Falling for Josh Carter

h's

orward, as i

background, just as quick

s around-laughing with Ryan, sprawled on our couch, talking on the phone ab

s periphery, a familiar face in a h

that, he stopped c

photos with my parents, and celebrated with his friends-all while I

at his gradu

utside of our home, outside of Ryan, outside of me. He had m

name in pass

n for some deal," or "Josh just bought another compa

or vi

for

fo

hat, he became a

mself, he was a journalist, always traveli

I buried myself in schoo

s, and college applications. I worked harder than ever, pouring everything into my academi

me through it all, just

competing over test scores, dreaming about

on my bed, flipping through an admissions brochure. "Yo

d pict

d, getting lost in the city's endless energy. I could see

rld had ot

ed, I sat in my room, staring at my lapt

aptop, her knee bouncing anxiously. "O

my pulse

two...

lic

mail

here

have been admitted to

t, I couldn

d do

gott

bubbling up in my chest-only t

her screen once,

she exhal

w tha

meone trying t

h dropped

laugh. "Well. Looks like I'm

t like a punc

wn acceptance letter

" I wh

er voice was tight.

ached.

mile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I go

C

the c

ely diffe

red so clearly-the one with Leila by my si

wasn't com

going to