Dear Future Husband

May 30, 2019

Dear Future Husband,

I need school to be over.

I'm so tired of everything.

Teachers are just starting to lay on the final projects, the school's temperature is rising faster than I can fill up my water bottle, and the cafeteria's supply of good chicken tenders is dwindling. All the signs of a summer so close, yet still beyond our reach behind the wall of finals.

It doesn't help that Romeo is sick and I don't know what is wrong with him. All of his puppy energy has been sapped right out of him and all he does is sit around, sleep, and lick himself. He licks everything. My blanket was wet this morning and I thought he had an accident, but he had just licked the bed so much it was soaked in puppy saliva. He hasn't been eating either despite my attempts. I've completely ditched dog food and tried to entice him with steak, ice cream, mashed potatoes, you name it. He doesn't even beg for table scraps and it's starting to worry me. I've been meaning to take him to the vet but I have no time, nor does Grant or anyone else in my family so I'm hoping I'll catch a break soon.

Field hockey is going well though and there's no doubt we will win sectionals. Results are in for next year's student council and I am president of the class of 2021 once again! My friends and I are still going strong and will probably spend all summer together so I've set myself up nicely for next year.

As for Grant, he will be a very nice addition to my summer too.

Yeah, I forgave him for the whole cheating thing. How could I not? It was hard, and I'm still not happy about it, but I've moved on. It's too hard not to. That doesn't mean I've forgotten though.

Today in chem instead of sitting in my usual spot in front of him, I sat a few seats to the left with some of my friends, and he looked very confused when he came in.

I tried to avoid his gaze as I took my seat, pretending mto look busy in my notebook.

"Alina." I heard him say.

I looked up and saw him gesturing to the uninhabited seat in front of him. I just shook my head.

During the lab he caught me at one of the sinks as I rinsed out test tubes.

"I thought you're not mad anymore." He said.

"I'm not." I said, taking a deep breath.

"Then why didn't you sit with me?"

"Just wanted to sit with Meg today."

"So you will sit with me tomorrow?"

I tightened the faucet closed and turned to face him. "I don't want another fifty."

He groaned, putting his hands over his face. "I'm not going to do it again."

"I'm just watching my back, okay? Besides, not having me sit in front of you is probably a good thing."

"You can trust me, Alina. You trust me, right?"

I opened my mouth to say something but someone dropped a beaker behind me and hydrochloric acid was hissing on the floor so I didn't get a chance to get a word out, which I was grateful for because I had no idea what to say. Did I trust Grant? I don't know. I shouldn't let something so small determine that, but it was so small. If he couldn't get the little things right, how could I be sure he wouldn't screw up the big things?

I'll forgive him, but I can't forget this.

Xoxo, Alina