Chapter 10 - The Drive to Stanford
I sat at my kitchen table, listening to the phone ring as it connected to the university admissions office in California.
Mrs. Higgins answered, her voice warm and immediately recognizable.
"Claire, please tell me you have good news," she said hopefully.
"I am emailing you the official court order right now," I replied, smiling so hard my cheeks began to ache.
"The guardianship has been completely annulled, and Ethan's record is entirely clean."
I could hear a genuine, joyful cheer from the other end of the line.
"The hold is officially removed, Claire," Mrs. Higgins announced proudly.
"Welcome to Stanford, Ethan."
Ethan, who was standing right next to me, let out a massive breath he had been holding for two months and pulled me into a crushing hug.
A week later, the old Ford truck was parked outside my apartment building, entirely packed with clothes, books, and baseball equipment.
We had checked the oil, rotated the tires, and filled the gas tank to the absolute brim.
It wasn't a fancy luxury SUV, but it was incredibly sturdy, reliable, and legally belonged to my brother.
Ethan slammed the tailgate shut and walked over to the driver's side door, jingling the keys happily in his hand.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to drive all the way to California with me?" he asked, opening the heavy metal door.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," I told him, climbing into the passenger seat and tossing my sunglasses onto the dashboard.
We pulled out onto the highway, leaving the skyline of our hometown far behind us.
The radio was playing a classic rock song, and the summer breeze whipped freely through the open windows.
My father had texted earlier that morning, wishing Ethan luck and apologizing once again.
Ethan had read the message, turned off his phone, and placed it in the glove compartment without sending a reply.
Some bridges were burned entirely beyond repair, and some chapters needed to be closed forever.
We drove westward toward the endless horizon, chasing the bright California sun.
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Rebecca was locked in a concrete cell, my father was facing the consequences of his cowardice, and Ethan was finally free.
The road ahead was long, but for the first time in years, the future looked absolutely beautiful.
