I was floating on a cloud of contentedness the entire day, not even worried about the fact that I had final exams later in the day, and that I would be going to the club the next day with Emmett to finally take down Rafael...not to mention the fact that Layla was trying to blackmail.

I had finally had a full night's rest, and that really did wonders for my psychological health.

I didn't want to make it seem like I was using Emmett, but I wasn't sure if I could suffer through another sleepless night filled with night terrors and anguish if my remedy was only a few doors down.

Would it make me a terrible person to sneak into his room and use his arm around me as my medicine, knowing that soon enough he'd want something more, something that I wasn't mentally equipped to give him yet...

We would just take it one day...or night...at a time, and see where this thing that we were doing took us.

My phone decided to start ringing in that moment.

"Hello?"

"Miss Montgomery, this is Adele Ryan from the admissions office at Harvard University. I was calling to follow up on your application that you sent in a few months ago. We recently sent you word of your acceptance but you haven't signed in to your online portal and accepted your invitation. We're almost at the deadline so if you've decided on another school, we'll need to know soon."

"I'm so sorry, did you just say that I was accepted into Harvard?"

I had only applied on a whim a few months prior, when Nate had beaten me down, emotionally and mentally enough for me to finally want to break out of the cage he had created for me.

"Yes, I was aware that your informational package was signed for, did you not receive it?"

"No ma'am, my address recently changed, that must have been my previous...significant other that signed for it. We aren't on good terms so it makes sense that I never received it."

"Oh, well we'll need your new address and we can send you everything, but in the meantime, check your email if that is still the same and I'll send you your online portal password and username which you can change once you've logged in once. Congratulations, not many people get accepted to our graduate program."

"T-thank you so much! I am looking forward to joining you this fall!"

I gave her my new address and we hung up, my mind still reeling from what she had just told me.

Harvard, a fresh start away from Nate, my toxic family...close to Amalia! I could even ask her to be my roommate if I got a new apartment up there.

Law school...a chance to become someone who could stand up for the victim and make them a survivor- something that I was never given the chance to do.

This was my chance for a fresh start, away from the people that had hurt me over and over again, a dangerous cycle that had me going almost out of my mind.

There was only one problem...

What was I going to tell Emmett? My brother?

I wanted to pretend that I didn't care about his opinion after what he'd said to me and his over protectiveness of me with Emmett, but the truth was that he was there for me after Nate, and I couldn't discount that, no matter what he had said to me in the heat of the moment...even if it was one of the most insensitive things he'd ever said to me in our entire lives.

And Emmett...well, we just flew into each other's lives, me like a wrecking ball destroying his semblance of peace and stealing his room.

And he was probably getting drafted into the NFL so he clearly didn't have time for a commitment to someone who couldn't make any promises about the future, the past a secret that could only come to the surface at my own detriment.

I was going to be kind of lawyer that fought for the truth. I wasn't going to be the one to defend the guilty and get them off, no matter how much money I could make that way.

I wanted a job defending the voiceless, the ones who couldn't speak up for themselves. I wouldn't let another girl get railroaded on the stand like my clueless lawyer had done to me. By the time we realized how incompetent he way, it was too late and the jury had already made their decision.

I wasn't a 'credible' witness...but it didn't matter either way, Christian's dad knew the judge. It was rigged form the start, what did I expect?

An overwhelming sensation flooded through my veins and I found that it was probably time for another visit to my therapist...thankfully she always kept one time slot open every day but she kept that information close to the vest and only told a few of her oldest clients.

I dialed her number and made an appointment to come in, hoping above all hope that she'd make me feel better about this decision than I was in that moment.

"What are you doing here?"

"You tricked me, Emmett. I don't take kindly to people who screw me over."

I rolled my eyes at Drayton's words as I noticed Marnie off to the side with her hand on her hip, clearly not amused at the fact that she'd banked on the wrong guy. As if I would have given her the time of day again, romantically speaking.

"It seemed to have worked in your favor until you proved how much better I was than you yesterday."

His fist came out of nowhere and I almost didn't have time to fully step out of the way so his hand clocked my lower jaw but I was already on the offense, ready to defend myself but Marnie was quick to step in his way.

"Drayton, stop. We both know this isn't the way."

"No you know what Marnie you're just as bad as he is. I'm trying to get justice for you with Rafael and what he did to you but you're really starting to make me think that you're not worth it."

"You know what Drayton? Kick his ass."

I narrowed my eyes at Marnie's retreating figure as I put my fists up to take Drayton down, but a few other fellow players came up on the scene and started asking if there was a problem.

"No, no problem. But there will be if you don't stay in your lane, Scott. This isn't over."

"Can't wait to see when it is over," I responded to him, the anger dissipating from my body as I realized that we had drawn a scene.

I didn't need him screwing up my chances with the Patriots so I began walking into the filed house, ready to start my workout and to impress the coaches again.

"Merrick!"

I turned my head sharply to the left and noticed that one of the coaches had run out of the building to get Drayton's attention.

"I'm glad you turned up here again. I don't have a full time position to offer you, but you'd make a good second string QB for us, if you're interested."

Drayton's eyes cut to mine and I wanted to growl in annoyance at the chance he'd just been given. I hadn't even been officially given a position on the team, albeit it was a part time second string position.

It was still better than being in limbo and competing with two other guys for the starting quarterback position.

I kept my head up and marched into the building, knowing that if Drayton Merrick was on the team with me that there would be at least one fight between us every game if he didn't keep his opinions to himself.

It was going to be a long season.