Chapter 124

Audrey

We all sat up in unison, our eyes wide with shock,

"WHAT?!" 1 practically shouted, then cleared my throat and lowered my voice. "You're... You're not coming to Grayspring in

the fall?"

Avis looked around at our stunned about it for a while now."

"er expression a bit sheepish. "I know it seerns sudden, but I've been thinking

"Why wait so long to tell us?" Betty asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I thought we were all going to graduate together," Tina practically whispered.

Avis took a deep breath, her small fingers fidgeting with a blade of grass. "I've just always struggled with school," she admitted quietly. "I've always had to drag myself through, barely scraping by with a C average. It just never clicked for me."

"You know you could always come to one of us for tutoring, Gavin said. "Why didn't you ever tell us you were having these issues?"

"I don't know." Avis shrugged. "Shame, I guess. Truthfully, I have had tutors all throughout college. They've never helped much.

She paused, glancing up at us sheepishly again. "I just don't think academia is for me, guys. I thought I had to get through school because it was expected of me, but I never enjoyed it. Not really." "So what are you going to do instead?" I asked.

A small smile played on Avis's lips. "I waited to tell you guys about this just in case it didn't work out, but now that the paperwork has gone through: I'm starting my own tailoring business. And someday, I want to expand into a boutique selling my own handmade clothes."

There was a moment of silence as we all processed this information. Avis pulled out her phone, swiping on the screen a few times until she had pulled up an email. The title read: "Confirmation of LLC: Avis Tailoring."

Finally, Tina was the first to say, "Avis, this is.. Amazing!"

Avis's smile grew wider, and she let out a sigh of relief. "You guys really think so? You're not disappointed in me?"

You have a real gift." Tina nodded enthusiastically, her earlier shock replaced by genuine happiness for our friend. "You

much was so worried you would be disappointed in me for

disappointed in you for following

to be happy, not miserable trying to fit into some mold that doesn't work for you. "And successful Gavin added

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Wed, Sep 18

a lock of mousy blonde hair out of her eyes. "So... we can still be friends? Even though I won't be at

felt a lump form in my throat as I realized how much

promised, my voice mu**ed against someone's shoulder. "And we'll help you get your business started.

"Make sure you're not underselling yourself. We'll

can even make you a

a tear that had escaped down her cheek. "You guys are the best. I don't know

reminiscing about our summer. Eventually, the sky turned from dim blue to soft pink, the first rays of sunlight peeking over the **n. Only

the house, my eyes met Gavin's from across the hall. He shot me the subtlest of nods, and I felt my heart flutter

her. We all had

standing on the cobblestone streets of Paris, looking around in awe. I was still at the airport, but already it was everything I had ever dreamed of. Even the air here smelled exactly

my watch for the third time in the past few minutes, then scanned the street again for

email last night insisting an sending a car for me, despite my protests that I could just take a cab to my hotel. Part of me couldn't help but wonder if

things with Fiona," I imagined he would say. "We're safe now. We can

statuses at Grayspring, of course. But in just a couple of weeks, I would officially be a senior.

as I watched a sleek black town car pull up to the curb. The driver stepped out and approached

home to manage

summer.

and took my bags. "Welcome to Paris.

you," I replied, sliding into the back seat of

architecture, the cafes with their outdoor seating, the stylish people walking down the sidewalks-it was just like every

13:03 Wed, Sep 18

Chapter 124

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