“Everybody says college is a bubble. I'm sure we'll see her every now and again, but we'd really have to make the effort. And with Sam being so hyper-focused on her studies..."

I sighed.

“She's already made clear her career is more important to her than spending time with me."

“Look, I'm not eager to burn down the BTC just so I can have you all to myself. I get what you're thinking, and I realize I've been just enough of a jealous monster Lately for you to believe the worst in me. I'm not proud of what I've done or how I've acted.“ Belle shook her head and sighed.

“Even this Holly thing... I genuinely wish she'd stick around longer so I could make it up to her.”

I arched my eyebrows. "Can I tell her you said that?"

“Sure. Totally." Belle shrugged like it was no big deal. "Look, if I could wave a magic wand and get all six of us at Berkeley together -- seven, if you wanted to include Holly - I would. I really, really would. These girls have been my best friends for YEARS. The BTC is the best thing that ever happened to me, you included, and I'd like to think we'll all stay really good friends until we've become decrepit old geezers. So please don't think I'm Like... happy... that none of them are coming with us. I really am just trying to make the best of the situation as it is. You and I are going to Berkeley without any of them. At some point you're going to have to accept that."

I was in the middle of formulating a response when I heard the doorbell ring. I frowned at Belle, wondering who could be at the door on a

Sunday night. It was early enough in the evening that Mother most likely wouldn't be home. For a moment, I thought about just ignoring the door and getting back to my naked conversation, but the doorbell rang again, three times in quick succession.

Belle and I exchanged a look, and I slipped off the bed to throw on my pajama pants and a t-shirt. I moved quickly but didn't rush, and the doorbell rang again before I finally flipped on the porch light and looked through the peephole.

Once I saw who was outside, I pulled my head back in surprise and now moved hurriedly to open the door.

“Sam? Hey? What's wrong?"

The normally confident and poised platinum blonde stood on my doorstep, shivering in the cold night air wearing nothing but a thin shirt and jeans. Her makeup was running from obvious tears, and she had an expression of such bitter and hopeless sorrow that I immediately reached out the door to pull her inside, kicked the door closed behind us, and then held her fiercely in my arms while she trembled and started sobbing on my shoulder

Her skin was freezing, so I tried rubbing her arms and back with my hands while trapping her within my body heat.

“Ohmigawd, Sam, what's wrong? What happened?"

She kept crying in my arms, and I squeezed her tightly. By then, Belle had gotten dressed and was about six steps up the stairs, looking over the railing at us. Her eyes asked what was going on, but I gave her a helpless Look and shook my head to explain I had no idea either.

Finally, Sam started to defrost a bit, and she Looked up at me through bleary eyes.

“C-c-can I stay here tonight?”

“Of course!" I replied instantly.

“Absolutely. But... why? What's going on?"

“I can't go back home. Not right now. Not like this." She buried her face in the crook of my neck and started shivering again

“That's fine. You can stay here as long as you need. You could stay here forever if it came to that." I rubbed her spine again and held her close. "But Sam, talk to me. What's going on?"

“My parents are pissed. They won't Listen. I mean, I knew they wanted me to go to Stanford, but still, I thought they'd understand."

“Understand what? What was that about Stanford?"

Sam Looked up into my eyes again.