Football singularity

Chapter 280 280 Letters of Change

The sharp clang of the mailbox echoed through the Davis household, temporarily pausing the heated conversation. Darnell glanced toward the door, his frown easing into curiosity. Viola, still sitting stiffly in her chair, let out a frustrated sigh but remained quiet. Liv, eager for a distraction, moved to the door, pulling it open to retrieve the mail. She sifted through the envelopes looking for anything interesting or addressed towards her, until her eyes landed on one in particular.

Her heart skipped a beat as she held the letter in her hand, the distinctive crest of Stanford University catching her eye. It felt heavy, so it had to be something good since no one was bored enough to go through all this trouble for a rejection. Moving past it another few letters met her eyes also containing the recognizable crest of the USC log and a few others she hadn't considered as seriously. She felt her pulse quicken, realizing this was it, her future was in those envelopes.

She walked back to the table, her hands trembling slightly as she set the letters down in front of her parents. Viola immediately zeroed in on the Stanford logo, her breath catching in her throat. "Well?" she prompted; her voice tight with anticipation. "Open them."

Liv hesitated for a moment, looking between her parents. She could feel their expectations pressing down on her. With a deep breath, she opened the letter from Stanford first, her fingers carefully tearing through the thick paper. Her eyes scanning the page at a rapid pace, her brain barely managing to process it as she looked for the word signalling her acceptance. It didn't take her long to find those magical word "full tennis scholarship," causing her to subconsciously drop the letter in shock.

"I got it. A full scholarship for tennis," she announced, her voice barley above a whispered but both of her parents were still able to hear her. She had already expected to get a full ride as the recruiter had told her so, but it was one thing being told about it and another actually having an offer in front of you. "Stanford wants me."

Viola's eyes lit up, and she reached out, gripping Darnell's arm. "Stanford," she whispered, as though speaking the name would solidify the reality. "You did it, honey." she exclaimed in happiness completely forgetting her earlier stance on this subject, as she was overcome by genuine happiness for her daughter.

But Liv's smile didn't mirror her mother's overwhelming enthusiasm. She nodded, grateful for the opportunity but still uncertain about the path ahead. Before anyone could say anything more, she moved on to the next envelope—from the University of Southern California. Her heart beat faster as she opened it, her eyes darting over the words.

"USC too," Liv said, holding up the letter. "Another tennis scholarship."

Viola's excitement grew. "Do you realize what this means? Two of the top tennis schools want you!" she paused for a second regaining her composure as a variety of thoughts floated through, her head. "This is great we can use this to leverage a good deal from brands and sponsor to finance you until you make a name for yourself in a couple of openings." Her words instantly ignited the argument again that had been put to rest by the arrival of the letters.

~~~

The Parker household buzzed with the usual morning activity; the remnants of breakfast still scattered across the table. May's eyes lingered on the stack of mail on the counter, her heart racing slightly as she recognised the some of the college logos on the mails. Despite not wanting to attend higher education, now that she had been awaiting this news for weeks, she couldn't help the nerves that she felt at the very moment.

May's fingers shook as she picked up the letters, her eyes catching the familiar crests and logos of the colleges she had applied to. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Even though she had been unsure about her future, the anticipation of this moment made her anxious. She tore open the envelope from Cambridge first having only applied for a minor course here due to her dads nagging and the fact Emma would be attending here.

Her eyes skimmed the page, and she felt a wave of mixed emotions as she read the word "waitlisted." She sighed, folding the letter back into its envelope, trying to steady her breathing. It wasn't a rejection, but it wasn't an acceptance either, putting her fall-back plan to in jeopardy if she by chance changed her mind last minute. Next, she turned her attention to UCLA. The letter had a similar tone, and her heart sank further as she read another "waitlisted." The fact she wasn't an athlete, with only above average grades really didn't help her case. She put the letter aside, feeling a mix of peace and disappointment as the fact she wasn't accepted in a school would stop her parents form trying to convince her to join a school.

Sighing slightly, she proceeded to the next letter hoping for better news as it was a matter of pride now. The Georgetown University letter was next. She tore it open and scanned the contents. Her eyes widened as she read the word "accepted." A broad smile spread across her face as she read on about the acceptance into Georgetown University. She had visited the school with her mother when she was still alive and loved the idea of one day attending here but now her dreams changed.

Without pausing, she moved on to the final letter: Brown University. As she opened the envelope, her heart pounded in her chest. She skimmed the words and saw "Congratulations" at the top. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and hugged the letter to her chest, overwhelmed with joy. Brown university had been her dream when she was still trying to become a journalist so when it came to applying, she did so on a whim not really expecting to get in.

Evelyn Parker, her stepmother, entered the room just as May finished reading the last letter. Seeing the mix of emotions on May's face, she approached her. "How did it go?" Evelyn asked, her voice filled with curiosity and concern.

May looked up, her face brightening with a smile. "I got accepted to Georgetown and Brown!" she calmly told her barely managing to keep here excitement down. Evelyn's face lit up with pride. "That's amazing honey I knew you could do it, no matter what you decided to do in the end I'm so proud of you," she told her directly pulling May into a warm hug. With her stepmother's excitement over her achievement, she spontaneously burst forth in celebration brining live into the Parker household. Even though they weren't sure whether May would actually go to college they still celebrated her achievement's.

~~~

In the Rex household, the atmosphere was quite different, as after finishing their breakfast it was Ben who went to check on the mail. He was presently surprised by the thick stack off letters mor than the usual magazines and paper he had been expecting. glancing at the stack of mail his eyes quickly homed in on the distinctive crests of prestigious universities. He was immediately excited as he noticed the names: Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, UCLA.

He stood still for a moment, letting the weight of the letters sink in. Emma had been waiting for this day for months, her future riding on the responses tucked inside these envelopes. He carried the letters into the kitchen, where Emma was busying herself with cleaning up the table after their breakfast. Not hearing his approach due to the pair of EarPods in her ears, she rhythmically hummed along to the song whilst doing her work.

Ben cleared his throat softly to get Emma's attention. She turned around, slightly startled, but quickly pulled out one of her earbuds as she noticed the letters in his hand. Her turquoise-green eyes widened at the sight. "Are those...?" she asked, her voice trailing off in anticipation.

Ben smiled warmly, holding out the letters. "Yeah, looks like the moment of truth has arrived."

Emma wiped her hands on a dish towel and took the letters from her dad, her fingers trembling slightly. She was caught completely off guard by this not expecting to receive her replies at this very moment and her dad's huge smile as he started videoing her didn't help in that. The prestigious names stared back at her: Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, UCLA. She had dreamed about this moment for so long, as unlike her friends she and Jenna always wanted to attend college, and now that it was here, it felt surreal.

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To Be Continued...