Caleb's face drained of all color. He looked utterly defeated. "Eleanor…"
I stood, cutting him off gently. I offered him one last, heartfelt blessing. "Congratulations. You've got to your dream university. From now on, we'll each walk the path we've chosen."
Before I turned eighteen, loving him had felt like second nature.
After being reborn, at eighteen, I finally found myself again. We had both made our choices. There was no need for our paths to cross anymore.
Caleb reached out toward me, but his hand caught nothing but air. He had never felt regret like this before.
I walked out of the café without looking back, and my steps were steady, carrying me toward the future I had chosen for myself.
When I reached the school administrator's office, I greeted her with a slightly sheepish
