summer romance (e.d.)

thirty-nine

anna

wednesday afternoon, i roll up to the front of the big house to pick up lisa and cameron.

at 2:00 sharp, only lisa appears with a broad smile.

"hi, anna," she gushes warmly. "how're you doing today?"

still nervous from last night's close encounter, i nervously smile. "i'm doing well, and you?"

"just peachy," she sighs out, strapping her bag to the back.

"no cameron today?" i ask.

"nope," she says, sliding in next to me in the front. "she's busy with extra summer classes."

"okay," i say nervously, pulling out of the open gate.

"the craziest thing happened last night," lisa says after a bit.

"oh really?" i ask, trying to sound innocent. "what happened?"

"i was reading a book at around midnight, and i heard the gate open. isn't that weird? well anyway, i checked it out and i didn't find anyone, so it must've been a glitch."

the tone of her voice makes me realize that she does not think it was just a glitch. but i'm innocent until proven guilty, right?

also— the gate doesn't make any noise when it opens. hank slaps that thing with wd-40 at least twice a week. she couldn't of heard it, so she must've been watching out the window.

"that's odd," i nod, turning into the country club lot. "but you didn't find anything?"

"nope," she shakes her head. "but, did you happen to see anything? were you awake at midnight? i went into ethan's room to see if he knew if anything, but he wasn't there."

"i went to bed at 9 last night," i lie. "but i do know for a fact that ethan takes midnight runs sometimes, so it might've been him? that would explain why he wasn't in his room when it happened."

she thinks for a moment, and i realize how easily the lie fell off my tongue.

"actually," she mumbles, looking off into the distance. "that might be it."

i nod quickly. "i would think so."

her genuine and warm smile reappears as she hops out and grabs her bag at the first hole. i think lisa dolan is a great businesswoman, mom, and friend, but i think she has problems with trying to control everything. ethan's an adult, and she needs to realize that.

i'm deep in my thoughts until hole 9, when she suddenly calls my name.

"yes?" i ask, snapping out of my trance.

"are you and liam still a thing?" she asks, small smile on her face. "i heard from the boys and cameron. he's nice, isn't he?"

nodding, i respond, "liam's very nice, but it just wasn't really working. i didn't feel a click, or anything. does that make sense?"

"oh, totally," she agrees, trading her pitching wedge for a putter. "but is there anyone that you have set your eye on? i'm sure i could put in a good word, if they're a member."

"nope," i shrug apologetically. "just focusing on my job here and my future."

she seems to buy into my lie, and nods. "well, i've started writing your referral. it has to be in before early august, right?"

"that's preferred," i suggest. "but no rush, i promise. they just like it early so i don't have to move in like, a day before school actually starts."

"right now you're technically enrolled into USC, right?"

"yes, but i've talked to the administrators and let them know that i might back out if stanford accepts me, and they said that's good news for an extra person on the wait list," i shrug.

"after i send in my referral, how long will it take to see if you're accepted off the wait list or denied?" she asks further, genuinely wondering.

"they said it would only take about a week. so that gives me the rest of august to unenroll from USC and turn in a copy of my transcript for stanford."

"sounds confusing!" she laughs. "but i'm glad you have your heart set on something. i'm sorry if the referral doesn't get in you. i promise i'll do my best to talk you up."

"USC is still a good school, no matter if it's my dream. i just had the opportunity to get in, and i'm trying to take it. it's definitely last minute, but doable."

she nods. "that's admirable, your ambition. i'll have to put something like that in my writing."

i smile, then realize something.

if i get denied from stanford for good, USC is only 20 minutes away from where ethan's going.

but if i get in...

it's 5 hours.