The Promises We Keep (Made for Love Book 1) (106 page)

I
’
ve got two flights booked for my upcoming interviews at Stanford and Baylor College. I
’
ll be going to California on Monday and Texas on Tuesday. I received my final rejection, from the University of California in the mail yesterday, so these are the only two trips I
’
ll be making. It all seems to be happening so fast
—
the rejections, the interviews. Knowing that I
’
ve only got two chances to impress a school enough to accept me into their medical program, it makes the whole process seem that much more daunting. With every day that goes by, I get a little more nervous and a little less confident. This isn
’
t exactly how I planned it. I thought I
’
d at least have more interviews. Now, there is a good chance that I might not be accepted into
any
program next year and I
’
ll have to start the application process all over again in another year.

What, exactly, will I find to do in the mean time?

I don
’
t like to think about that. I try and remind myself that it
’
s not over yet. I
’
ve got two interviews to look forward to and I
’
ll just have to kick ass at both of them.

I
’
ve been talking to my advisor and my dad just about every day, trying to prepare myself for what
’
s to come. Ultimately, though, I think it
’
ll come down to staying calm under pressure. I can
’
t be any more than who I am and I can
’
t bring anymore to the table than what I have. And since I
’
ll be leaving in just a handful of days, I really just need to relax. That, however, is easier said than done
—
especially considering I
’
m currently residing with the most melancholy best friend in the world.
I swear, he
’
s like Eeyore
…
only worse.

With my exams behind me, and my travels before me, I
’
d say now is a good time to get out of the apartment. No, strike that. I think now
’
s a good time to get
Grayson
out of the apartment. When I woke up Wednesday morning, he was a total grump. Today is no different. Something happened between him and Avery; I know not because he
’
s told me, but because he
hasn
’
t
told me. He
only
gets like this when he and Ave are fighting.
The two of them are made for each other, of that none of us have ever had any doubt; but they have some really high highs and some really low lows
—
and the lows are tough on everyone.

“
Put your shoes on, grab a jacket, we
’
re getting out of here,
”
I tell him, poking my head into his room. He
’
s stretched out across his bed staring at the ceiling. If it weren
’
t for his exams, I
’
m not sure that he would move from that spot at all. Seeing as how I know his final mid-term took place this morning, I
’
m afraid it
’
s up to me to keep him from becoming one with his mattress.

“
I
’
m not going out.
”

“
Gray, you
’
re killing me here. We can at least go grab a bite to eat.
”

“
I
’
m not hungry.
”

When his stomach growls its disagreement I shake my head and invite myself in. I make my way to the chair at his desk, turn it around, and sit facing him. He keeps his gaze trained on the ceiling.
“
What happened? I know you keep telling me you don
’
t want to talk about it, but that
’
s not going to work anymore.
”

“
I don
’
t want to talk about it.
”

I drop my head in frustration.
He
’
s not going to make this easy.
“
Whatever it is, it can
’
t be that bad. You guys just need to talk it out.
”

“
She doesn
’
t want to talk it out.
”

“
Come on, I know you
’
ve got more fight in you than that,
”
I scoff.
“
How hard have you tried?
”

“
You don
’
t get it.
”

“
Well, explain it to me.
”

He pushes himself up onto his elbows and looks straight at me. His bloodshot eyes give away the depth of his anguish and I know, just by taking a good look at him, that this fight isn
’
t like the last one. It
’
s worse.

“
I screwed up, okay? I pushed her
—
I pushed her away. She
’
s the best thing that
’
s ever happened to me and in
one
moment, I screwed it all up. She
’
s not going to want me now. I
’
m going to lose her. She
’
s going to leave me and it
’
s all my fault. I can
’
t even be surprised! She
’
s too good for me. Always has been. So excuse me if I don
’
t have any more fight in me.
”

“
Hold on a second,
”
I begin to argue.
“
Has she
told
you she
’
s leaving?
”

“
I asked her to talk and she said no. She hasn
’
t said a word since.
”

“
She loves you, man. Don
’
t give up so easily.
”

“
You didn
’
t see her face. And her silence
—
her silence says it all. Like I said, you don
’
t get it.
”

“
Gray
—
the last time the two of you got into a fight, you were radio silent for
days
. How many times did she try and reach you anyway? This isn
’
t different.
”

“
Yes, it is,
”
he mutters, dropping back down against his pillow.
“
She didn
’
t deserve my silence, but I deserve hers.
”

“
Oh, for crying out loud.
”
I
’
ve never met two people who have been so good at standing in their own way. Addie and I were never like this.
Then again, Addie and I never really got into huge blow-out fights where either of us didn
’
t want to speak to the other for days. We
’
ve just never been that way.
I
’
ve never been as grateful for our ability to communicate with each other as I am in this moment. I don
’
t know
what
these two would do without us.

I get up and leave him by himself, determined to put an end to this right now. I head out the front door and up the flight of stairs to the girls
’
apartment. It
’
s just after five and I have no idea if anyone will be home, but it
’
s worth a try. I knock and wait. Addie answers the door less than a minute later.

“
Hey.
”
She greets me with furrowed eyebrows and a small smile cueing me into the fact that she
’
s both confused but not unhappy to see me.

“
Hey. Is Ave here?
”

Her brow softens as her smile turns into a smirk.
“
No. She
’
s got a concert tonight so she
’
s on campus.
”

I hum my disappointment as I run my hands up my face, pushing my glasses up so that I might rub my eyes before setting them back on my nose.
“
That
’
s too bad.
”

“
I take it Gray is driving you as crazy as Ave is driving
us
crazy?
”

“
Yes!
”

“
I
’
m surprised you haven
’
t tried to come scoop her up earlier. She
’
s been stomping around our apartment like an elephant, which you may have noticed. When she
’
s not slamming every single door she touches, she
’
s crying. I have
no
idea what
’
s going on. She doesn
’
t want to talk about it.
”

“
Yeah,
”
I say, shaking my head in bewilderment.
“
Neither does he.
”

She laughs as she rests her head against the door.
“
One of these days, they
’
ll learn to
talk
to each other when something hard happens.
”

“
He thinks she
’
s going to break up with him.
”

She rolls her eyes, which makes me laugh.
“
He
’
s delusional.
”

“
I agree
—
which is why I came to hunt her down.
”

“
Maybe you could get him to come to the concert. Oh, maybe we could all ride together and then we
’
ll just leave without him! He
’
ll either have to ride home with her or walk home in the cold.
”

“
I
’
ll see what I can do,
”
I reply with a grin.

“
We
’
re leaving at six!
”

“
We won
’
t be late.
”