The Scholarship
1247 Words
The alarm on Chloe Monroe's phone went off at 5:00 a.m.
She groaned and reached blindly across her dorm room desk until her fingers found the phone and silenced it.
For a moment she stared at the ceiling.
Five more minutes.
Just five.
Instead, she sat up.
Because five more minutes turned into ten.
Ten turned into thirty.
And Chloe Elaine Monroe didn't have time for thirty.
Not if she wanted to survive another day.
"Coffee first," she muttered.
The tiny dorm room was already neat despite looking lived in. Medical textbooks sat stacked on her desk. Running shoes waited beside the door. A planner filled with color-coded notes lay open to today's schedule.
Classes.
Cross-country practice.
Coffee shop shift.
Volunteer hours at the clinic.
Study session.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Most students would have collapsed under the workload.
Chloe simply called it Tuesday.
By six o'clock she was jogging across campus toward the athletic center.
The early morning air was cool against her skin.
Running always helped.
When she ran, the noise in her head quieted.
No worries.
No memories.
No endless voice reminding her she wasn't enough.
Just movement.
Just breathing.
Just forward.
"You're late."
Chloe rolled her eyes before she even stopped.
Lucas Bennett stood near the track stretching.
His dark hair looked annoyingly perfect despite the early hour.
"It's six-oh-one."
"It's six-oh-one and twelve seconds."
She shot him a look.
"You counted?"
"I absolutely counted."
"You need hobbies."
Lucas grinned.
"You are my hobby."
Chloe nearly choked.
Lucas immediately laughed.
"That came out wrong."
"Wrong?"
"Very wrong."
She shook her head and started jogging.
Lucas easily fell into stride beside her.
"How's organic chemistry?"
"Terrible."
"You got a ninety-six."
"It could've been a hundred."
"You're exhausting."
"You're lazy."
"I got a ninety-two."
"Exactly."
Lucas groaned dramatically.
"You make me hate success."
The two continued around the track, their conversation flowing naturally.
To anyone watching, they looked comfortable together.
Neither of them wanted to examine why.
Especially Chloe.
Because thinking about Lucas Bennett too much was dangerous.
He was smart.
Funny.
Kind.
Annoyingly attractive.
And lately she found herself looking for him in every room.
That seemed like a terrible life decision.
"So," Lucas said casually.
Chloe immediately became suspicious.
"Why are you using that tone?"
"What tone?"
"The tone that says you're about to annoy me."
He smiled.
"I'm hurt."
"You should be."
Lucas sighed dramatically.
"The Hayes scholarship finalists were announced."
Chloe groaned.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The annoyance."
"You applied."
"Unfortunately."
"You have a great chance."
She laughed.
Actually laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was ridiculous.
"Lucas."
"What?"
"People like me don't get scholarships like that."
Lucas immediately stopped running.
Chloe slowed and looked at him.
His expression had changed.
The humor was gone.
"You really believe that?"
She shrugged.
"It's true."
"No."
His voice was firm.
"It's not."
Chloe looked away.
This conversation again.
She hated this conversation.
Lucas crossed his arms.
"Top of your class."
"That doesn't matter."
"Volunteer work."
"So?"
"Cross-country."
"Lots of people run."
"Chloe."
She sighed.
"What?"
"You're one of the hardest-working people I've ever met."
Heat crept into her cheeks.
Compliments always made her uncomfortable.
Especially when they came from Lucas.
"Anyway," she said quickly.
"We should finish practice."
Lucas studied her for a moment before letting it go.
For now.
Three hours later, Chloe stood behind the counter at The Roasted Bean.
The smell of coffee filled the air.
This was her favorite part of the day.
Not because of the work.
Because it felt normal.
"Morning, Clo."
Her coworker Emma handed her an apron.
"Morning."
"Your boyfriend came by."
Chloe froze.
"He is not my boyfriend."
Emma smirked.
"Sure."
"He isn't."
"Mhmm."
"Emma."
The older woman laughed.
"I'm just saying he ordered coffee and spent ten minutes asking if you'd already arrived."
Chloe grabbed a stack of cups.
"He probably needed something."
"Probably."
The tone made it clear Emma believed no such thing.
The bell over the door chimed.
A professor entered.
Then a student.
Then another.
Soon the morning rush began.
Orders.
Lattes.
Cappuccinos.
Pastries.
For the next several hours Chloe lost herself in the rhythm.
It was peaceful.
Comfortable.
Safe.
Her phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen.
Mom.
The knot instantly formed in her stomach.
She stepped into the back room and answered.
"Hi, Mom."
"Chloe Elaine."
The use of her full name immediately made her shoulders tense.
Victoria's voice sounded sharp.
Controlled.
"How are classes?"
"Good."
"Your grades?"
"Good."
A pause.
Then:
"Any news about that scholarship?"
Chloe frowned.
That was strange.
Victoria never asked about scholarships.
Or grades.
Or academic opportunities.
Not really.
"Not yet."
"I see."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
"Maybe it's for the best."
"What is?"
"If you aren't selected."
Chloe blinked.
"Why?"
"Those programs are political."
Victoria's tone became dismissive.
"Students like you rarely win."
Students like you.
The words stung more than they should have.
They always did.
"I should get back to work."
"Fine."
Then, before hanging up:
"Don't get your hopes up, Chloe Elaine."
The line disconnected.
Chloe stared at the screen.
Something felt off.
Very off.
Later that evening she returned to her dorm.
Exhaustion weighed on her shoulders.
She dropped her backpack beside her desk.
Her laptop chimed.
New Email.
She almost ignored it.
Almost.
Then she noticed the sender.
Hayes Medical Scholars Program.
Her heart stopped.
Slowly she opened the message.
Read the first line.
Then read it again.
And again.
Congratulations.
You have been selected as a finalist.
For several seconds she simply stared.
This couldn't be real.
Finalist.
Not applicant.
Not consideration.
Finalist.
A knock sounded at her door.
Before she could respond, it swung open.
Lucas walked inside carrying takeout.
One look at her face and he stopped.
"What happened?"
She pointed silently at the screen.
Lucas crossed the room.
Read the email.
Then looked at her.
Then read it again.
Then looked at her.
A huge grin spread across his face.
"No way."
Chloe laughed nervously.
"I think I'm hallucinating."
"You got it."
"I didn't get it."
"You got finalist."
"That's not winning."
"It's still huge."
Lucas grabbed her shoulders.
"You did it."
Something inside her tightened.
Not from fear.
From emotion.
Because nobody had ever looked this excited for her before.
Not really.
"What if I mess it up?"
Lucas stared at her.
Then shook his head.
"That's your first thought?"
She looked down.
Maybe it was.
Maybe it always was.
Lucas softened.
"You won't."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
His voice was quiet.
Certain.
"You belong there, Chloe."
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Lucas cleared his throat.
Awkwardly.
"Anyway."
She laughed.
"Anyway."
"You should celebrate."
"I have homework."
"Of course you do."
"I do."
Lucas handed her the takeout bag.
"Fine."
She looked inside.
Her favorite food.
She blinked.
"You remembered."
Lucas looked suddenly uncomfortable.
"It wasn't difficult."
Something warm settled in her chest.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Across town, Victoria Monroe sat alone in her kitchen.
The scholarship email sat open on her laptop.
Her hands trembled.
Finalist.
Hayes Medical.
Alexander Hayes.
For twenty-one years she'd controlled everything.
Every lie.
Every story.
Every piece of information.
Now fate had placed her daughter directly in Alexander's path.
Victoria closed her eyes.
Panic crawled through her chest.
No.
No.
No.
This couldn't happen.
Because if Chloe met Alexander...
If she learned the truth...
Everything would fall apart.
And for the first time in decades, Victoria Monroe was afraid.
Very, very afraid.
- Writer
