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"I can't believe I have to go home," I mutter indignantly as we wait in line for our coffees. "I just got here."

Poppy looks at me and gives me a sad smile. "You could just stay, you know."

I return the sad smile. "I wish," I tell her with a sigh. "The only reason I'm going back is because I don't want to get Carter in trouble with his mom."

Our coffees are called out by the pick up station, and we eagerly sweep them off the counter. As we're walking back toward the exit, I can feel Poppy study me, and I almost knew what was going to come out of her mouth next.

"What's going on with you and your parents, Mina?" She asks cautiously.

I push open the doors to the coffee shop and feel the chill bite my cheeks. "And here I thought you wouldn't bring it up."

Poppy smirks at me. "You didn't think you'd get away without telling me what's on your mind, did you?"

We walk to the bench on the side of the road as we wait for Carter to get the car from the parking garage. I pulled my jacket a little closer and wrapped my hands around my coffee in an attempt to squeeze every possible bit of warmth from the cup that I could.

"I told them I'm not going to Juilliard," I finally reveal, and then glance at her to gauge her wide eyed reaction. "My mom doesn't mind much, but my dad is livid."

"Wow," Poppy breathes. "You actually told them."

I understood her surprise because, well, up until this summer, I was going to just go to Juilliard and live by my parents rulebook.

"I stayed at Carter's last night after I told them," I add. "I left the house, but I knew that I wouldn't have been welcomed to stay."

Poppy was silent for a moment, probably trying to absorb the information. I glanced out at the street as the cars slowed to a stop when the light turned red. My gaze zeroed in on a family as they crossed the street holding hands and laughing at something the young daughter had said.

Something in my heart shifted as I longed to be a happy family like they were. The closest our family ever came to looking like that was when I did something really extraordinary and my father was proud of me. But now that I've quit the only thing I'm extraordinary at, I would lose the closest to 'happy family' I would ever reach.

"Have you talked to them?" Poppy questions next, effectively tearing my gaze away from the happy family.

I shake my head. "No."

She gives me a hesitant look and says, "You should call your mom, Mina. Let her know you're okay."

"But she's probably with him," I reason bitterly. "If he doesn't care enough to find out if I'm okay, then I don't want to give him any peace of mind."

I knew I was being stubborn but I couldn't help it. Talking about my dad made me picture the sheer anger on his face last night when I told him I wasn't going to Juilliard. It made me remember the disgusted disappointment that covered his eyes as he regarded me afterward.

"Your mom isn't the same person as your dad," Poppy reminds me gently. "It sounds like she changed. She's probably worried sick."

And then a semblance of the previous guilt I had for not talking to her returned, and I gave. I decided to text her on the way back to let her know that I was okay, and that I was with Carter.

I lean into Poppy and let out a breath. "Okay, Poppy, but only because you asked nicely."

She grins. "I didn't ask," And then her smile fades a little and she asks, "Have you heard back from NYU yet?"

"Not yet," I tell her, feeling the familiar sense of panic creep up on me. "If I don't get in, then I-"

"You're going to get in," Poppy says sternly. "Do you know where Carter wants to go?"

I glance at her and, for a brief moment, the panic washes away. A small smile pulls onto my lips. "He mentioned NYU, too."

Her eyebrows shot up until she looked even more surprised than I had when I heard Carter tell my parents over the excruciatingly uncomfortable dinner that he was considering NYU. "What?" She hissed, and then an impressed look passed her features. "He's smart?"

"Poppy!" I scold with a wicked smile on my lips.

Poppy shrugs and says honestly, "With all the dumb pranks all the time, I kind of assumed he wasn't book smart." She glanced at the pointed look I gave her and she smirked. "But I guess you prove that stereotype wrong anyway." Poppy lets out a breath. "Wow. You two really were made for each other."

My eyebrow creases in confusion as I glance at her sideways. "What do you mean?"

"It seems like you two would've ended up together no matter what. Think about it," She says. "Even if you had never met this summer, you would've met at school, when he moved to your town in the beginning of the year. And even if he hadn't done that, you would've both ended up at NYU together." Her words spark an excited fluttery feeling in the depths of my stomach as I consider them. "It just seems like the universe would have found a way for you two to meet no matter what. It's fate."

"That's a stretch," Even though a big part of me loves hearing Poppy say this- basically confirm that it was okay how much I loved him- I still shake my head and try to play it off. "Neither of us got in to NYU yet," I point out.

Poppy rolls her eyes at me. "That doesn't change the fact that the universe is doing everything in it's power to make sure you two are together."

My heart skipped a beat at the same moment that Carter's forest green Jeep rolled up to the curb beside the bench we sat on. Poppy got up to say goodbye to him through the car window, but I stayed rooted in my seat for a moment longer, Poppy's words ringing through my head. It's fate.

Once I got over my initial shock, I got up and said my goodbyes to Poppy, and climbed into the car beside Carter. I tried to fall asleep during the drive but only ended up thinking more about what Poppy had said. Her words rang in my ears during the entire car ride, despite my various attempts at expelling them from my mind.

Eventually, I finally drifted to sleep, but not before I texted my mom to tell her that I was okay. My body slumped in the passengers seat and my head rest against the cool glass window as I dreamt about New York.

After some time, moments after the car lurched to a stop, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. "Amelia."

"Hmm?" I mumble, turning my head toward the voice, but keeping my eyes shut.

A deep chuckle sounded from beside my ear. "We're back."

Slowly, I open my eyes again. Carters blurry face is smiling at me as my eyes adjust to my surroundings and the newly darkened sky. I look out the windshield and see we're back in his driveway.

A small disappointment settled in my stomach when I remembered what waited for me at home. My gaze shifts back to Carter, who's still watching me with a small smile, and I try to match it.

"I should probably go home," I say quietly, reluctantly.

Carters smile fades. "Really?" He questions, and I nod. "Okay. I can drive you."

I shake my head and open up the car door. "That's okay, I want to walk. I need the fresh air."

I hear his door open and close and when I turn around, Carter is watching me with an unsureness in his eyes. "Do you want me to walk you?"

This time, my smile widens, and I feel a familiar warmth spread within me at his thoughtfulness. The fact that a boy like Carter cared for me so much would never get old.

"That's okay," I say again. "I need time to think."

And then, without waiting for an answer, I step forward and wrap my arms around him. Carter draws me closer to him a moment later and I feel my eyes slide shut in content.

"Thank you Carter," I whisper quietly. "For today. And for letting me crash here last night."

"Of course," He murmurs back.

I hold on a moment longer before I let go and shoot him a shaky smile. "Seriously. Thank you. I really needed that adventure today."

Carter pulls away from my arms just enough that he can press his lips against my forehead, a gesture that made my insides melt. He murmured against my forehead, "Text me if you want to come over later. Or if you just need to talk."

He gives me one last smile before I head down the street and toward my house. The whole walk over, my mind is consumed with thoughts of what waited for me at home.

I considered trying to sneak in by climbing the tree beside my bedroom window, the very one I used to sneak out of to meet up with Jake last year, before I remembered my window was locked.

Next, I entertained the idea of waiting outside until my parents turned the lights off and went to sleep. Then I could use the spare key and sneak inside without seeing my father.

But when I got to my house, the driveway was void of my fathers car. My steps slowed as I neared the house, and the empty garage confirmed my suspicions. He wasn't home.

The porch light was on and I knew my mom was awake based on the light coming through the kitchen window. I stared at the front door for a long moment before finally making the move inside.

"Amelia?" I heard my moms voice call from the other room immediately. "Is that you?"

I shut the door behind me and by the time I turn around, I see my mom walk through the doorway into the foyer. I felt the guilt begin to creep up on me when I saw the sheer relief overcome her expression.

"You came home," She let out a breath and looked at me, her eyes full of emotion. "I didn't think you would."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and ask quietly, "Where's dad?"

She glances at the table sitting across from the staircase, and I follow her gaze to see reach for an envelope. "He found this," She holds it for a moment. "And after we had a lengthy conversation, he decided to stay at a hotel for the night."

Her gaze meets mine as she holds out the envelope. I take it slowly and turn it over to see the bold NYU symbol in the top left corner.

My eyes flicker back to her face, and I see my mom giving me a small smile. "I only stayed up to make sure you were okay," She tells me. "I'm going to go to sleep. Can we talk tomorrow?"

I nod slowly. "Yes, we can." As she turns to head up the stairs, I take a step closer to her. "Mom," She looks at me again. "I'm sorry I just left like that. I didn't mean to scare you. I should've-"

"It's okay, Amelia," Mom says with a soft smile. "You're under a lot of pressure and your fathers reaction certainly didn't help."

I feel a weight fall off my shoulders as her words resonate with me. With one last smile, she continues up the stairs, and I stand at the base of the staircase with the letter in my hands.

My phone buzzes in my back pocket, taking my attention off the envelope. I fish my phone out of my back pocket and open the message from Carter.

I got my letter from NYU

I'm about to text back and tell him that I did too, when another message pops up.

I got in

And as I open it and see the words congratulations written at the top, right beside acceptance, all I hear are Poppy's words ringing in my head: it's fate.