Page 98 of Tight Ends & Tiaras
I’ve always thought I was brave. Give me a rock face to climb or a ski trick to try or a cliff to dive off of, and I’m often at the front of the line.
But maybe I’m not that courageous after all.
“How about I promise to tell you if I can get our project approved?”
She smiles. “It’s a deal.”
We chat a little longer until she glances down at her watch. “Hey, would you like to lead my class of newbies in a warm-up?”
“I’d love to. And would it be possible to get back on the schedule? I need a few more days before I can confirm my availability, but then I’d love to get back at it.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
I’m riding cloud nine.
Until later that afternoon when I run into Destiny.
Nervous,I bite my thumbnail while my counselor, Mrs. Uvalde, types on her keyboard. A deep furrow in her brow, she hums again—her third since I’ve been here, and it sets me on edge.
I really need my credits to work. Yes, I’ve switched majors a few times. Yes, I’ve been a bit remiss about checking whether those credits would all mesh for any major, much less the one I was aiming for at the time. But in my defense, I always wanted to love the courses I took and not just check off something simply because it was required.
Now it’s time to pay the piper for that flippant attitude.
If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I’d consider a degree in health and fitness or even physical therapy. Teaching yoga has given me an appreciation for keeping your body in peak shape.
At the same time, I love my classical myth and literature courses. How I’m going to make a living with that degree is another issue, however.
Finally, Mrs. Uvalde stops typing and smiles at me. “I have some good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?”
Ugh. Internally, I say a little prayer to the universe because I really need to graduate in May or my father will drag my sorry ass back to California.
“Bad news. Give it to me.” I take a deep breath while she squints at her computer screen.
“You’re missing a math class, but you could satisfy the requirement with Math 120. You’ll be in there with lots of freshmen, but that’s what you get for not taking it early.” She gives me a look, and I think it’s supposed to shame me, but I’m too worried about what else she’s going to say.
“Okay. That’s fine,” I say cautiously.
“But”—she takes off her glasses to clean them on the hem of her shirt—“you’ll need to drop Myth and Film in order to take it.”
“Damn it. I was really looking forward to that one.”
“Now, the good news. With the rest of your scheduled course load, you should have enough credits for a mythology major.”
“Even without Myth and Film?”
She nods, and I’m so relieved, I collapse back in my chair. “I can live with that.”
She lifts her eyebrow to give me another look. “That means no switching classes at the last minute.”
I hold up my hand. “I swear I won’t do that this semester.”
“This whole year. There’s no wiggle room second semester either. Be sure to register for those classes as early as possible because you’re definitely cutting it close.”
She hands me a sheet of paper, and I scan the courses I’ll need for second semester.
After I thank her, I skip out of the office, elated to have taken care of an appointment I’ve put off for so long. It’s not the computer engineering major my brothers aced, but at least I’ll be graduating on time. Plus, it’s a major I love.
I’m so busy studying the list she printed for me that I don’t see Destiny until we come almost nose to nose. I stumble to a halt at the last second.
