She Swapped My College Codes, So I Sent Her to a Tech School Chapter 05
She sent me screenshots of the confirmation.
[Emily, I have decided it does not matter if I get in or not. We are going on this trip. High school was so hard. We deserve to have some fun.]
I texted back. [Sounds good.]
She didn’t know that trip would never happen.
The day the SAT scores were released and acceptance letters arrived, the whole neighborhood gathered in front of the mailboxes.
Jessica and Patricia were the first ones there.
Patricia was fanning herself with a paper plate, muttering, “What’s taking so long? I’m dying of suspense.”
Jessica was wearing a new sundress and light makeup, looking both excited and nervous.
When she saw me, she ran over smiling. “Emily, you’re here too. I’ve been waiting half an hour. The mail carrier’s still not here.”
I smiled. “Don’t worry. It shouldn’t be much longer.”
Patricia muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“Yeah, don’t worry. Some people scored high, so they’ll definitely get a good letter. Not like our Jessica, who just has to hope for the best.”
My mom ignored her, took my hand, and pulled me to the side.
The mail truck pulled up.
Everyone crowded around.
Patricia pushed to the front and yelled, “Jessica Moreau and Emily Carson. They are together.”
The mail carrier dug through his bag and pulled out two thick envelopes.
Jessica grabbed hers and clutched it tightly, then smiled at everyone. “I don’t know if I got into Ashford. I’m so nervous.”
The neighbors played along. “Of course you got in.”
“You’re so smart, Jessica. No doubt about it.”
Patricia grinned from ear to ear.
“Thanks, everyone. If she gets in, we are throwing a backyard barbecue party for the whole neighborhood. Enough food for thirty people.”
Jessica looked at me. “Emily, I’m opening mine first. If I didn’t get in, don’t make fun of me.”
She tore open the envelope and pulled out the acceptance letter.
Her smile was still frozen on her face, but her eyes were widening.
Patricia leaned over, her smile growing even bigger. “Jessica, what’s wrong? Are you so happy you can’t speak?”
“Let me see what an Ashford letter looks like. I have never seen one before.”
Jessica didn’t say anything, her hands were shaking.
Patricia realized something was wrong and snatched the letter away.
She glanced at it, and the smile vanished from her face.
The letter clearly stated that Jessica had been accepted.
The letterhead belonged to Fairmont State University.
The whispers around them stopped.
A hush fell over the crowd.
Patricia’s voice shook with anger. “No. That is impossible. There has been a mistake. Mail carrier, you delivered the wrong one.”
The mail carrier hadn’t driven off yet. Patricia grabbed his arm so hard he nearly lost his balance.
“There’s no mistake. The names and ID numbers match.”
Jessica’s head snapped up. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at me.
She charged over like a crazy person and ripped the other envelope out of my hand.
“This can’t be. They mixed them up. This one is mine.” She screamed as she tore open my envelope.
A glossy red acceptance letter fell out.
Ashford University was printed across the top.
The sun caught the university seal, gleaming bright enough to make everyone squint.
Jessica stared at the letter, and her body swayed.
Then her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the spot.
But I smiled.
She couldn’t even handle being accepted by a state school instead of Ashford.
If that was all it took, she was going to have a really hard time with what I had planned next.
