Page 9 of Love to Defy You
The bitter truth? Alek is out of my league. He’s hot, rich, and commands every room he walks into, not to mention he’s good at sports, school, and fluently speaks at least four languages.
And then, there’s me, the slutty girlfriend on his arm. I’m good at blowing guys, and that’s pretty much my only skill set. All I’ve done for the past few years is fuck up my life over and over, and until this moment, all I had to show for it was graduating high school by the skin of my teeth and a viral porn video on the internet. Not exactly boss bitch material.
But I made him proud today.
I pull away and grin. “I’m going to call my dad.”
Alek brushes a stray hair from my cheek. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled by the news.”
After one last peck on his cheek, I gather my phone and acceptance packet off the dining room table, then make my way into the sitting parlor across the hall. My favorite oversizedreading chair sits beneath the window overlooking the blue Mediterranean, which stretches for miles into the distance and sparkles like glitter beneath the sun.
I dial my dad, who picks up after two rings, and his warm voice fills my ear. “Hey, kiddo, good to hear from you.”
My dad and I haven’t always had an easy relationship, and it took a lot of work to get here. But after Alek, he’s the first person I want to share the news with. I’m sure this need to please my boyfriend and my father stems from daddy issues, but I can unload all that in therapy one day if I ever go back.
“Actually, I’m calling with some news.” I take a deep breath. “I got accepted to Weltner.”
“What? Are you serious?” His smile is audible through the phone, and it’s infectious.
“Yeah, I’m serious. I start in the fall.”
He blows out a breath. “Oh, honey, I’m so proud of you. I know how hard you worked to get in. You’ve earned this.”
A stinging sensation burns at the corners of my eyes. “Come on, don’t get all sappy on me.”
“Hey, my kid just got into Weltner. I have the right to be a little sappy.” His voice wavers, and he sniffs before composing himself. “Anyway, now that you’re in, you’ll have to send me the dates for your spring break.”
“Spring break? What for?”
“Well...” He takes a dramatic pause. “Galina wants to get married in the spring. We found a venue, but we were waiting to solidify the date. We don’t want you taking any time off school.”
My cheeks hurt from all this grinning. “I’ll find out the dates and let you know.”
“Thanks. Anyway, I have to get back to work, but don’t worry about tuition, okay? Your college fund will cover it. I’ve been saving up since the day your mother found out she was pregnant with you.” He chuckles.
“Thanks, Dad. I really appreciate it.”
“I’m proud of you, kiddo. Your mom would be too if she were here.”
There goes that stinging sensation in my eyes again, except this time it’s accompanied by a lump at the base of my throat. “That means a lot.”
“All right, I love you. Talk soon.”
“Love you too. Bye.” I end the call with one hand and stare at my acceptance letter in the other. With the back of my hand, I swipe a stray tear from my face.
“That’s right, Mom,” I whisper. “I did it. Took me long enough to get my shit together, huh?”
Getting into college was the hard part. Now, I have to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life and which degree program will get me there. But with the admissions hurdle out of the way, it feels like the pieces of my life are starting to fall into place.
I just need to make sure I don’t fuck it all up.
Chapter 4
Willow
Walking through the airport in Zurich reminds me of the day I landed in Andarusia for the first time. Back then, I was a bitter teenager with a bad attitude toward my new life. I didn’t see it as an adventure; I saw it as a way for a father I barely knew to exert control over me. Not only did I despise him but I loathed everyone around me, and I wasn’t afraid to let them know—including Alek.
It’s crazy how much a year and a half can change a person.
