nyc prep continued

Brooklynn looked over and gave him a smile. Her parents loved him.

Dinner went well and there was more conversation to be had about education, travel and just everything in general. Carl liked how easy going this family was. he enjoied the friendly banter and exchanges.

Jeff nodded, "too many shots and beers."

"Yeah," she carefully walked towards the living room. Usually she could drink a lot more than she had but maybe not sleeping was starting to affect her.

"Dessert isn't finished yet," Sybil said, "so you two go talk."
Brooklynn smiled and took Carl's hand. "We'll be upstairs," she said before pulling him back up the stairs.

Jeff slumped into the couch, "well this is fun" he said sarcastically


Carl followed her, "I didn't know you spoke french either." he said not having a chance to say it during dinner

She smiled back at him. "I fell in love when my parents took me before high school, then was in AP French at my old school." She led him back to the studio.

Sam collapsed beside him. "Do you have something else in mind?" She asked

"nice." He wished he was allowed to fall in love like that

"not reallyy...youd?"

"No," she leaned against him and closed her eyes. "Next time one of us needs to be responsible and say no more drinks."

"Yeah. I can't wait to go back." She smiled reminiscently.

Jeff chuckled," sounds like a plan."

"We should....some day." he said before he thought better of it

Sam opened her eyes after a minute and looked up at him. "Thank you for coming with me today."

"I'd like that," sr smiled. "Or you coul come visit me when there's a break at Oxford or Harvard."

Jeff simed down at her, " you are welcome."

"are you going to move there?" he asked

"When I talked to my mom she asked if you were coming to the wedding with me." Sam said. She felt the alcohal start to go to her head. "She still thinks there's something going on between us." She never would have told him that if she was sober.

"I'd like to. It's beautiful there." Brooklynn replied.

"What did you tell her?" he asked

"so I've heard." he said looking down at his feet. he had never really thought outside the educational box his parents had put him in until her but he realized it was much to late to change tracks

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"i envy you ,Brooklyn. You are so lucky." He said looking up at her

Sam looked at him for a minute. "that she should focus on the wedding and not my personal life."

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"good reply." He said pushing some hair out of her face his fingers brushing her cheek

He shook his head, "forget it...its nothing."

"No, what do you mean?" Brooklynn pressed.

He sighed leaning up against the hall wall, "i envy you being free to take your own road. That your parents encourage you to follow what you love." He staited down at his feet

She frowned. "I'm sorry, I wish... I wish your parents were more supportive of your interests. It's not fair to you."

She shivered and it had nothing to do with the temperature. He was her best friend but what she was thinking went way beyond just friends. "I think it just made her more suspicous," sam said. She kept telling herself it was the alcohal that was making her feel this way

Carl chuckled, "yeah, well life is as it is...theres no changing it."

"oh...well...nothing we can do then is there?"

"No, there isn't." She agreed. "She'll believe what she wants to."

"yep." He said with a firm nod, "did you get new color?" He asked gentlyvstrokingva portion of her hair

"Yeah," she had recently added purple streaks to the green and pink that were already in her blonde hair. "Do you like it?"

"I'm sorry," Brooklynn said. "You and I can do whatever you want," she tried to make it better. "We can explore any kid of hobby you'd like."

Jeff nodded, "yeah...its very...you."

That wasn't the sane but he was glad she was trying, "how about we just spend time together first."

Sam half smiled. "Thanks, I wasn't sure how it would look." She stared up at him for a minute, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

"I like that idea," she smiled. "It sounds great."

Jeff looked back into her eyes, "what are you thinking?" he asked

Carl grinned, " so what now?"

"How amazing you are," she said before she could stop herself. "What about you?"

"Want to see my room?" She asked leading him through th studio. There was a bathroom and then her bedroom. It was mostly dominated by a bed and a desk, which was covered with little statues.

He touched her face with the back of his hand, "how beautiful you are."
He dat down on her bed and looked around. It was do very small

She grabbed went to her desk and leaned against it, looking at him. "So this is it."