"When did you find out?" Evan couldn't stop smiling.
"Ten days ago," I shared as he set me back on the ground.
"Wow. That must have been hard not to tell anyone," he admired, knowing how much I'd wanted this. "Stanford. You totally deserve this. You didn't even tell me that you applied for early admission."
I averted my eyes sheepishly. "It was hard. But I did tell Sara―sorry."
"When I said anyone, I didn't count her. She's a given." The excitement continued to seep in. "Now I just have to find out which school accepts me so I can join you."
My smile faltered again.
"What?" Evan asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
I opened my mouth to speak, but then immediately closed it.
"Say it," he demanded. "Let me in that head of yours before you start thinking things you shouldn't."
"Too late," I confessed with a guilty shrug. I paused again before I revealed, "I heard your dad." Evan opened his mouth, about to spew some not so happy words, when I interrupted, "He's right."
He stopped and stared at me. "About what?"
"You can't make one of the biggest decisions of your life based on a girl."
Evan smirked. Not the reaction I expected. "Okay." My eyes widened at his casual response. He continued to wear his infamous amused grin as he added, "Because Stanford and Berkeley are horrible schools, and I'd be jeopardizing my whole future if I went to California. You're right. We should just break up now since there's no point in us considering each other in any decisions we make about our futures."
"Evan!" I balled up the wrapping paper and threw it at him. He laughed and batted it into the fire as if he'd planned it. "That's not what I meant," I huffed.
"I know," he chuckled, pulling me toward him, "but you can't listen to my father. He only thinks he knows what's best for me, when in fact he has no idea who I am." He kissed the top of my head and added, "I would never make such a huge decision based on a girl." He paused long enough for a jolt of panic to make my back tense, before completing with, "but you're not just any girl. I'm … We're going to California."
I buried my face in his chest and squeezed my arms around him. "Yale's the best law school in the country," I rebutted without conviction.
"And who said I wanted to be a lawyer," he responded, squeezing me back. Suddenly, he pulled away and declared, "I want to teach you how to dance."
My heart stopped. "You what?"
Evan laughed.
"I can't dance."
He laughed again. "I know. That's why I'm going to teach you."
I groaned and clenched my teeth in dread as he approached the Bose system. I was trying to figure out how to conjure up an ounce of grace as he inserted his iPhone and scrolled through the song selections. I scanned the empty terrace, scouting for potential tripping hazards. Then I took in the puddle of chiffon around my sneakers and exhaled in defeat―this was going to be a disaster.
My head popped up at the sudden strum of a guitar followed by a round of drums. Evan started nodding his head to the beat, walking slowly over to me. He reached for me, cradling my hips in his hands and rocking me to the punk song.
"Ready?" he asked, taking my hand and spinning me around as I laughed. When I turned back to face him, he started bouncing up and down, forcing me up with him. The thumping energy surged through me and I found myself jumping alongside him. He smiled in approval and proceeded to thrust his head in time with the thrashing bass. I rocked from side to side and jumped in a circle, swinging my arms―my skirt swirling around me.
We po-goed around the terrace for another song until I finally collapsed in an Adirondack, giddy and out of breath.
"You're amazing."
Evan stood in front of me, admiring me with flushed cheeks.
"I'm sure I don't look so amazing now," I noted, blowing the strand of hair stuck to my nose as a line sweat ran down my temple.
"That's not what I said," he corrected. "You are amazing."
I could feel my cheeks changing color, and my lips stretched into an embarrassed smile. "What did I do?"
"Just you, everything about you―you're amazing," he stated simply.
"You just love that I'm such a great dancer," I teased, making him chuckle.
Evan pulled me to my feet and met me with a kiss that set off a thousand fireworks through my entire body. Wait. Those were fireworks. I turned to witness a sprinkling of red sparks in the sky. We stepped out from under the terrace to watch the brilliant spectacle.
"Happy New Year," Evan said into my ear, pulling me around to kiss me before I could say the same.