The Boy Next Door

Chapter 14

⠀⠀⠀Hayden dips her spoon into the carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream resting on her bed in between her and Wyatt. She's got her spoon in one hand and her phone in the other, refreshing her email every couple seconds to see if the one from NYU admissions has come in yet. The first round of decisions are coming out today, and it has been her dream school ever since she was a little girl. She needs to get in.

⠀⠀⠀"Anything yet?" Wyatt asks.

⠀⠀⠀She shakes her head and refreshes again with no news still.

⠀⠀⠀He wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his chest. "You'll get in."

⠀⠀⠀She sighs. "I hope so."

⠀⠀⠀"Just relax, Hay. It'll be here any minute now," he soothes.

⠀⠀⠀"What about you?" she asks. "What are you doing for college."

⠀⠀⠀"I'm not," he says. "I want to keep doing what I'm doing here. I'm going to keep working with my horses and teaching kids to ride, and I'm gonna keep working in the fields. I don't need no degree for that."

⠀⠀⠀"I don't know what I want to do. I'm not really good at one specific thing to the point that I want to do it for the rest of my life," Hayden says.

⠀⠀⠀"You can do whatever you want to do. You'll be great," Wyatt tells her and kisses her softly on her cheek.

⠀⠀⠀She smiles and nestles into the soft fabric of his hoodie. With her phone still in her hand, she refreshes her email one more time, and a new message appears. It's the message she's been waiting for.

⠀⠀⠀Hayden straightens up and tucks her hair behind her ears. She takes a deep breath and clicks on the email. Her eyes scan over the message, and then she looks at Wyatt.

⠀⠀⠀"I got in!" she squeals. She throws her arms and moves herself onto his lap, kissing him.

⠀⠀⠀"I knew you would," he murmurs, kissing her again.

⠀⠀⠀She smiles against his kisses. "I love you."

⠀⠀⠀"I love you too, Hay."

⠀⠀⠀She cups his face in her hands and plants a long kiss on his lips. "I need to go tell my mom, but I'll come back."

⠀⠀⠀"I'll be here."

⠀⠀⠀Hayden practically leaps off her bed and towards her bedroom door. Wyatt can hear her screaming "Mom" throughout the house. There's a pause and then the tell tale sounds of celebration.

⠀⠀⠀She comes running back into her room and jumps on top of him, pressing their lips together once again.