Page 64 of We're At It Again

He chuckled.

“I could tell.” He said, leaning down to capture my lips in a kiss.

The kiss was soft and steady yet filled with an unspoken promise. My heart was still racing when we pulled away.

“Valentine’s Day is coming up.” I said, searching his face for a reaction. I felt him stiffen as his hold on me tightened. His eyes darted around the garage, avoiding my gaze. “Are you okay?”

He pulled away and ran his fingers through his hair.

“I forgot to do something. I’ll see you later.”

He leaned down to kiss my cheek, but the gesture felt rushed and distracted. Before I could question him, he was halfway out of the garage towards his bike, leaving me confused.

?

I was sitting in my room with Maya, discussing the events in Hudson’s garage a few days prior.

“So, he ran out of his garage?” she asked, leaning against my stacked pillows.

“He couldn’t get out of there fast enough. One mention of Valentine’s Day was like the plague.”

My mom knocked on my door with the widest smile I have ever seen on her face. She held up an envelope with a familiar emblem on it. I gasped, recognizing it as a letter from my dream college. The one I never thought I’d have ever applied to. My heart raced as my mom handed it to me. I felt a mixture of nerves and anticipation, my hands trembling. Maya and my mother urged me to open it, their faces full of encouragement. I tore it open and pulled out the letter. My eyes scanned the words before I squealed in delight.

“I got in!” I exclaimed; my voice filled with joy.

My father, who had been nearby, rushed into the room at the sound of my excitement.

“What’s going on?” he asked, looking around at our beaming faces.

“I got into college, Dad!” I said, waving the acceptance letter in the air.

My parents and Maya took turns embracing me, their congratulations filling the room. We shared a special moment, their pride and happiness palpable. I felt a warmth spread through my chest, knowing how much this meant to all of them.

“I need to share this with Hudson.”

My excitement was still bubbling over. I grabbed my coat and walked out with Maya, who hugged me one last time before we parted ways. I hurried across the street to Hudson’s house, my heart still pounding. His dad was outside, working on a car in the driveway.

“I got into college, Mr. Wilder!” I called out as I dangled the letter in front of me.

He looked up and smiled.

“I knew you could do it,” he said, giving me a proud nod. “Congratulations.”

I thanked him and made my way upstairs to Hudson’s room. I knocked on his door and noticed it was slightly open. Pushing it open further, I found him sitting at his desk, hiding a piece of paper as he saw me.

“What’s that?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“Nothing important,” he replied, standing up and walking towards me.

I decided not to press the issue, my excitement took over.

“I got accepted.”

He glanced down at the acceptance letter in my hand. A wide smile spread across his face as he pulled me into a tight embrace.

“I’m so happy for you, Snow.” He said, his voice full of genuine pride. He leaned down and kissed me, our joy mingling in that sweet moment. “I knew you could do it.”

He took the letter from my hands and looked at it, his smile growing even wider when he saw it was from my dream school.

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