"Come on Sasha, you need to stop making a big deal out of this." Olivia said, her voice calm and rational, as she gazed out the passenger window.
"Big deal you say? Olivia, it's Emberstone we're talking about," Sasha exclaimed, her eyes darting between the road and Olivia's face, her hands gesturing animatedly as she spoke. "Incase you've forgotten, Emberstone is the best college in California. You get to meet rich people--"
"And that is the thing that bothers me," Olivia interrupted, her brow furrowed in concern, her voice laced with anxiety. "I don't fit in. I applied for a scholarship for colleges like Sea crest, Stanford College, Vandego; schools I could meet people like me; but after getting through the exams, I got one of the greatest shock of my life. I was given a scholarship to attend Emberstone University." She said, her words tumbling out in a rush, her hands clenched into fists.
"You're making the scholarship sound like a bad idea," Sasha said, rasing an eyebrow, her tone skeptical.
"No I'm happy I got a scholarship," Olivia replied, her voice defensive, her shoulders squaring. "But how am I going to fit in?" She asked, her eyes searching Sasha's face for reassurance.
"You need to act like you belong there," Sasha said, her voice firm, her eyes locked on the road ahead, as she accelerated the car onto the highway.
Olivia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You make it sound so easy."
Sasha chuckled. "Because it's going to be, and you know why?"
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Sasha nodded toward the back seat. "Look into my bag; you'll see an envelope."
Olivia reached for the bag, unzipped it, and pulled out the envelope. "Then what?" she asked, examining the envelope.
Sasha grinned mischievously. "Then open it, of course. What else are envelopes for?"
Olivia's curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the envelope. She pulled out the contents and read the heading: "Admission Letter." Her eyes widened as she read on.
"'Dear Sasha Beckham, we are pleased to inform you that you've been admitted to Emberstone University...'" Olivia's voice trailed off, and she looked up at Sasha in shock.
"What?!" Olivia yelled, her voice filled with surprise and excitement. She turned to face Sasha, her eyes shining with happiness.
Sasha giggled, clearly pleased with herself. "Surprise!!"
Olivia's expression turned serious. "Wait, so you've been keeping this from me the whole time?" She set the admission letter on her lap, her hands still clutching the envelope.
Sasha nodded, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Well, it was kinda payback for not telling me Fred planned a surprise party for my birthday."
Olivia's eyes narrowed. "Are you freaking serious right now? You still haven't gotten that off your back?"
Sasha shrugged. "Well, I just did."
Olivia shook her head, a mixture of amusement and annoyance on her face. "And besides, it was a surprise party. But that's not important right now. Admission into Emberstone? I thought you were planning on schooling in England?"
Sasha's expression turned thoughtful. "Yeah, that was what I wanted, but I decided to attend Emberstone with you."
Olivia's eyes widened in surprise. "I thought schooling in England was your dream?"
Sasha chuckled. "No, schooling in Cyprus was, but I heard British guys in college have great abs."
Olivia raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism on her face. "Seriously?"
Sasha winked. "Yeah, but I also heard stories about guys at Emberstone...but no spoilers, I'll give you a chance to find out on your own."
Olivia's eyes sparkled with curiosity, but before she could respond, she glanced around the car. "I'm still trying to process the surprise, but I didn't see any of your luggage in your car."
Sasha waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, Mr. Pat, our chauffeur, is already on it. I told him about the surprise, so he agreed to play along. I guess he's already waiting at Emberstone."
Olivia's expression softened, and she reached out to touch Sasha's arm. "Geez, I can't believe you kept this from me, Sash."
Sasha's face fell, and she looked contrite. "I'm sorry, Oli. I had to, but the good thing is that we've got each other. You don't have to worry about fitting in. And besides, Emberstone would be an over exaggerated school. All those talks about the school will probably be exaggerated rumors."
Olivia frowned, still processing the surprise.
******
As they drove up to the entrance of Emberstone University, Sasha and Olivia couldn't help but gasp in unison. The grandeur of the campus took their breath away. Towering spires and Gothic-inspired architecture stretched towards the sky, surrounded by lush greenery and meticulously manicured lawns.
Sasha's eyes widened as she slowed the car to a stop in front of the main gate. "Wow..." she whispered, her gaze roaming over the sprawling campus.
Olivia's jaw dropped, her eyes shining with excitement. "This is... incredible!"
Sasha's initial skepticism began to fade as she took in the sheer scale and beauty of the university. She remembered her earlier comment about Emberstone being over exaggerated, and a sheepish grin spread across her face.
"I take my words back, Oli," Sasha said, shaking her head in amazement. "Emberstone is definitely not over exaggerated. I was so wrong!"
Olivia turned to her, a knowing glint in her eye. "I told you, Sash! This place is legendary!"
As they sat there, taking in the breathtaking view, a sense of excitement and anticipation began to build within them. They were about to embark on an incredible journey, one that would challenge them, inspire them, and change their lives forever.
Sasha put the car in gear, and they drove through the gates, ready to take their first steps into the extraordinary world of Emberstone University.