The Girl Next Door
The Boy Next Door Chapter 12

One month later...

The muscles of my belly spasm as I click on the email and skim over the first line. I'd mentally prepared myself for a-we regret to inform you...blah, blah, blah.

Instead, it reads-Congratulations! You have been selected...

I blink and read over the first line with more care, but the words remain the same. It still says congratulations.

Holy s**t! How did this happen? I didn't think I had a shot in the dark of being selected to attend LCDS. There were only a handful of spots and the competition was killer. Without Monsieur Dupre practically forcing me to apply, I wouldn't have bothered. A potent concoction of excitement and fear bubble up inside me.

As that thought swirls through my head, the door to the dorm opens and Mia steps inside.

Her lips lift into a smile when she spots me at the desk near the window. "Hey! I didn't expect you back so soon."

"We were let out early," I tell her. "I just walked in ten minutes ago."

With a huff of breath, she tosses her bag onto the bed before pulling off her jacket. "It's freezing out there." Her cheeks are pink from the walk across campus. "Yeah," I agree, gaze flicking to the window and the thin blanket of snow that covers the ground, "it is." As far as I'm concerned, spring can't come soon enough.

Mia drops down onto the bed next to her bag before pulling out her phone. "I'm glad you're here. I found a few more apartments for next year that we can check out. I know it's still early, but we should try to replace something before all the good ones get snapped up." s**t.

Mia and I have talked about living off-campus since we were freshman. We've already checked out a few places, but they were located further away from the university than we wanted. It has to be within walking distance since parking on campus is a nightmare. I gnaw my lower lip as my gaze darts to the laptop screen. Only now do I realize that I hadn't bothered to mention the LCDS exchange program to her.

I mean, why would I?

It's not like I had a snowball's chance in hell of getting selected.

Except...I've actually been accepted. And I would leave in July. That's only five months away. My belly drops to the bottom of my toes. It's like I'm sitting at the tippy top of a roller coaster. Unconsciously, my hand settles over my lower abdomen. In that moment, I realize that it's not even a question in my head if I'll accept.

There's no way I can turn down such an amazing opportunity to dance. Honestly, this couldn't have happened at a better time. Escaping from Wesley for the year is exactly what I need to get my head on straight and stop thinking about Colton. I can finally purge him from my system. There's got to be a few hot guys in London who can help with that, right?

Excitement bursts inside me.

My gaze settles on Mia again and some of my pleasure fades.

How am I going to break the news to her? I feel like a real jerk for baling on her. We've had these plans for years. But...I can't stay here. For my own mental health, I need to do this. I need to get away from Colton. I need to break the hold he has on me once and for all.

"There's something I need to tell you," I blurt, unable to hold it inside any longer.

"You still want to look for something off-campus, right?" With a frown, she glances around the tiny space. "Because I don't think I can live in the dorms for another year. I need out." "Yeah." I fall silent, uncertain how to break the news about the exchange program. "I mean, no."

Her brows snap together as she straightens on the bed. She has no idea where I'm going with this. "Oh my God, you want to live in the dorms again? Aren't you tired of such cramped quarters? It's like we're on top of each other all the time." Mia stares at me like I've grown a horn on my head. And why wouldn't she? I've been bitching about the dorms since day one. If we could have moved off campus after freshman year, I would have but it's university policy that freshman and sophomores live in the residence halls. Ugh. I'm making a complete mess of this.

I suck in a deep breath and hold it in my lungs for a moment before slowly forcing it out again. Maybe it would simplify matters if Mia reads the email herself. Before I can rethink my decision, I grab my laptop from the desk and plop down next to her. "I received this today."

She shoots me a puzzled look before her gaze settles on the computer screen. A few beats of silence pass as her eyes widen and she glances at me. I can almost see the wheels in her head spinning. "Wait a minute," her voice rises with each word, "you're doing a study abroad program next year?"

My shoulders collapse. "I only applied because Monsieur Dupree insisted. I didn't actually think I'd make it." Hesitantly I force out the words, "Are you angry?" This month has been difficult enough, I don't think I could stand that.

"Angry?" As she shakes her head, some of the shock falls away. "Of course, I'm not mad. Although, I wish you would have given me the heads up when you applied."

"I didn't think I even had a shot."

She frowns, anger sparking to life in her eyes. "That's the most ridiculous thing you've ever said. Why the hell wouldn't you get accepted?" Barely does she give me a chance to open my mouth before she continues, "You're an amazing dancer. They're lucky to have you." Thick emotion wells in my throat as I set the computer aside and pull Mia into my arms. This right here is exactly why this girl is my bestie. Why she will always be my bestie. I couldn't ask for a more supportive friend.

"As much as I'm going to miss you, I think it's an amazing opportunity."

"Really?" Hope rises inside me like a balloon.

"Hell yeah! I wish I could come with you! I'm jealous!"

"You'll visit!"

She laughs. "Try and stop me. Maybe I'll just squat in your apartment. Or dorm. Or flat. Or whatever the heck they call it over there."

That would be amazing. I wish it was a possibility. A pang of sadness fills me when I think about not seeing Mia's smiling face every day. It's funny, my mother tried to warn me about living with Mia when I announced senior year of high school that we were going to room together at college. She said that it was a good way to lose a friend. But that never happened. We're closer than ever.

And a year of separation won't change that.

As much as I've insisted that I'm over Colton, it's more wishful thinking on my part than anything else. It's been five weeks since the blond football player dumped my a*s and he's been spotted at several parties with his harem. Every time one of my so-called friends catches sight of him, I'm sent a barrage of photo evidence regarding how easily he moved on from our relationship. I finally had to tell them to stop. Every damn picture was like a paper cut. Painful, yet not enough to kill me.

Mia reaches over and lays a hand across mine before giving it a gentle squeeze. "Even though I'll miss the hell out of you, it's too amazing of an opportunity to pass up."

She's right. It is.

Now that everything is out in the open, a fresh wave of excitement crashes over me.

I can't believe how lucky I am.

I get to dance in London for a whole year!