Second Lanark

Epilogue - Part 41

Tricia and I were sitting on the locks, looking down at the dark water from the canal. My exams were done and so were hers, but Rob didn't fly out for another two days. Today was the last day the International Students' Office could call to confirm a September start. I had to get out of the dorm room or I was going to go nuts.

Rob was writing his last exam. Tricia and I were sitting here, reflecting on the year we'd had.

"Now that we're out of that room, they're going to call," Tricia said with confidence.

I'd finally broken down and told her I'd applied after Lark was moved off our floor. Rob had talked me into it by saying that blindsiding her later wasn't fair to anyone. She'd cried, then hugged me and said she was going to save all her money from her summer job to come see me. Then, if I never came back, she was going to move to England, too.

"I really hope they call. If I don't hear from them today, tomorrow is going to be unbearably sad. It's entirely possible that I might never see Rob again once he leaves. No matter what, whether I go or stay, things will never be like this again. It'll never be all of us, here, on this floor, at this school, at the same time." I shook my head. "It's a weird feeling. Even weirder than high school ending because I was so ready to be done with high school. I'm not sure I'm ready for this all to end."

"You'll miss the swim team next year, too," Tricia reminded me.

That was also true. Mark had been expelled and, other than a couple of other suspensions on the men's team, the swim team had escaped the inquisition relatively unscathed. I'd even made it to nationals, terrible football song on a mixed tape and all. I chuckled at the memory.

"I will. At least you'll get to see Josh playing on the lacrosse team," I said, trying to look on the bright side.

The football team had been given a one-year program suspension while they sorted out the management of the team. Rather than transferring universities and starting fresh next year somewhere else, a lot of the football players were planning to try out for other varsity sports or just sit out the year here.

"He has to make the team, first. But he and his buddies have been working hard to master the game. It's been fun watching him suck at something. Of course, now he's like amazing at it. So annoying," Tricia said, rolling her eyes. I knew her heart isn't in it, though. She and Josh had caved to their feelings under the threat of Josh leaving the school. The two of them were almost inseparable now and only slightly insufferable. I was glad that Rob and Josh got along so well.

"So," Tricia said, swinging her legs. I hoped her shoes didn't fall off. I wouldn't be going in to rescue them. "What was your favourite thing about this year?"

I leaned back on my hands as I contemplated her question. I loved my major. Most of the people on our floor were awesome. I'd made swimming nationals. I'd met a great guy and I might be going to England next year. I'd had my picture in a national newspaper (the reason for that wasn't good, but I was a lemonade over lemons kind of person).

Even still, there was really only one answer. "My favourite thing?" I asked, looking over at Tricia. "That's easy – it's you. It's our friendship."

Tricia squealed and tackled me so I fell back on the lock. I laughed.

"You're my favourite thing about this year, too!" She laughed and squeezed me tight before letting me go. "I thought for sure you were going to say 'Rob' and then I was going to surprise you by saying that you were my favourite thing."

"Well, I'm not going to lie – Rob's pretty great, too." I grinned at her.

We sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Tricia grabbed my hand. "Come on. The office closes in an hour. If they're going to call, they'll have called by now."

We walked back to Second Lanark and my stomach was a ball of knots. As soon as we walked in, I could see the flashing number one from the answering machine.

"I can't," I said, staring at the phone as though it might bite me. "What if it's just some random call about nothing important?"

"And what if it's the call you've been waiting for these last few months? I'm not stealing that moment from you," Tricia said, sitting on her bed with a bounce. "If it's not them, I'll hold you while you cry."

"I'm going to cry," I admit as I press the button to hear the message.

"Hi Elizabeth, it's the International Students' Office. I am pleased to inform you that you've been accepted on exchange for September 1998..."

I dropped the phone and charged Tricia on the bed, tackling her. "I got in," I screamed.

"You got in!" Tricia screamed back and we bounced on the bed for several minutes. When we finally stopped, Tricia said, "Where?"

I looked at her, dumbfounded. I had no idea. I dropped the phone as soon as I'd heard it was for September. "I have no idea," I admitted. I could have ended up in one of my last place choices. She had a good point. My joy might be short-lived.

As I jumped off the bed, Rob poked his head in the door. "I was coming down the corridor and heard screaming. But you both seem to be alive and there's no man with a knife..." he trailed off and gave me an amused look.

I ran over to him and jumped into his surprised arms. "Guess who's a massive stalker and is moving to England?" I asked. My joy was back in full force.

He laughed and squeezed me tight. "Please tell me it's you," he said in my ear.

I giggled and broke our hug to shove his shoulder. "Yes, it's me!"

"Blimey – that's brilliant. Which train will I be taking?"

"Ah..." I trailed off, looking at the abandoned phone on the floor. "Just a sec." I replayed the message, then I had to replay it again.

When I finally hung up, Rob looked at me with concern. "Whatever it is, we'll make it work."

I took a deep breath. "Is there a female version of a sheep shagger? Cause I think that's going to be me. I got in to Cardiff University. I'm going to be living in Wales."

Rob pulled me back into a hug as he and Tricia laughed.

"If there is a female sheep shagger, you'll have to teach me the ropes when I come visit," Tricia said, jumping off the bed and coming over to us.

Rob looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "She does know what shagging means, yeah?"

I nodded. "She's just that good of a friend," I said, pulling her into our hug. "This is going to be brilliant," I said, hugging them both and using my best mock British accent.

The End

Facebook: Author Wendy Million

Twitter: Wendy_Million

Instagram: million.wendy

Website: wendymillion.com