Page 47 of Faking Forever 1
Her mouth begins to gape open, insinuating a bit of shock,
“No. No, honey, I didn’t. Rich hadn’t mentioned it ever, either.”
So it was a secret—a top one.
“He told me he got accepted before I left. Then, last night, on the boardwalk, he told me it was a lie. The excuse was such bullshit…”
I pause, revisiting how I felt in that moment with him. I hate it more the second time. The sound of my mom huffing out a heavy breath of air pulls me back in.
“Did you listen to him at all?” she places her hands on her hips.
“I couldn’t get over the idea of him lying, so—not exactly.”
I look down, waiting for the lecture.
She walks closer to me, wiping her hands on a dirty towel.
“I know it may sound bad, but take it from his perspective.
Josh has had a pretty wild couple of years, Paisley. Did you ever think it was a little more complex than that?”
I didn’t. And now I felt guilty. Maybe it was too hard, or other things took up more space in his brain. Regardless, why hold it above his head? He can’t control not getting accepted.
“We’re growing up really fast. What if we aren’t meant to 110
SO YESTERDAY
be in each other’s lives forever like that?”
Something had to justify this sudden multitude of feelings that were coming over me.
“Or—and hear me out—what if you’re just a couple of kids who are hormonal and need some space.”
Mom counteracts my internal breakdown. The tables didn’t take long to turn, but I wasn’t planning on keeping London a secret. It’s just too big.
“Something else bothering you?” she responds to my silence.
“Yeah, actually, there is.” I tuck my hair behind my ears.
“Go on.” she waits.
“I got into the London program for the fall.”
Her face goes white, all the tan draining immediately.
“No…”
“Yes.”
I nod as she winds herself up.
“No!” she grabs me, squeezing me.”
“Yes!” I laugh, holding onto her.
She wanted this for me more than anything. As did my dad.
Of course, I did, too, but now that I had my Josh back, I’d been roped back into only wanting to know what he thought.
