian, and I'm grumpy because my mother's grumpy."

"I'm sorry."

"Ugh."

He laughs into my hair, then runs his hands up my sides and smiles at me. I press my face into the curve of his shoulder so I won't laugh, and he starts an episode of Parks and Recreation. We got hooked after spending all that time with Steph watching it, so here we are. I feel like we're serious, because we never try to impress each other or anything, and all we ever do is kiss and binge-watch shows on Netflix.

I don't mind at all.

A/N: these are so short. ah. it's fine though. i hope you enjoyed, i think i'll try to make this forty chapters. maybe fifty, depending on length. thank you for reading.