60| What The Future Holds

Zoey, Althea and Olive were sitting in their usual spot in the ground, watching Zachary and Ethan practise basketball with some of their team players.

It was Althea was broke the comfortable silence. "Guys, I want to tell you something." She said.

"Yeah. Sure." Olive said and turned her head towards her.

Althea tucked a loose lock of her perfectly straightened hair behind her ears and cleared her throat. "Something happened in the jungle."

"What? Were you attacked by a bear and this is your ghost?" Zoey chuckled and earned a scowl from Althea.

"It's serious." She said, looking at Ethan. "Ethan and I kissed. And I told him that I feel something for him."

"Really?" Zoey exclaimed. "Wow."

"Don't be too excited. We haven't talked about it yet. We didn't get any chance to discuss what happened back there." Althea said in distressed voice.

Zoey was about to reply when her eyes fell on Travis and his friends walking towards the ground. Their eyes met momentarily and a small smile appeared on Travis's lips. The memories of yesterday morning rushed through Zoey's mind and a shiver ran down her spine.

"And what if Ethan---" Althea stopped for a second and then started again. "What in God's name is going on between you and Walmart boy?"

"Nothing." Zoey shrugged, keeping her face straight.

"Nothing? You both keep looking at each other, ignoring the rest of the world." Althea commented.

"Hey, we were talking about Ethan and you. Remember?" Zoey said and changed the topic of the conversation back to her.

"Yeah. About that. I don't understand what to do. I mean, Ethan is definitely a bad choice. I should wait for someone who is worth it. Right?" Althea said.

"On the contrary, I think nobody will ever love you the way he does." Olive said.

"You guys are supposed to be on my side." Althea whined.

"We are on your side. I think Ethan will make you very happy, only if you let him." Zoey said.

"Ugh, it's so confusing." Althea yelled, hiding her face in between her palms.

"What is so confusing?" Zachary asked as both boys reached the girls.

"Um... College. I haven't heard back from Harvard." Althea lied, changing the topic completely.

"Too bad. Duke is willing to offer me full scholarship." Zachary grinned proudly.

"As if Dad will let you go there." Althea commented.

"On the other hand, I am not letting Dad decide things for me anymore. He already has a daughter to do that." Zachary said.

"Dad has our best interests in mind." Althea said. "He wants us to join Harvard. That's where the best minds of the country go."

"I am going to Duke and nobody can change my decision." Zachary said in annoyed tone.

Zoey was listening to their discussion silently when something hit her back. Confused, she looked around and found a crumpled piece of paper on the ground. Ignoring the boring discussion going between her friends, she opened the paper ball and read it.

Meet me behind the library building.

Travis.

Barely controlling her smile, Zoey stood up and announced, "I am going to the washroom."

Silently, she made her way to the library building. She had been dying to see him since yesterday. Mostly, once she sleeps with a guy, she loses interest with him but with Travis, it was opposite. The closer she gets to him, the harder it becomes to stay away. It scared her how much she loved being with him.

Once she reached behind the building, she found him standing against the wall, tapping the floor anxiously. Realizing her presence, he raised his head to look at her and walked forwards.

"Looks like someone was missing me." Zoey said with fake arrogance.

"Yes. More than that someone would like to admit." He said and lowered his head, capturing her lips with his own. Their mouths gently brushed against each others while Travis wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

His mouth was becoming vaguely familiar to hers. Was that how dating feels like? She often wondered why people don't get bored of the same person but now she understood why. Being with someone you love was far better than being with a different guy every week.

Wait a second. Love? What the fuck?

She parted immediately and a confused frown appeared on Travis's forehead. "What happened?" He asked.

"N... Nothing." Zoey gulped and once again kissed him, pushing the disturbing thoughts to the back of her mind.

••••••••••••

Sitting in the parking lot, Travis was waiting for Maya and Mario. He looked at the red and white school building, the place where he had spent almost four years. Highschool was almost over. Only two more months before graduation, two more months at this place.

A year ago, he hated this place, he hated all the privileged brats who ruled this world and he hated the teachers who let them. Now, it didn't matter because of a certain brunette. Zoey proved to be a lot different than what he thought of her. She was much more than a rich brat. Her life wasn't as easy as he always considered. She was fighting a battle of her own and so did each one of those rich kids.

"Lost much?" He heard Maya's voice.

Shaking his head to clear these thoughts, he slid inside his car and waited for both to them to settle in.

"I hate him. I hate Zachary." Maya said once she entered inside.

"What did the poor guy do?" Travis asked.

"Poor guy? He is not poor. He is confusing, and a complete idiot." She huffed angrily.

"What did he do? And how long are you going to stay angry with us?" The latter sentence was directed towards Mario.

"Are you talking to me or to your new friends?" Mario said.

Mario was angry at them because they went to the trip with Zoey and her friends without asking him first. His anger was somewhat justified because he had always included them in everything else.

"It won't happen again. I promise." Travis said and Mario just grunted. "Fine. What do you want us to do to earn your forgiveness?"

"My physics assignment. All ten pages. Take it or leave." Mario offered.

"Fine. I'll do it." Travis sighed and then turned his head towards Maya. "And why are you so upset since morning?"

"I told you. It's Zachary. I hate him." Maya snarled.

"Do you?" Travis smirked so to tease her.

"I do." She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, if you say so." Travis said and started the car.

After dropping both of them at their houses, Travis finally reached his own. As he entered inside, his eyes fell on the brown parcel right beside the door. His heart picked up pace when he found the name of Harvard on it. It was a letter that decides his future and just the thought of that made his stomach clench.

Picking the letter up, he went inside the living room where his father was sitting silently in his wheelchair as usual. Ignoring him completely, Travis flopped on the couch and stared at the letter in worry.

After staring at it for some five minutes, he finally tore the packet and opened the letter. As his eyes read the word accepted somewhere in the letter, his mind stopped working and for a moment, he didn't know how to react.

"I got into Harvard." He whispered to himself because the other person in the room doesn't care about anyone. "I am going to Harvard on scholarship." This time, he said louder.

Moisture blurred his vision and he blinked a few times. Lifting his head, he stared at his father who never speaks. Unlike his expectations, there was a smile on his face, a small but proud smile. Travis mirrored his smile briefly and wiped the wetness from his eyes.

••••••••••

The first thing Travis did was to tell his mom about the letter. He reached the Crawford mansion and went straight to the kitchen where Rose was making lunch. As soon as he showed her the letter, tears welled in her eyes and she hugged him.

"Have you eaten anything?" She asked after five minutes of crying in happiness.

"No. I am not hungry." Travis said, wiping her tears with the handkerchief.

"Wait. The lunch is almost ready. Eat some before leaving." She said and stood up.

Nodding, Travis peeked into the lounge to check if Zoey was here. When he didn't find her, he asked Rose nervously. "Where is Zoey?"

"In her room. Why?" She asked.

"Um... I had to talk about our assignment." Travis lied.

Leaving the kitchen, he made his way to the stairs and from there to Zoey's room. Knocking on the door, he entered inside and found her lying on her stomach and scrolling down her mobile.

"What is it, Rose?" She asked.

Smiling, Travis reached her on the bed and crawled on top of her.

Rotating her neck, Zoey stared at the intruder in confusion. "What are you doing here?" She asked, shifting beneath him so she was lying on her back.

Travis stared at her pretty face right below him. Leaning downwards, he placed a small kiss at the corner of her lips, that caused her to blush slightly.

"What was that for?" She asked, biting her lips.

"I received my acceptance letter from Harvard." Travis said, smiling from ear to ear.

Zoey's jaw hung low at this as she stared at him with widened eyes. "You applied to Harvard? And you got accepted?" She shrieked.

"Apparently." Travis grinned.

"Oh my God! You must be smarty smart. Wait a second, you are smarter than Althea because she didn't receive one yet." Zoey said and pulled him down for a hug.

"Apparently." He repeated proudly, returning her hug enthusiastically.

"I am so proud of you, Travis." She said and rolled him around on the bed because his weight was crushing her. After that, she hopped over him and straddled his waist. "This news made my day."

"What about you? Are you going somewhere close to Harvard?" Travis asked, holding her by her thin waist. His fingers tickled her sensitive skin as he made small circles.

"I am not going to college." Zoey said and this time, it was Travis who looked shocked.

"Hey, don't think like that. You will get admission." He said.

"Really? Because last I remember, I didn't submit any application." Zoey said.

At this, Travis' face turned serious and he sat up straight, putting her down on the bed. "But why?" He asked.

"Because not everyone wants to go to one. I don't think I want to spend next 4 years in a stupid college because let's be honest, I am not getting in a great one with my scores." Zoey shrugged.

"What else will you do then?" He frowned.

"I'll open up a boutique or something. My grandparents had left me a lot of money, like a lot. I want to do something with it." Zoey said. "I may not be book smart but I have many other skills. Don't worry, I'll manage."

When Travis didn't speak up for a second, she asked, "Why? A girlfriend who didn't go to college doesn't sound appealing?"

"It's not that. I am just surprised." Travis whispered. "Besides, it's your decision so I totally support it, trial girlfriend."

"Thanks, trial boyfriend." Zoey smiled, looking at him in awe.

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