Self

Chapter 60

Winter had wrapped the town in a cloak of damp chill Just last week, the forecast teased everyone with snow that never showed, leaving them with only a few nights of icy drizzle. Then, the streets were slick with ice.

On exam day, Yara bundled up in her puffiest down jacket, wrapped a soft cashmere scarf around her neck, pulled on gloves, and slipped into her coziest snow boots before stepping out into the cold.

She double–checked her essentials–her admission ticket, pens, and her trusty calculator–before entering the test center. Everything was in place.

Rainie had promised to wear her lucky dress and accompany Yara to the exam like a victory banner, but Yara knew better. Rainie was swamped with back–to–back projects; there was no way she would wake up early, especially not in that freezing weather.

As expected, Yara did not spot anyone outside the exam hall. She was not upset, though. Some friendships did not require constant texts or calls to stay strong. They would remain close, with each person always in the other’s thoughts, even without frequent communication.

Two hours flew by in the exam room. While others emerged either buzzing with excitement or weighed down by disappointment, Yara was the picture of serenity.

Stepping out into the light drizzle, with taxis nowhere in sight, she decided to catch the subway home. She had not gone far when a familiar voice stopped her.

“Yara?”

She looked up to see Charlotte sheltering under an overhang. “It’s you.”

It had been a while since their last encounter at Yara’s place, which ended with Charlotte failing to bring Yara to the hospital to visit Yale. Since then, Charlotte had not seen her.

Months had passed, and Yale still had not made up with Yara. The tension was so thick that even Jean who never doubted they would stay apart, was starting to waver.

Sometimes, Charlotte would catch her mom wondering out loud, “Why has Yale been getting stomach aches so often? He hardly ever went to the hospital when he was with Yara.

“Charlotte, you think they’re really done this time? Has Yara lost her mind?!

“Sure, everyone gets upset and acts high and mighty sometimes, but there’s a limit. Doesn’t she want to be part of the Johnsons anymore?”

Jean had always looked down on Yara, thinking she was not good enough for her son. She had nagged them to split up more times than anyone could count. When they had actually called it quits, she seemed oddly out of sorts.

It was not just Jean. Charlotte was having a tough time wrapping her head around it, too.

It was not like she ever liked them being together, but what surprised her was that Yara was the one who stood her ground and ended things.

She had gotten the scoop from Zachary about the breakup. Her brother had the nerve to show up with his new flame right in front of Yara–no wonder she blew her top.

Charlotte finally believed they might never patch things up. “Charlotte, Yara greeted her with a smile.

Chapter 60

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Charlotte noticed the clear pencil case in her hand, stuffed with her exam ticket and ID, and it took her back to that moment in the library. “You’re seriously going to graduate school?”

She thought Yara was pretending, trying to get her brother back. However, it seemed like she was actually. going for it.

Yara nodded. “Grad school’s been my dream. I was too naive before and missed my shot. I’m hoping it’s not too late.”

Charlotte gave her a once–over and frowned. “You only started studying after you and my

my brother split, right?”

“Yeah.”

“With so little time, it might be…” To be honest, she doubted Yara had much of a chance.

That year, the race to get into grad school was tougher than ever, especially at elite institutions like Bellmere University. The competition was through the roof.

Yara had been out of the school scene for a few years and had not done any work even remotely related to her major. She had tried to cram at the eleventh hour; her chances did not look too good.

Sure, bouncing back with a vengeance after her breakup was pretty heroic. Acing the entrance exams for grad school, though, was not easy.

Charlotte did not want to burst her bubble, so she bit her tongue and kept half her worries to herself.