"Perfect! They won't be able to resist you!" Auntie pronounced as she placed her makeup brush on the bathroom counter in satisfaction.

I looked at my reflection and smiled slightly. Auntie had only placed a minimal amount of makeup on, but the smoky eyeliner and light eye shadow made my eyes seem bigger, and my cheeks were tinted a faint pink. My hair had been gathered into a half ponytail and then curled in loose ringlets the way Auntie liked to do her hair. Slowly I looked down at myself, making sure my pale pink half jacket over a purple undershirt, black skinny jeans, and black ankle boots really did look okay. I looked up again and as my small pink earrings glittered I released a part satisfied and part nervous sigh.

Nathaniel and I had been dating for nearly a month now. Christmas had been full of family traditions for both of us so we hadn't been able to see each other much, but now that the New Year had rolled around Nathaniel's mother had apparently insisted that she wanted to meet me.

The thought of sitting in the same room as Nathaniel's dad made my blood boil, but Nathaniel had asked me to pretend I didn't know anything about what happened between them. I wasn't sure I was a good enough actress to pull that off, but I was also terrified that if I did something wrong then Nathaniel would pay the price later. Just when my thoughts were becoming a jumble of pressure-filled chaos, I heard a cheerful rap coming from the front door. I stood up quickly, rubbing my hands together to try and get my nervous tension out.

"I'll get the pies, you get the door," Auntie instructed and I nodded. 

The small heels of my boots click-clacked down the hallway as I walked to the front door and opened it to see Nathaniel standing there bundled up in his winter coat. He grinned happily as he saw me and gathered me into a quick hug.

"You look beautiful, Opal," he whispered into my ear and I grinned broadly.

"Thank you! Come in, I still need to get my coat and earmuffs." 

He did as I asked and as I slipped my things on Auntie came out of the kitchen carrying a white box.

"Hi, Yuki! What is that?" he asked curiously.

Even after just having dated for a month, we had already gone on several double dates with Shin Woo and Auntie and at some point, Auntie gave Nathaniel permission to call her Yuki. I remembered how Auntie had told me guys had to earn the right to call her by her first name and I was incredibly happy that she had warmed up to Nathaniel so quickly and naturally.

"These are some hand pies that Opal made for tonight," she said proudly and I blushed slightly as Nathaniel cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"Hand pies?"

"They're miniature pies that you can eat with your hands." I lifted the lid off the box to reveal the golden half-circle-shaped pastries.

"They look great! You didn't have to do that, though." Nathaniel said with a smile and I shrugged.

"I felt bad coming over empty-handed."

"I'm sure they'll love them," he said happily then pulled his cellphone from his pocket and frowned at the screen before saying, "We should probably head out now." I noticed some reluctance in Nathaniel's tone and I couldn't help but worry about how the night was going to go.

"Have a wonderful night you two! There's no curfew, but wake me up when you come home so you can tell me all about it!" Auntie said happily and I nodded, taking the box from her.

Nathaniel opened the door for me and then lifted the box from my hands. His small, gentlemanly gestures like this always made me happy and I couldn't keep from grinning up at him. Turning, I waved one last time to Auntie before walking out the door.

"So... how do you think this will go?" I asked nervously once we were in his car. Nathaniel sighed, reaching out and taking one of my hands in his as he drove one-handed.

"Honestly, I hope it goes well. My mom is super excited to meet you; she almost didn't believe me when I said that I have a girlfriend. She's been pestering me to invite you over for a while now."

"I'm excited to meet her. But....?" Nathaniel grimaced and squeezed my hand.

"You know Amber. She is not happy with me dating in the first place; the fact that it's you makes her more upset because you know what she's really like." 

I sighed and looked out the window for a minute. "I wish she didn't dislike me." 

Nathaniel smiled and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles.

"I'm sure she'll come around eventually."

"What about your dad?" I asked quietly and Nathaniel's jaw tightened.

"He... is a hypocrite," Nathaniel spat out angrily and I blinked in surprise.

"Why do you say that?" I asked and he exhaled in frustration.

"When I was in middle school he told me that I needed to find a beautiful and kind girl to date so that I would have a 'high school sweetheart' story. But now he says that I should be focusing on volunteer work and my studies instead of wasting my time with a girlfriend. He drives me crazy," Nathaniel said through gritted teeth.

A feeling of sadness and sympathy filled me as I looked at his pained expression. It was my turn to squeeze his hand and he threw me a smile before turning to watch the road again.

"Don't worry, though, Opal. When Mom's around Dad is always on his best behavior." 

I nodded silently and we spent the rest of the ride to Nathaniel's home in quiet thought. I hoped that Nathaniel was right and that everything would go alright. In all honesty, I was genuinely excited to meet Nathaniel's mom. I hoped that Amber wouldn't do anything to spoil the experience.

I blinked in shock when Nathaniel pulled into a driveway of a large two-story house that screamed elegance. It wasn't as grand as Castiel's house, but it was on par with the home I had grown up in and I was surprised when a familiar tension began building inside of me. Trying not to let the weird anxiety show, I looked over at Nathaniel and he chuckled slightly.

"Not only is my dad the mayor, but my mom is a pretty famous news anchor," he explained and I widened my eyes in amazement.

"A news anchor?" I asked, trying to kick away my anxiety and just let my excitement at this new discovery show. Nathaniel nodded with a smile.

"She's really popular too," he bragged and I grinned widely. We walked up to his large front door which he opened for me while calling, "We're here!"

"I'm in the kitchen!" A singsong voice called back and I smiled, stepping into the house.

A wonderful scent greeted me and I was amazed at how beautiful the house was; with rich burgundy trim surrounding beautiful wood walls, I didn't think I'd ever seen anything so elegant and homey. It was so opposite to the stark modernistic style that my mother had chosen that my mounting anxiety slowly began to quell and I could feel the tension in my shoulders loosen.

After leaving my boots and jacket in the closet of the small tiled room that Nathaniel called a mudroom, I followed him past a beautiful dining room and into a huge kitchen that reminded me of Castiel's. But one big difference was there was a woman with golden hair, pulled up in a bouncy ponytail, busily scurrying around. She was a couple of inches shorter than me with the same green eyes that Amber had and the most cheerful smile I had ever seen. She was wearing a frilly pink apron over her white knit sweater and brown slacks.

"It smells great, Mom," Nathaniel complimented and Mrs. Anderson turned to grin adoringly at her son.

"Thank you, Nathaniel! Oh! This must be Opal!" Mrs. Anderson looked at me and grinned broadly. I smiled and bowed my head slightly.

"Yes, I'm Opal. It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Anderson." Then I extended the box in my hands toward her. "I made these for you and your family." 

Mrs. Anderson's eyes shone with delight as she took the box. "How sweet! You didn't have to do that!" She lifted the lid and gasped as the twelve little pastries looked up at her. "Oh, they're darling! Thank you, Opal."

Nathaniel wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I smiled up at him with relief. I was glad she liked the gift and hoped she'd like them more when she tried one. She set them off to the side for later and then took a step back as she looked me up and down. I couldn't help but gulp nervously, but then she grinned widely and nodded.

"You are very beautiful!" she exclaimed and I blushed brightly, ducking my head.

"Isn't she?" Nathaniel asked happily and I nudged his side before smiling shyly up at him.

"You really compliment each other well! I'm so looking forward to getting to know you better, dear. And you may call me June if you'd like," she said with a smile.

"May I help you with dinner?" I asked, feeling too shy to address her so casually when I barely knew her. Mrs. Anderson shook her head with a smile.

"It's almost ready, but thank you for offering! Why don't you let Nathaniel give you a tour of our home?" she asked while looking at Nathaniel and he nodded.

"That's a good idea. Come on, Opal." 

I waved slightly at Mrs. Anderson before Nathaniel steered me out of the kitchen and down a hallway covered in family pictures. I wanted to stop and look at Nathaniel's pictures, but he sped me past them before I had the chance.

"The main floor has the living room, kitchen, entertainment room, and a small library; but we'll start upstairs," Nathaniel said as we reached a large staircase. 

I followed him dutifully up the staircase just as Amber stepped out into the hallway. She looked at me, then at Nathaniel's hand that was holding mine, and glared at me.

"You really brought her here? Haven't you come to your senses yet?" she snapped at Nathaniel and a pang of sadness went through me. I didn't want Amber to dislike me, but I didn't know how to change her opinion of me either.

"She's my girlfriend, Amber, so be nice." 

Amber sniffed and flounced past us, getting in a shove to my shoulder as she passed me. Nathaniel turned with a look of anger but I placed a hand on his chest to stop him. He looked down at me and I shook my head slowly. Letting out a sigh he nodded and then smiled.

"Do you want to see my room?" he asked. 

I nodded, feeling a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. I had never been in a boy's room before, and I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like.

We walked down the hall past the room Amber had come out of and a door that Nathaniel said was a bathroom until we reached the last door on the right. He pushed the door open and then led me into his room. The walls were painted a stark white with blue trimming around the edges, making them look crisp and clean. A large bed with a neatly folded blue blanket and matching pillows was in the middle of the room and against the walls was a dresser with a large mirror attached to the top, a desk with an open laptop, and shelves full of books. I was a little surprised to see a small weight set in the corner though. Everything was neat and orderly just like Nathaniel and I smiled as I took it all in.

"It looks like you," I said with a smile, surprised at how relaxed I felt in here. Nathaniel chuckled, leaning against the wall next to his door.

"You mean boring and strict?" he asked lightheartedly. Nathaniel had been making more jokes after we started dating and I couldn't help but grin as I shook my head.

"No, more like organized and dedicated," I said and he smiled sweetly at me. 

Just then a small glint caught my eye and I walked over to his dresser where a small shape was dangling from the corner of his mirror. My eyes widened and I pointed at the little squirrel.

"It's Neil!" I exclaimed in surprise and Nathaniel walked up beside me with a confused look.

"Neil?" he asked and instantly I blushed.

"That's what I named my squirrel that you gave me. Did you buy yourself one, too?" I asked and he nodded slowly as a small grin spread over his lips.

"Neil... did you name your squirrel after me?" he asked. I blushed again while looking away.

"Well... Dajan asked me what its name was and I hadn't named it, so I just said the first thing that came to my mind and...." 

Nathaniel slowly turned me towards him and lifted my chin up so he could look into my eyes.

"I'm glad you were thinking of me when you named it," he said softly and a shiver of happiness went up my spine as I met his gaze. 

We stayed in that position for several seconds and I wondered if he was thinking what I was. Slowly he began to lean down towards me and I held my breath in anticipation...

"Nathaniel! Opal! Malcolm! Dinner's ready!"

Nathaniel groaned and my bubble of excitement burst as the moment was ruined. We looked at each other with obvious disappointment and then both chuckled. He swiftly kissed my forehead and then took my hand, leading me back downstairs.

We walked into the dining room hand in hand and instantly my eyes fell on the intimidating form of Mr. Anderson. He was sitting at the head of the table and his gold eyes locked onto me with a cold, calculating look. I felt goosebumps erupt on my arms as the disgust that I held for this man tried to boil up, but I schooled my expression and locked away my feelings as I smiled at him and inclined my head respectfully.

"My name is Opal Sato. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Anderson," I said formally before Nathaniel had the chance to introduce me. Mr. Anderson's eyes narrowed slightly before he nodded.

"Please sit. I look forward to getting to know the girl my son has decided to date." His tone was pleasant but his eyes remained cold and I was astonished at how different his eyes were from Nathaniel's even though they were the same color.

Nathaniel pulled a chair out for me and I took my spot delicately as Mrs. Anderson bustled in with a steaming dish that smelled of tomato sauce and melted cheese. Nathaniel sat in the seat next to me, directly to his dad's left, as Amber came in carrying a bowl of vibrant green beans and set them down while throwing me another glare.

"I hope you like eggplant, Opal, because I made my famous Eggplant Parmesan," Mrs. Anderson said cheerfully as she took her seat on her husband's right side and Amber sat next to her.

"It smells delicious," I said honestly and she grinned broadly.

Mr. Anderson dished himself up first and as everyone filled their plates Amber chatted animatedly with her dad, completely ignoring Nathaniel and me. I listened politely and as I took my first bite of the eggplant parmesan my eyes widened in delight as the rich flavor hit my taste buds.

"So what do you think?" Mrs. Anderson asked kindly and I was almost sad to swallow so that I could answer her.

"It's amazing!" I replied happily and she grinned.

"I'm so glad you think so!" she said with obvious delight. Nathaniel smiled at me as I felt him lay his left hand lightly on my knee.

"So, Opal, is it true that you are the one that beat Nathaniel out of the Valedictorian spot?" 

I blinked up at Mr. Anderson who was regarding me steadily. Nathaniel's hand on my knee tightened at the same time as my whole body stiffened. Nathaniel rubbed my knee in what I assumed was meant to be a comforting gesture, but I could tell he was as stressed about this topic as I was. I forced a hesitant smile and nodded slowly.

"Actually it's been decided we'll be co-valedictorian's," I said, trying to smile naturally. "As long as I can keep up my GPA that is. My AP Psychology class has been getting difficult lately."

"You're taking AP Psychology? How interesting! Do you want to be a psychologist?" Mrs. Anderson asked enthusiastically. 

I turned my smile towards her, trying not to show my nervousness. I figured this would be a point of conversation that might come up, but with all of the mental and psychological changes I had been going through since Auntie told me I wasn't a mistake, I still hadn't come up with a solid plan.

"I enjoy psychology, but I have a lot of academic interests. I haven't quite decided which major I want to pursue. I've been considering Accounting, Literature, and Business Management. I even looked into culinary school." 

Mrs. Anderson blinked in surprise but I noticed that Mr. Anderson's cold eyes had briefly widened as if I had said something right.

"You really do have a lot of interests. Have you considered going into journalism? Someone with that many interests would fit in well in the journalism world," Mrs. Anderson said with an encouraging smile and I felt a blush creep into my cheeks.

"That's kind of you to say, Mrs. Anderson. I hadn't considered that option. Part of me wants to lean towards accounting though because a close family friend owns a dance studio and I wondered if I should take over the business side for him so he can focus on teaching his students. Although that may be presumptuous of me," I said with an awkward shrug but Mrs. Anderson gasped with delight.

"Really? Do you dance?" she asked and I blushed slightly as Nathaniel grinned widely.

"She does; she's really amazing! She was in the talent show, and she would have won the whole thing but she refused to put her name on the ballot since Mr. Tremont ended up using her act as the theme of the talent show. They made it so that everyone thought she was actually a ghost and when she started singing and dancing everyone was absolutely floored! I know I was, anyway," Nathaniel said with a huge grin at me and I smiled bashfully at him.

"So you were Lady Mysteria! Nathaniel told me all about that act! I wish I could have seen it," Mrs. Anderson said with a pout and Mr. Anderson cleared his throat. I looked over at him and saw a hint of disapproval in his eyes.

"So besides dancing do you have any other hobbies? Are you a member of any clubs?" he asked before placing a forkful of food in his mouth. 

Nathaniel frowned at his plate but I answered, "I am actually in the gardening club." 

Mr. Anderson raised one eyebrow and I wasn't sure if it was in disapproval or just surprise.

"Why did you choose that club?" he asked shortly and I chuckled nervously.

"Well, I didn't really choose it at first. The principal asked me to help out since the club was low on members but after working there for a while I realized how much I enjoyed it and I've continued helping out," I explained.

He gave a low 'hmmm', taking another bite of his dinner. I looked down at my food, wondering what he was thinking. Nathaniel rubbed my arm discreetly under the table and I looked at him to see him smiling kindly at me before he turned to look at his dad.

"Opal also tutors in her free time," he added. Mr. Anderson looked up at me again with an interested gaze.

"Is that so?" he asked and Mrs. Anderson grinned.

"That's wonderful that you offer help to people who have trouble, you being so smart!" Mrs. Anderson complimented and I smiled, shaking my head lightly.

"I'm not really that smart, I just work hard." 

Amber snorted and I blinked over at her in shock. She had been silent since the conversation had turned onto me and now she gave me a haughty look.

"You didn't help ME with my tests." Her voice was innocent, but I knew that she was referring to the time she told me to cheat for her. I also knew that her parents wouldn't believe me if I told the truth.

"Why didn't you help Amber?" Mr. Anderson's words were curt and sharp but surprisingly I felt calm and smiled sweetly at Amber and then him.

"Amber hadn't completed her study sheets when she asked me for my help. I asked her to finish them so I knew what she needed to work on, but she never came back so I assumed she hadn't needed my help after all."

Amber glared at me and I resisted the urge to shrug.

"Hm. And where are you planning on going to college?" Mr. Anderson asked.

"I've applied to Anteros Academy; hopefully I'll be starting in August." 

This time Mr. Anderson's eyes really did narrow as he stared hard at me.

"As good as our home university is, with your academic prowess I would have expected you to go to Yale, or maybe Stanford. Somewhere prestigious. You are planning to transfer to Harvard with Nathaniel once you've received your bachelor's aren't you?" he demanded.

My entire body stiffened at this ridiculous controlling behavior and the gall he had to plan out Nathaniel's life for him. I did my best not to narrow my eyes right back at him. I felt Nathaniel's hand pull back and I quietly slipped my hand under the table to place my hand over top of his clenched fist.

"I appreciate your faith in my academic abilities, Mr. Anderson. But I chose Anteros because it is close to my aunt and I don't want to leave her," I said firmly and he frowned.

"Oh, that's right. Nathaniel told me you lived with your Aunt," Mrs. Anderson jumped in cheerfully and I was wondering if she was trying to steer the conversation to a lighter topic.

"And why is that?" Mr. Anderson grilled without missing a beat. 

Mrs. Anderson frowned slightly but I met his gaze head on. Something about Mr. Anderson's interrogative questions were causing a strange outward calmness even as my insides boiled at his judgemental gaze.

"My parents got a divorce so I came to live with my aunt." 

The surprise and disapproval in Mr. Anderson's eyes made me want to scream, but I kept my emotions under control and concentrated on Nathaniel's comforting hand holding mine.

"I think that's enough of the interrogation, dear," Mrs. Anderson said firmly and then turned sparkling eyes on me. "But I WOULD love to hear about how you two started dating!" 

Nathaniel and I exchanged quick glances as we both wondered how to go about explaining that without giving anything away.

"You found out he was Mayor Anderson's son and decided you couldn't resist, right?" Mr. Anderson asked arrogantly. Mrs. Anderson tittered as if he had been joking, but the fierce pride behind his eyes made it obvious to me that he truly believed that that was the reason.

"No," I denied firmly and he blinked over at me with irritation but I continued, "Ever since I first met Nathaniel I admired him more than anyone. He was always so helpful and kind; I could talk to him about anything. Like when we were partners in the orienteering race and we talked for almost half an hour about Lewis and Clark." I grinned up at him and he chuckled.

"You should have seen her when she saw a squirrel. She got so excited!" Nathaniel laughed and I giggled.

"It was so cute! But that was also something I really loved about Nathaniel; he didn't mind it when I acted a little childish and he let me go at my own pace." I turned to look at Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson, and Amber in turn. "Nathaniel is the most considerate, sweet, kind, and dedicated person I know and he makes me laugh all the time. And every time he smiles I can't help but smile as well."

Mrs. Anderson's eyes were shining with delight and Amber looked grumpy, but Mr. Anderson looked like he was bored and unimpressed. 

I looked straight at him and said firmly, "I love your son because of who HE is. Not who his parents are," then I turned to smile at Mrs. Anderson, "Not that I don't think you're wonderful."

She grinned widely at that.

"And I think you're wonderful as well! Nathaniel, you sure have found a special girl!" she said excitedly. I smiled shyly down at my plate, but I could see Nathaniel's happy smile out of the corner of my eye.

"You're right; I have." The squeeze on my hand in accompaniment to his words made me smile and Mr. Anderson cleared his throat.

"Well, now that we know about Opal shall we continue dinner? Weren't you telling me about your chemistry class, Blossom?" he asked Amber and she grinned broadly before launching into an explanation of how an experiment had gone wrong during her chemistry lab and a tube had exploded.

I ate my food in silence, but every once in a while Nathaniel would nudge my foot with his toes or place a hand on my knee. Every time I would look down at my plate to keep my silly smile from showing. Nathaniel was so affectionate but still such a gentleman, it made me feel so lucky to have him in my life.

Once dinner finished, Nathaniel and I both stood up and began clearing the table, and even though Mrs. Anderson tried to stop me I gently insisted on helping out. Mrs. Anderson was wonderful; I had never met someone so legitimately cheerful and I greatly enjoyed doing the dishes while she dried and Nathaniel put them away. 

After we were done she carried my box of hand pies out into the living room where Amber and Mr. Anderson were chatting easily. I couldn't help but think how unfair it was that Mr. Anderson obviously adored Amber, yet he was so cruel to Nathaniel.

"I've been waiting for this! Opal has brought us some mini pies for dessert," Mrs. Anderson announced as she lifted the lid off of my box with a flourish. Amber scoffed and folded her arms.

"What are you trying to do, make me fat?" she asked testily and I frowned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were on a diet," I said apologetically and Mrs. Anderson scowled softly at her daughter.

"Now Amber, don't be like that. You don't have to eat any, but there is no need for such a comment." 

Amber looked away and I chewed the inside of my lip thoughtfully.

"So what are they filled with, Opal?" Nathaniel asked as he wrapped one arm casually around my waist.

Pulling my mind from thoughts of Amber I began to explain, "I wasn't sure what you all liked so I made four with cherry, four with apple, and four with a combination of blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. I marked the different kinds by slitting the first letter of their filling into the crust. The ones with berries have a T for triple-berry. Ah, and I didn't put any sugar in the triple berry ones since I knew Nathaniel likes sour things, so please be careful," I warned.

Nathaniel's eyes danced excitedly and he immediately reached for a pastry with a small T cut out of the top.

"You are so thoughtful, Opal!" Mrs. Anderson exclaimed as she reached for a cherry pie and I watched with delight as her eyes widened as she bit into it. "This is delicious! No wonder you were looking into culinary school!"

Mr. Anderson took two of the apple pies and I took one of the triple berries as well. I personally liked the tartness of the berries without added sugar, but Auntie's face had screwed up like she had just bitten into a lemon when she tried the mixture. Nathaniel scooped up another triple berry and I blinked in shock as I realized he had already consumed his first one.

"Does it taste okay?" I asked teasingly and he nodded furiously as he took a big, but careful, bite of the pastry.

"You do have skill," Mr. Anderson admitted. 

Amber huffed and walked over. She picked up a cherry pie with only two fingers as if she thought it was diseased before returning to her spot on one of the burgundy couches where she nibbled on the treat.

After we all had our dessert Mrs. Anderson brought out a game called Rummikub. Mr. Anderson and Amber both turned down her invitation to play, so Nathaniel and I joined her, and I had a lot of fun learning the new game. Time slipped by faster than I could believe and suddenly it was time to go home.

"It was so lovely to meet you, Opal. You should come with Amber and me the next time we have our mother-daughter night out!" Mrs. Anderson said excitedly as Nathaniel and I put our winter jackets on.

"Mom!" Amber huffed irritably from her spot on the couch and I winced a little, glancing over at Nathaniel who had frozen for a moment while zipping up his jacket.

"I wouldn't want to impose," I said politely but Mrs. Anderson waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't be silly, Opal. I'd love to get to know you better. Next time you come we'll arrange everything," she said cheerfully and I nodded vaguely in response.

After saying our goodbyes Nathaniel placed a gentle hand on the small of my back and guided me out the door. I glanced back over my shoulder at the last second though and my eyes locked onto Mr. Anderson's sharp gaze. The look of disapproval was so intense it felt like he was trying to create an invisible wall to push me out the door. When the door closed, cutting off our eye contact, I silently wondered how a man that had every worldly desire at the tips of his fingers could possibly have such cruel expectations for his son.

"Opal? You okay?" Nathaniel asked as I stood silently, looking at the closed door.

"I like your Mom," I said dully, as my eyes remained glued to the closed door. 

Something inside me was itching away, begging to be released, but Nathaniel gently wrapped a hand around my shoulders and pulled me towards his car.

"Thanks. She likes you too," he said quietly.

Nothing was said about his dad or Amber. I knew if I started talking about it I would become too angry to be rational. By the time we made it back to Auntie's apartment I jolted and realized that I had not said a word the entire way there.

"I'm sorry, Nathaniel," I said with a deep sigh as I stepped out of his warm car and into the frigid night air. 

To my surprise, Nathaniel closed the car door and then wrapped me into his arms. I leaned against him gratefully, letting the faint sound of his heartbeat calm my raging emotions.

"I'm the one who should apologize. My dad was being ridiculous," he said with obvious irritation in his voice and I shook my head.

"That's not your fault. But he did bring up a good point," I said, letting go of my anger at the injustice of Nathaniel's dad and looking up to meet his gaze. "You applied to Harvard didn't you?"

Nathaniel's eyes widened but then he frowned and slowly nodded. "And Stanford, and Yale, and a dozen other prestigious universities," he said with a dull tone. 

I felt my shoulders droop and I once again leaned against Nathaniel's chest. Thoughts of a future where Nathaniel and I would be miles apart went through my mind and I realized that I hadn't given it near as much attention as I should have. Thinking of Nathaniel and I being pulled apart like that caused an ache so poignant it felt like someone had slipped a shell of ice around my heart that was constricting its movement.

"You only applied for Anteros Academy, right?" Nathaniel asked softly. I nodded against his chest and frowned deeply.

"Maybe it's not too late for me to apply to Harvard..." I breathed out hesitantly and I was shocked when Nathaniel's entire body stiffened. He pushed my shoulder back slightly, prompting me to look up at him to see that he was frowning with a look of guilt on his expression.

"No way. You're finally living with a family member who loves you. I can't take you away from Yuki," Nathaniel said desperately and I felt my lips tremble.

"But... I don't want to leave you either..." I said as I tried to process the myriad of emotions going through me.

Nathaniel slowly moved one of the hands resting on my back up to my face. He tenderly stroked my cheek with his cold fingers and I looked into his golden eyes that were swimming with sadness. Even though the sadness didn't let up, his lips quirked up into a smile and he continued to stroke my cheek.

"Well... I did apply to Anteros as well," he said with a small shrug. My eyes widened and he glanced to the side before meeting my eyes again. "It will be a few months before we actually get our acceptance letters. I'm sure we can figure out what to do by then."

I could barely keep my tears at bay. Rising onto my tiptoes I circled my arms around Nathaniel's neck and buried my face under his chin. I could feel his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed but his arms were quick to circle me and he held me tightly against him.

"We'll be okay," Nathaniel said softly into my ear. "I don't want to leave you either."

I nodded silently, holding tightly to Nathaniel as I tried to find a solution that would allow me to keep both Auntie and Nathaniel in my life.