Love Bites

----- Grace Hartin

"Come on Grace, just open the god damn letter already."I could barely read the senders name because my hands were shaking so much, "It does say Harvard Medical, right?"

Amanda rolled her eyes, "For the last time yes. Now open it before I take it from you and do it myself."

"No," I pulled the letter close to my chest, "I'm ready. I can do this. It's just a letter."

I slowly turned the envelope over and began to slide my finger under the flap to open it without ripping it. If it was good news I would keep the letter in the envelope and leave it somewhere for my parents. The 'if not' thoughts I pushed out of my head before they made it any harder to open the letter.

"Here we go, the moment of truth," I opened the flap slowly, my heart pounding from where it sat in my throat. A little sweat was forming on my upper lip and I couldn't take it any longer. Quickly, I slipped the letter out and held it up close to my face so Amanda couldn't sneak a peek.

"Dear Ms.Hartin bla bla bla." I felt my heart sinking as I read through all the fillers that consisted of 'thank you for applying' and relisting my qualifications.

I could feel the air getting tense with Amanda's restlessness, "Well is it a yes or a no?"

"Hold on," I scanned through the unforgiving font for the only sentence I cared about. "Field hockey team bla bla. Ugh, why do they make this so stressful."

"Give me that," Amanda snapped, and grabbed my letter from me. She muttered quietly to herself as she read through the letter. "Oh my god are you kidding me?"

I bounced from foot to foot in anticipation, "What is it?"

"It says it in the first paragraph." I couldn't believe it, my nerves sent me straight past the only thing I cared about. A clear example of how nervous I was. Amanda took her sweet time clearing her throat and spoke in a manly voice that I couldn't help but laugh at. "Dear Ms.Hartin, Congratulations! We are please to offer you admission to Harvard Medical School Class of 2019!"

I was silent.

I didn't know what to do. My heart was beating so loud that I couldn't hear anything that Amanda was saying after 'Congratulations' so I plastered on a goofy smile and hoped that it would satisfy her.

Amanda tossed the letter on the counter behind me, then picked me up and spun me around. "I told you you would get in! This is absolutely amazing!"

I shook my head wildly and felt a tear fall from its perch on my waterline. Soon more followed behind, and this became the first time that I cried tears of joy.

"You guys can come out now," Amanda said as she rubbed my back. I was just about sobbing like a baby when my family emerged from their hiding spot in my mother's office.

They pulled me in for a big family hug while Amanda filmed it with the camera that my mother handed to her. "Did you film all that?" I asked my parents, in an odd voice that was morphed by my sniffling.

"Yes," my mother grabbed my face that was already red with embarrassment, "and I'm so happy Amanda gave me the idea. I am so proud of you."

I laughed, more tears rolling down my cheeks. "Thanks Amanda," I blew her a kiss, "you're the best."

She shrugged and high fived my little sister, "What are best friends for?"

***

The evening that followed was the most spectacular dinner I'd ever had. My family and Amanda spent the night gathered in the dining room around our feast. It consisted of takeout from all of our favorite restaurants; from fast food to classy candlelight dinners, it was on our table.

"Have you guys told anyone that I was accepted yet?" I managed to ask my parents while wolfing down my mini burrito.

They both shook their heads. "Not yet," my mother said and my father was quick to add, "But I'm sure they all believed in you."

I only really cared about both of my aunts who had gone to Harvard and from whom I had gotten the college talk for years. Whenever they visited it was always "what do you plan on studying" "where do you want to go" "Harvard is wonderful, I went" "a degree from Harvard and you'll be set". They always used to leave me stressed and feeling inadequate, as if they told me all those things because they didn't believe I could do it and wanted to give me a heads up. My kind side wanted to call them and tell them the fantastic news to hear them gush about how proud they are. However, the bitchy side of me just wanted to tell them in person and see how surprised they are that I was able to do it.

Being the devil she is my little sister read my mind, "Grace just wants to show off to the whole family."

"You say it like it's a bad thing," I said as nonchalantly as I could, making sure to avoid eye contact with Amanda. Though I could already feel her judgement from across the table.

I felt the ice cube when it was too late. It took it's time sliding down the front of my shirt where Amanda had thrown it in, but still managed to slide into the center of my bra before I could grab it. "Amanda that's cold!" I pulled at my shirt until it fell out onto my lap, a fraction of its original size.

She again exchanged a high five with my sister, "That's why it's called an ice cube Harvard girl."

"Haha very funny," I stuck my tongue out at them and moved onto the sushi platter. I always found it hilarious when I would go to an Asian restaurant and the waiter would ask me if I was Asian at all. My mother is Chinese, so they were right, but it was always amusing it see how confused they were beforehand.

"Any plans for this summer Amanda?" my mother blatantly changed the subject.

"Yes actually," she stood and raised a glass, "I am going to the Chicago Blackhawks Convention and I would love it if Grace could join me."

I met her eyes and immediately stood with a large grin and my glass raised, "I accept."

We'd been planning this trip for 3 years. In the beginning it was because she liked Patrick Kane and I fancied Jonathan Toews, but in the last year or so it had changed and both of us were moderate fans of the franchise in general. Then again, the guys were pretty good reasons to go too.

My family looked puzzled as they stared at us. Suddenly a switch seemed to turn on in my father's brain and he remembered our agreement and stood with his glass raised as well, "I hope you have fun."

Even my sister stood to announce that she'd get use of my room. This got my mother to laugh and stand as well, "Have fun and stay safe."

"Of course," Amanda and I said together. Laughing, we all said cheers and touched glasses before diving into our food again. The first plans for the trip were from our freshman year, and while a lot had changed since then this plan was something that we had both been looking forward to.

In the beginning it was going to be her and I alone. Then we realized that we were both going to only be 17 and decided that her older sister would chaperone us since she was attending college in Chicago. In preparation over the summer we had both gotten jobs to save up for the train ride, convention passes and room in the Hilton Chicago Hotel to make sure we wouldn't miss a thing. Our parents were skeptical, but we agreed that if we both got into colleges that we were all happy with we could go which turned out perfect.

"Wait, Amanda," I quickly swallowed my food, having to cough a bit as I tried to speak, "does this mean that you got your acceptance letter?"

She nodded wildly, "I wondered when you were going to notice. I got into the University of Arkansas for business." My whole family rushed into a buzz of congratulations for barely a second before she cut it off by shouting 'U of A' at the top of her lungs.

"I know you'll fit right in," my mother commented as she refilled Amanda's plate with food.

My father patted her on the back, "Of course she will. The girl is charismatic and charming. I mean look at the way she's weaseled her way into our family."

"I know right," I shot her the most sarcasm look that I could, eyes narrowed and upper lip pulled up slightly over my teeth, "why is she even here?"

"I'm here for you," Amanda rolled her eyes and pushed her plate towards me.

"I'm full, I don't want it," I said, pushing it back to her.

"I'm here to fatten you up," she declared with a mischievous glint in her eye, "that way at the convention I'll really stand out next to you."

Notes