Page 49 of Forgotten Prejudice

Pulling his shoulders up, Soren leaned back in his seat and placed his arm behind me. “I disagree with you. It’s not too much. In fact, it’s not much at all, and besides, Ashton will need a proper ride to take him to school every day, won’t he? I’ll be much calmer knowing he drives a safe car rather than the wreck he’s currently driving.”

Mom’s frown only deepened before her eyes moved to me. “Driving to school? What do you mean by that?”

Oh shit.

The tension at the table rose significantly, and with how Aiden and Mom were both staring at me, I had no idea how to tell them the news.

“Well… I decided not to go to Australia.” I guess I did know how to tell them.

“What? Why?” Mom gasped, leaning closer over the table, already causing the drama I wished to avoid.

I rubbed the back of my neck while trying to avoid the shock on her face. It was then that Soren moved his hand to my thigh and squeezed me a bit. The touch was comforting, giving me the confidence I needed. “I had a change of plans and decided to go to college.”

One would think I’d just committed a crime with the way Mom was staring at me with wide eyes and open mouth.

“Turning down Australia? Going to college? Where is this all coming from?”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I planned on telling you sooner, just never had the time.” I understood her shock because we used to share everything with each other. But since meeting Soren, I aspired to be more independent. Wishing for him to see me as a mature partner, I couldn’t run back to mommy with every slightest discomfort happening in my life. I had to decide things on my own—or with Soren.

She leaned closer. “Didn’t have the time? What the fuck is going on Ash? For years, we’ve talked about your surfing. It was your dream. All of a sudden, you’re telling me you’re giving it all up for college? For God’s sake, kid, you hate school.”

“I’ve changed, okay?” My anger rose with her reaction.

“Clearly.” Her eyes snapped to Soren before coming back to me. “But not for the better. You’re obviously influenced.”

“I’m not,” I spat back, pissed. “If anything, you should be grateful I actually want to do something with my life.”

“You don’t even sound like yourself.”

“Mel, we can talk about this later,” Aiden suggested, trying to calm her down without success.

“No, Aiden. There’s no fucking way I’m dropping this.” She shut him up and then returned her attention to me. “What are you even going to study?”

“Business.”

She gasped, then leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed. “Business?” She cocked her head at Soren. “It was your idea, wasn’t it? Filling his head with this crap about school, telling him surfing isn’t good enough?”

“Mom.”

“I worried you were a bad influence on him, and it turns out I was right.”

“Mom!” I shouted.

Mom looked at me, shocked, and despite the hurt in her eyes, I didn’t care. She had no right to blame Soren.

“It was all my decision,” I said, jaw tensed. Sure, Soren had helped me apply to colleges and advised me on courses, but at the end of the day, I was the one who’d decided it was a better choice. She might not agree with me, and that was fine, but she had no right to turn it all on Soren when I was the one who’d decided I wanted to stay here. Was it because of Soren? Of course, but who cares, it was my life to do whatever I wanted with.

“Surfing will always be my hobby. But I want to have a career. A real one.” My voice was firm and composed. With Soren sitting right beside me, I had no reason to doubt myself and therefore went on. “It’s all my decision. You can either accept it or not, but it won’t change a thing.”

Mom took a deep breath before she slumped her shoulders. “How are you going to pay for it?” she asked.

“I hoped you’d help me. But if not…”

“I’ll pay for it,” Soren said casually, not minding the way my mom stared back at him as if he was the devil himself. “It’s not a problem, and if it’s what Ashton decides he wants to do, I’d be happy to help him.”

“Listen to me now—” Mom began saying when Aiden cut in.

“How about we finish this conversation later?” He looked between all three of us. “There’s a lot to talk about, and maybe this isn’t the right place for it.”