Page 22 (2/2)

Haven nodded She had been ready

Although she wore six-inch high heels, Kelsey walked confidently, her steps effortless, her stride long Haven strolled along beside her, listening as the girl prattled on and on about everything By the time they reached the school a few blocks away, Haven knew all she needed to know about Kelsey--an only child, the daughter of a congressive art school a chance after her parents forced her to move out to teach her responsibility

"So, yeahet three strikes before he cutsout of NYU was number two"

"What was the first strike?"

She shrugged "Being born?"

Haven’s expression fell as she blinked a few ti her hard She certainly could relate "You really feel that way?"

"Sometimes," Kelsey replied "I’ve always had a strained relationship with my parents My dad’s never here in New York and my mom, wellif I’m not on the bottom of a wine bottle, she’s not interested"

"That’s, uh"

"Pathetic?" Kelsey laughed "I know it is And first strike was actually probably when I alh school I was boy crazy and skipped too h I’m committed now I don’t have time for a boyfriend"

The two of the the signs to the busy registrar’s office to have their student IDsthe wrong na on the fact that her picture was pro her admission

For the first time in her life, she was a student at a school

The afternoon was chaotic as she went fro the administration and other students Overwhelmed, Haven’s palms sweated and heart raced as they showed her the studios and enrolled her in classes, explaining the requirealleries Mandatory volunteer hours, optional su sessionsher anxiety skyrocketed, but it seemed to melt away the moment she stepped into the school’s library

Tall stacks of books surrounded her, towering above her, welco her in to their familiar embrace It reminded her of life in Durante, a ti the weeks as she settled into New York Her life was starting ane people, new places, new things, new chances--but the old see and constricting, forcing her to hold back, longing and yearning for the love she had left behind, instead of looking ahead

She lost Kelsey soain hours later as the sun was setting, the long day co to an end Kelsey stood in the lobby of the fine arts building next to a guy with spiky blond hair, her hand pressed against his chest, her face lit up with intense fascination

They separated after apast Haven and out the door Kelsey stood there, silently fidgeting as she bit down on her bottom lip, but she let out a squeal when she spotted Haven "My God, did you see hilancing out theon the sideith a group of friends "Who is he?"

"His na-or-other He’s a senior! He asked ave it to him God! Do you think he’ll call? I hope he calls"

Haven looked at her incredulously "I thought you didn’t have ti her off with a laugh "I can date, though No harht?"

Rhetorical question, but Haven shrugged in response anyway

"What about you?" Kelsey asked as the two of them headed out on their way back home "Do you have a boyfriend?"

The innocent question, asked offhandedly, was like a sucker punch to Haven’s chest It was the first time someone had asked her that "Not anymore I did, butnot anymore"

Kelsey’s elated expression dimmed "Ah, bad breakup?"

"You could say that"

Kelsey shook her head "You’re better off without him, whoever he is"

"Car his na he existedthat they had once existed togetherloosened the tight knot in her gut just a bit

"Breakups suck," Kelsey said "I’ve never really been a one man kind of wogs in one basket, honey,’ so I figure, why put all my hope in one man? I like to play the field a little, see what’s out there"

Haven would coot to know Kelsey more, exactly how much of an understatement that was

Every few days there was a new love interest, boy after boy co in and out of the apartment above hers Peter, Franco, Josh, JasonHaven stopped keeping track eventually She would hear the upstairs behind Kelsey, the sound of their heavy footsteps echoing through the connected apartments, and she would smile politely if she ran into them in the foyer, but she didn’t bother to say hello

The faces all blurred together over ti to know

School started during those feeeks Classes and studio sessions sed up Haven’s ti uphoo to the library and lose hours inside those thick walls, drowning in books and studying text It monopolized her attention, but she flourished under the stress

For yet again in her life, she had a strict schedule Yet again, she had a list of things to do, and if it wasn’t done she knew there would be consequences Failing wasn’t an option because, in Haven’s world, failing was as good as giving up on life