We tell my mom and Greg everything the moment we get home, no more careful editing, no more leaving things out to protect anyone from the full truth. I sit at the kitchen table and explain the dean's ultimatum in a voice that shakes more than I want it to, Ryan's hand resting steady on my knee beneath the table the entire time.
My mother listens with her hand pressed against her mouth, and Greg sits very still across from us, his expression unreadable in a way that makes my stomach twist with dread.
"Four days," my mother says finally, voice hollow. "You have four days to decide which one of you leaves the program entirely."
"That is what she said," I confirm.
"This is my fault," Greg says quietly, and everyone turns to look at him, surprised by the sudden weight in his voice. "Carol i
