"I'll see you..." Bella trailed off questioningly.

"Tomorrow, I think," I nodded.

"Tomorrow, okay," she smiled.

"See ya," I said.

"See ya," she replied. I tugged at her hands which I had been holding and pulled her in for a kiss. "Night," I whispered.

"Night," she smiled.

I left after that because I had to get home and there's a conversation waiting ahead of me that I am dreading. I got home within ten minutes because that's the distance between our houses. I locked the car behind me and then went inside where my mom was cleaning up after dinner and my dad was helping. "Hey," I said, announcing my presence.

"Hi, honey. How was your day?" my mom asked, grinning.

"Considering you haven't been home the entire day," my dad snickered.

"I was with Bella," I informed them, throwing my dad a look. He's very controlling and that gets on my last nerve on a daily basis.

"Oh, were you two out on a date?" my mom asked cheerily.

"On a weekday?"

"Dad, we're not in high school anymore, it's summer break, we hang out every day. Weekdays and the weekends," I said, tossing my keys on the counter.

"Honey," my mom said, looking at me. I shrugged in response, putting my hands up in mock surrender. "Have you eaten?" she asked.

"Um, yeah. I ate at their house," I answered.

"Oh, who cooked?" she asked.

"All of us. Bella, her parents, and me." Bella's family is a genuine family. I feel like, for the most part, mine is just people living together under the same roof and that doesn't make this conversation any easier.

"I spoke to Bella and her dad today." That seemed like the right way to ease into this conversation.

"About?" my dad asked.

"Berkeley," I said. They both stopped moving and looked at me, giving me complete attention. Oh no.

"Bella got in too, didn't she?" my dad asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, but um- she-" I let out a breath, "She's not going." They both seemed confused. "She's not going," I shrugged, repeating the sentence as if it would explain itself. It should, it is pretty self-explanatory.

"Why not?" my dad asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"She's just not going, dad, she doesn't want to," I shrugged.

"Well, I hope you're not thinking you can get away with doing the same. Not going to college, one like Berkeley, especially after you've gotten accepted, is a stupid decision to make, and you're not making it just because your girlfriend did."

I looked at my mom in disbelief.

Does she hear this? Does she hear how he's talking?

"Dave," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder, "Calm down."

"Calm down? If he's about to make such a stupid suggestion, how can I stay calm?" he asked, raising his voice.

"He hasn't even said anything yet!" my mom exclaimed. My dad sighed, both of them turning to me.

"I'm not going either," I stated.

"You see what he's saying?" my dad scoffed, looking at my mom.

"Noah, you..." she trailed off, looking at me half sympathetically, half confused.

"I don't want to go, it's not about Bella. I've never wanted to go, I just didn't say anything."

"You-"

"How could I say anything with the immense pressure you were putting on me?" I asked, cutting my dad off.

"He is unbelievable," my dad mumbled, shaking his head in disapproval.

"I haven't wanted to go to college... ever. Ever, mom."

"Why didn't you say something earlier? When you were applying?" she asked.

"How was I supposed to tell you? How was I supposed to tell dad? Mom, you know how he is. Dad, you know how you are. I could not tell you about it. I can't talk to you about anything, let alone something as big as college. I didn't tell you, maybe I should have, but I'm telling you now. I am not going to Berkeley or anywhere else," I said, standing up from the barstool.

"Noah, come on, just think about it," my mom sighed.

"I have thought about it. I've thought about it since the start of my senior year. Mom, I don't want to go. So I will not go," I explained.

"This is because of Bella, isn't it? She's not going so you're not going now? Some pathetic logic about being in love and not wanting to leave her?" my dad asked.

"Dad!"

"Dave!" my mom and I snapped in sync. "Stop it!" she scolded, "He's trying to talk to us and explain something. I understand that you and he are never able to talk about anything because of how difficult he finds speaking to you, but my son tells me everything and I'll appreciate it if it stays that way. He's gathered the courage to finally tell us something after so long, hear him out for the love of God!" she yelled.

He fell silent and actually started listening to me for once.

I sent an appreciative smile before continuing. "I don't want to do college. It's not for me, all right? And that doesn't mean I don't want to study or do business and make a living, that's not what I'm saying. Who knows? Maybe I'll even go to Berkeley later? Maybe after a year or two, maybe I just need a leap year, a break. But I cannot go right now.

I won't be able to spend four years over there, learning something I'm not interested in right now. I will study business like you want me to, I understand why that's important, but right now, it's not what I want to do," I explained, "Dad, please? Just let me take a small break from this," I sighed.

It's really all up to him. If I go against what he says, it'll completely ruin my relationship with him and that will also affect my relationship with my mom. I can't let that happen. If he wants me to go, it's either I go and Bella and I make it work. Or I have to let her go.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes while resting his elbows on the kitchen countertop.

"But your future, Noah..." my mom trailed off, concern lacing her voice and expression.

"Mom, I'm not saying I don't want a future, I'm not saying I want to ruin my future. I just want to press pause for a little bit. Take a little break. Spend a little time-"

"With Bella," my dad finished for me, "Isn't that right?" I didn't answer him. If I admitted that, he would just go back to saying that the whole reason I'm not going is that Bella isn't and I don't want to leave her. Which is part of the reason, but it's not the only thing.

"Noah, are you sure the reason you don't want to leave is because you won't have Bella?" my mom asked nicely.

"Mom, it's part of the reason, obviously, but it's not the only reason. I love her and I just found her, I'm not ready to let her go yet. I don't think I ever will be, but I want more time with her. I need more time with her," I explained. We all fell into silence, me and my mom looking at my dad, expecting an answer.

"If you don't want to go to Berkeley, then don't," he shrugged, looking up at me. That can't be it. "But if you're not going to Berkeley, Noah... then there's no place for you in this house."

I stared at him, not even phased by his statement. I should have expected it. It's what my grandfather did to my uncle, why wouldn't my dad do it to me? He learned it from his father, I know I never would.

"Dave, you can't be serious," my mom said, looking between us.

"No, Theresa, I am serious. This isn't some joke."

"He's not kidding," she huffed.

"This is not how things work. I went to Berkeley, your uncle went to Berkeley, so did your grandfather, it's tradition now. If you think you can just break it without facing any consequences, you're incredibly wrong, Noah. Berkeley can make your future," he explained.

"My future doesn't lie in a piece of paper we call a degree. It lies with the person I love," I said, glaring at him and he glared back. This is where we clash. Different opinions. And whenever we clash, it doesn't end well for one of us and never for my mom.

"You either go to Berkeley, or you can see yourself out. Tonight."

"Dave, honey, come on," my mom tried coaxing him but even I knew this wasn't going to work.

"No, Theresa."

"I have done everything your way dad, everything. From middle school to high school, to where I apply, to what I study. Just let me do this one thing, please?"

He shook his head, "It's Berkeley or nothing, I'm sorry," he shrugged.

"You're not sorry," I scoffed, my eyes briefly meeting my mom's. She was already crying, for the love of God. I'm quite literally having to choose between my mother and my girlfriend. I don't know how that's possible because they both are on the same freaking team.

"It's us or Bella, that's what you're telling him? How can you ask him to choose between his family and the girl he loves? Dave?" my mom asked, quickly wiping her eyes.

"He'll find love again, but his future? Once the opportunity is gone, it's gone."

"He can go back to college whenever he wants, Dave," she tried explaining but he was reaching the boiling point to his temper. It's not good to push him any further, things will start going south between my mom and him too if that happens.

I sighed, putting my head down on the counter, swallowing the lump in my throat. I sat up straight, letting out a breath, looking at my mom. I could see the guilt and sympathy in her eyes.

"You're doing things he'll never forgive you for, Dave. Don't take love away from him," my mom pleaded one last time.

"I'm doing it for his future. If he decides to go to Berkeley, I'll book his flight early. It'll make this process easier for all of us. What will it be, Noah?" he asked.

My leg bounced up and down out of anxiety, my mind was racing every single thought. That's my mom.

And that's Bella.

That's my mother.

That's the girl I love.

"God," I groaned, looking up at the ceiling, blinking rapidly, and swallowing. I looked at my dad and then I told him my decision.

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