Most Likely (Most Likely #1) - Sarah Watson Page 0,93
she said, “you have to see me.”
“Jordan…”
“I’m registered to vote in the district. I’m a constituent and I have a concern. I want to tell you why I think Memorial Park deserves a second chance.”
CJ sat in her bedroom with the door closed, staring at the obscene vase that Wyatt’s mom had given her. She decided that she would take it to college with her next year. It was the perfect size to hold pens.
She logged into Skidmore’s admissions portal first. She had decided to save Stanford for last. The Skidmore form letter popped up immediately. We’re sorry… She didn’t need to read anything after that. She logged into the next school. And the next. The rejections came quickly. She only saw the word “congratulations” once. She barely registered it. She still had Stanford left, and she said a silent prayer before she logged in. Please, she thought. Please.
CJ was seated at the desk her father had originally built for her oldest sister. It was the only hand-me-down that ever fit. She’d spent so many hours sitting there, studying, writing papers, and staying home from parties to prepare for the SATs. She’d logged so many hours of hard work at this desk that it almost didn’t seem fair to be sitting at it when Stanford informed her that I am very sorry to let you know that we are unable to offer you admission to Stanford University.
CJ snapped her laptop shut.
She was lacing up her running shoes when her phone buzzed. She didn’t even look at it. It would be Ava or Jordan or maybe even Martha calling to find out where she got in. She couldn’t tell them. Not yet. She went into the kitchen, where her dad was watching the game and her mom was starting dinner.
“I’m going to Ohio State next year,” she said. They both looked slightly stunned. “It’s the only place I got in.” Her dad muted the television, but CJ was already halfway out the door. “I’m going jogging.”
When CJ arrived at the track, it was during that weird period of time after the sun had set but before the automatic field lights turned on. She would have twenty minutes of pitch-blackness to run through. Perfect, she thought. All she wanted to do was run and let the darkness swallow her up. She’d only taken a few steps when she saw the silhouette of a person approach. CJ couldn’t see the person’s face in the dark; she could only make out the absolutely unmistakable shape.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” CJ said.
Jordan sat across from Scott while he took out his yellow legal pad and grabbed a pen. She took a deep breath and told him what the park meant to her. She told him about the day she’d met her three best friends there. She told him how they used to dream about growing up and adding their names to the jungle gym. That they would go there every fall a week or two after senior night and run their fingers along the new names. That they would plot and plan and look forward to the time when it was finally their turn. She told him how she was scared that she might drift away from her friends next year when they weren’t all together anymore. And how leaving their names carved into that wood was the only way she could be sure that a piece of them would always be together.
When she was done, Scott put the cap back on his pen. “I’ll type this up,” he said. “And I’ll pass it on to the councilman. But”—Scott set his pen down—“none of this is going to make a difference. I’m sorry. The park is getting torn down.”
“I know,” she said, standing. “I just wanted a chance to be heard.” Jordan put her hand out professionally. “Thank you for your time.”
Scott took her hand and shook it.
“Bye, Scott,” she said.
Just as she was stepping into the hallway, she heard him say her name.
She turned.
“Where are you going to college next year?”
Jordan paused. “George Washington University.”
The moment it was out of her mouth, she knew it was the right decision. Even if she got off the Northwestern wait-list, she would still choose George Washington. It felt like a million years ago when Ms. Fischer had handed her the brochure and suggested that she apply. Now Jordan knew that it was the right place for her. She wanted to be in Washington, DC.