Sighing, I shift to glance at my cell where it rests on Taya’s dresser. And the number that’s calling is a New York City area code.
“Oh, shit.” My heart starts hammering.
“What is it?” Taya’s interest is peaked, but I think she’s also annoyed I chose a phone call over foreplay.
“I think this is that radio station in New York. The one I interviewed with.”
Her expression morphs into excited understanding. “Pick it up!”
“I’m going to take it in the bathroom, okay?” I point to the bathroom in Taya’s room, the only one in the house that’s attached to a room.
My hands are shaking as I shut the door and click to connect the call.
“Hello, this is Austin Van Hewitt,” I say in my most professional voice.
“Austin, this is Peter from WQNH. We spoke last week when you had your interview.”
Of course, I wouldn’t forget him. I spoke to all the interviewers via a video call, because I couldn’t get down to New York City for an in-person interview. I was nervous the entire time but tried my best to impress them while also remaining laid-back and personable.
“We were really interested in your experience and what you could possibly learn here at our station,” he says, and I swallow hard.
I hold my breath, waiting for the high or the letdown. Please, please, let it be good news.
“So, with that said, we’d like to extend you an offer. It would be for the assistant producer position. You’d be working long hours, doing the work everyone else wants to avoid, and you’ll probably hate us some days. But I started out in that position, and if you dedicate yourself, we have a lot to teach, and you’ll work your way up.”
Every cell in my body is singing with celebration. I don’t think I’ve wanted to cry over much as a man over eighteen, but I can feel the emotion prick the back of my throat. This offer, this interview, is one of the only things in life I’ve actually gone out and gotten myself. No one but me did this, there was no nepotism, and I worked damn hard to earn this.
“Wow, Peter, thank you so much. I’m really excited about this.”
In the background of his call, someone is singing. “Yeah, we are, too. Listen, take a day or two to think things over. If you want to accept the job, shoot me an email, and I’ll hook you up with Human Resources. They’ll go over all the offer details, salary, start date, and all that. But again, we were very impressed. I hope to be working with you soon.”
There isn’t much to think about. I mean, sure, there are a million things to think about. But in terms of if I want this job? Nah. I want it, all right. It’s the one thing in this world I am completely sure about.
I thank him again and we hang up. My reflection is staring back at me in Taya’s mirror, and I realize I’m full-on smiling. This moment is one I should always remember. I was just offered my first job, not to mention in the field of my dreams.
As I walk out of her bathroom, Taya is there waiting for me. She’s on the middle of her bed, hugging her knees while butt naked, an expectant, hesitant expression on her face.
“So? What did they say?” She bounces a little in anticipation.
This is what I want. She’s the one person I wanted to tell this news to, and the first person whose face I wanted to see after getting off that phone call, whether it was good or bad.
I sit down on the bed next to her, take a deep breath, and then say it. “I got the job.”
“Austin!” Immediately, she’s on me, hugging my neck and laughing.
We’re celebrating together, and I realize I’m half in love with her. No, I’m pretty much all the way in love with her. We’re naked, hugging like maniacs, and she’s cheering me on after I landed my dream job out of college. With everything on my plate, I feel like my emotions are swinging like a pendulum. But this, right here, is the answer.
This is what I want. Her. This job. A future in a new city … together.
“Imagine if you get the UN internship, too?” I beam at her, thinking about six glorious weeks in the city with her this summer.
“Shh.” She places a finger over my lips to silence me.
Taya is extremely superstitious about the UN internship she applied for. So much so that we barely talk about it, and Bevan is the one who let it slip in the first place to me. She’ll know in a few weeks, practically the day I graduate to leave this place, and all of our decisions seem to be rushing at us like a train that won’t be stopped.
“Okay, fine.” I move her hand. “But I’ll just manifest that. Speaking of manifesting … do you think you did that with your letter?”
I’ve been wondering that ever since Brian said it.
“Maybe.” She tilts her head to the side, as if she’s considering it. “How do you think that letter ended up getting to me, here of all places? And a few years early?”
I’ve pondered this, too. “You know, maybe it was fate.”
“That’s cheesy.” She snorts.
“Yeah. But it’s kind of true. We have no explanation of why it was delivered here, or why it was grouped into my grade’s time capsule letters. And in the end, we got together because of it, or it led us here. Unless you want to call up Mr. Belding and ask why it happened.”
She shakes her head. “Nah, I’d rather leave it a mystery.”
“Where were we?” I climb back over her, feeling turned on and on top of the world after receiving that offer. “First one to make the other orgasm gets an H.”
Taya looks at me, smirks, and then straddles my lap. “Oh, don’t you know the only thing I do is win?”
Fuck, there is no way I’m ever going to let this girl go.
28
Taya
And just like that, I’m twenty.
It feels weird coming out of my teen years. Those were so turbulent, full of emotions and drama that seemed so heightened at the time. Settling into this new decade, I feel more relaxed and sure of myself in my own skin than I ever have before.
As of my twentieth birthday, I’m dating someone I really, really like and maybe even love. No, I do love Austin. Maybe I’ll tell him that, since I’m no longer a scared teenager. Not that I didn’t say it in that horribly embarrassing letter I wrote when I was a lovesick teenager … the one that he read.
But I do feel better than I ever have at just being me. I have a great circle of people around me; I know exactly what I want to do with my life. I don’t sweat the small stuff as much, and I try to let things slide off my back more than I ever have.
I had my interview with the intern coordinator at the United Nations two days ago. I was absolutely sweating as the translation specialist threw questions my way, switching from French to English and over to Italian. Though I was so nervous, I thought it went well, and he seemed pleased at my skill set by the end. Now they’re going to vet me, do some FBI background check shit, and I’ll hear around graduation time.
Though I kind of wish they’d have handed it to me on the spot. It would have been a kick-ass birthday present.
Honestly, any kind of present would have been better than the none I received from my family. Talking about not letting things weigh on me, apparently, this wasn’t one of them.