Page 47 of Salto

I reached up and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m sorry.”

My parents were already financially stretched thin. They'd sacrificed enough over the years to get me this far. I didn’t want to ask for more.

“You’ll figure it out,” Laney said gently, reaching over to pat my arm. “Sorry we pestered.”

All three of them completely dropped it after that, and I felt a little guilty for snapping.

The movie started playing, but I couldn’t even focus on the story because the leading man had pale blond hair and it kept making me think of Rove.

Which made me think about yesterday.

Then Vanta.

And finally, the contract sitting on my desk, waiting to be signed.

After the movie, Laney and Mia headed home, and Jamie and I picked up Chinese takeout on the way back to my apartment. We spent the rest of the day sprawled across the living room floor playing card games.

For the first time since going to Vanta, my brain actually stopped spinning.

We laughed over Jamie's terrible trash talk, argued over the rules, and demolished far too many cream cheese wontons.

It almost felt like when we were kids again. And I hadn't realized how much I'd missed having my little sister around.

When ten o’clock rolled around, and we were still playing cards, I reached up to cover my mouth as a huge yawn escaped me.

“It’s way past my bedtime,” I said, smiling sheepishly.

“Bedtime?” Jamie said, her eyes widening. “You’re in college, Scar.”

“Yes,” I said, standing from the floor and turning off the TV, where Gilmore Girls had been quietly playing in the background. “But with gymnastics, I don’t get the luxury of staying up like normal college students.”

“Lame,” Jamie said, standing up.

“Jenny said you could take her bed; there’s an extra toothbrush under the sink—” I started to rattle off all the things I could think of for bedtime, but then she cut me off.

“Um…actually, I was thinking of going out.”

I frowned. “Where?”

“Just… out.”

She didn’t look at me. She just walked over to the front entryway mirror and started fluffing up her lavender hair.

“With who?” All of Jamie’s friends were an hour away. I was super confused about who in the world she’d know on a college campus. “You don’t even live down here.”

She sighed like I was an idiot. “I have more friends than you think, Scar.”

“What friends?” I pressed, and without meaning to, a motherly tone leaked into my voice.

Big mistake.

Her jaw clenched. “Scar,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “You don’t know them.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it again, trying to figure out how to handle this the right way.

“I thought the point of this day was for us to hang out,” I finally said. “You know, spend the day together, have a sleepover.”

“Yeah, and we’ve hung out a lot today. Plus, you’re going to sleep. I’ll be back way before you wake up. Do you want me to watch you while you sleep?”