Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“Probably for the best,” Carina says, agreeing with my assessment.
Just as I open my mouth to tell her how much I’m not looking forward to the conversation, music is cranked up from the apartment next door. It’s so loud that the wall we share with Ford, Wolf, and Madden practically vibrates.
“Looks like the guys are having another get-together,” Carina says, flicking a glance at the wall as if she can see through it. “Maybe we should head over and be social. I could definitely use a cocktail.”
“Hard pass.” I nix the idea and rise from the chair in one swift movement. “Since I’m home early, might as well hit the books and get ahead in bio stats.”
Carina shakes her head. “You realize that you’re going to burn yourself out before you even get accepted to med school, right?”
Probably, but what other choice is there?
Western is an academically rigorous school, and the pre-med program is even more so. The department is known for weeding out students who aren’t able to hack it. And that’s always been my biggest fear.
Failure.
The last thing I want to do is let my parents down.
Or myself.
“You know, it’s okay to loosen up and have a little bit of fun every once in a while. Ever since we met freshman year, your nose has been buried in a book. And not the fun kind where you learn a new sexual position or how to give a better blowie.”
A gurgle of laughter escapes from me. “There are actually books for that?”
“Oh, yeah.” She wiggles her brows. “I have a whole shelf of them. I’m going to find one for you to borrow. It’s senior year, for goodness’ sake. Your last chance to cut loose and have some fun before the real world encroaches. You need to take advantage of the freedom before it’s too late. Trust me, in a couple years, you’ll regret that you spent so much time at the library instead of cutting loose.”
I give her a placating smile. If I don’t, she’ll only continue to hammer home her point. “You’re absolutely right. I’ll give it some thought.” I jerk a thumb toward my bedroom. “After I study for bio stats.”
Carina rolls her blue-gray hazel eyes as I make my escape before she gets it in her mind to drag me next door. After what happened in the hallway with Ryder, he’s the last person I want to spend time with. And I have zero desire to see all the puck bunnies that will inevitably be clinging to him. I get enough of that when we run into each other on campus.
If that thought leaves a sour taste in my mouth, I ignore it before grabbing my tome of a bio stats book and delving in. There’s something that settles my nerves about focusing my attention on schoolwork. It’s safe. Kind of like wrapping myself in a warm, cozy blanket. After twenty minutes, I roll to the side and yank open the nightstand drawer to grab a highlighter. The pink one. As I bring the tip to my mouth to pull off the chewed-up cap, I notice a folded-up square stuck under the small plastic bar.
Unsure what it is, I tug it free and open it. When it’s spread out across the page of my book, my gaze scans the crinkled paper.
Bucket List for College
1. Make out at the library
2. Skinny dip
3. Karaoke
4. Get drunk at a party
5. Romantic date
6. Orgasm (with another person)
7. Dance at a club
8. Sex in a public place
9. Skip class
10. Fall in love
Talk about a blast from the past. It’s the list I made after high school graduation when I was sitting home while all of my classmates partied their proverbial asses off. Including the guy in the apartment next to us.
I know this because I was spying from my bedroom window and watched him get dropped off by a couple of girls in a convertible before stumbling to his front door. Then, I continued to stare as Lindy Mavis climbed his body like a tree and made out with him.
In that moment, I’d felt like the world’s biggest loser for working so hard and earning the distinction as valedictorian for our graduating class. I’d vowed that college would be different and came up with a list of experiences I’d have during the next four years.
My gaze roams over the paper for a second time.
I’d almost forgotten about this list. In fact, I thought I’d chucked it after sophomore year when I’d moved out of the dorms.
The last three years have sped by and now, all of the sudden, I’ll be graduating in the spring. An odd sort of discontentment steals over me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be moving on with my life, but I had assumed I’d do more than study at the library. I’d thought there would be parties, activities, and boys…