*** Hello everyone! I hope you are doing well and staying safe wherever you are! I apologize for the gap in updates. Life happens, and when it hits hard you have to focus on the important bits first. Things may still be a bit hectic for the next week or two, but after that it should settle down into a routine on my end. Reading your comments, as always, helps make me feel like writing these stories is worth it. I cannot express how often I lack the energy to write a chapter, but seem to get a boost after seeing a new comment, follow, and favorite notification. You all are amazing. ***

After tucking Sarah into bed, John came downstairs to find his new graduate stairing off into the distance holding a few unopened letters. They had been sitting on the kitchen counter for a few weeks, periodically moving to the fridge with a sticky note of "Open me!" stuck to them to tucked in between Lily's favorite books as makeshift bookmarks.

"Hey kid, what's going on in that curly haired head of yours?"

Lily swallowed the spit that had accumulated in her mouth before closing her eyes and putting the unopened envelopes down.

"I'm being a pansy."

"I always thought you were more of a rose myself, but if you want to be a pansy you are more than within your right kid. Hell, I can just throw them in the shredder if they're bothering you."

lily laughed slightly before looking down at them once more.

"I know I should be excited to see the news; to see if I was accepted anywhere-"

"Kid, we both know not everyone is going to accept you. Its their loss if they don't but it isn't the end of the world."

That statement right there was one of the many reasons she had grown to love her dad. He didn't sugar coat things, choosing instead to be realistic but understanding.

"I know, but I.. . I don't know what I should do. Honestly, I applied for half of these just because it was what everyone else was doing. I didn't want to feel left out during study hall."

John shrugged before sitting down at the kitchen table with her. He picked up the first letter in the stack, seeing that it read "Stanford" on the front. "Stanford huh? Well, California is nice and all but lets be honest here. DO you really want to go to a school whose mascot is unofficially a damn tree?

Lily laughed at that, this time letting more of herself relax at the statement. "I dunno, has a nice ring to it right?"

"Yeah, the rings from where everyone fucking cut down the redwoods. All that's really left are the rings on the stumps."

"True. . ."

"Well, lets get this over with. You take the next one in the pile. Who's it from anyways?"

Lily looked down at the letter from Western Washington University. "WWU."

"See, now there is a mascot to be proud of; a Viking. Just think, you resemble one so much what with your fierce. . . height and. . . broad shoulders." John tried to keep a straight face but ended up laughing and the affronted face Lily made at the idea.

"What do you think I look like, an ogre?"

"I was going for Viking, thank you. Now stop stalling. I need my kitchen counter space back all your mail has been cluttering up. On three. One. Two. Three!"

There was the sound of ripping of paper and silence.

"Well kid, I hate to break it to ya but Stanford said no."

"I figured; their acceptance rate wasn't high to begin with."

"What did Western Washington say?"

"They said yes."

"Good! That's one yes, and one fuck you to the establishment." John separated the acceptance letter and the denial letter into two separate piles. "We can burn the asshole ones later. Now, pass me another."

"You don't have to do this," Lily said with emotion stuck in her throat.

"And deny me the joy and amusement of pretending to be an anarchist and starting fires? Even if its just one letter we burn, I'm sure we have some marshmallows in the pantry. We'll have fun with it."

Lily passed him another letter, and they continued on opening letters together. By the end of it, only a third of the letters had been denials. Given that her grades were average to good at best, she wasn't surprised. She had no idea what she was going to end up doing with her life, but knowing at least one school let alone two thirds of the schools she had applied to had accepted her was a great feeling.

"Finally, now I don't know about you but I'm feeling pekish for something sweet."

"Pekish? Really? Have you been sneaking into Sarah's romance novels again?" Lily teased. John had the good grace not to comment, but instead balled up a piece of paper from one of the letters in the no pile and tossed it at her head.

"Ow!"

"Don't be such a baby, now go get the goods from the pantry while I clean up this mess and get the fire started in the backyard. Also, get out of those. . . lovely robes. Put on something comfy and some bug spray. "

Lily went upstairs to change into some yoga pants and a sweatshirt after john reminded her that she still hadn't changed from the awful colored graduation robes. She put on her payless slipper boots with cute dangling balls on the laces before coming back downstairs to grab the marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. John kept the metal piles they used for s'mores by the charcoal, so they were already grabbed.

Lily's phone went off at that point, causing her to look down at it.

Jasper- "Hey, this party is a bit much. The wolves came and didn't take to the news of Seattle well. I miss you."

Lily smiled at the message. Jasper had taken her on a few dates after he admitted that they were mates. Just because they were mates did not automatically make them love one another. The dates helped them learn more about each other one on one.

The kissing after each one had also been an excellent way to end an evening.

They hadn't gone too much further than heavy petting at this point in their relationship. Lily wasn't scared to have sex even though she never had before. She just preferred it to happen naturally instead of planned. Jasper, being able to pick up on her emotions, helped them keep a pace that they were both comfortable with.

To be fair, he was nearly two hundred years old, and she was barely an adult. Not that age matters too much with adults, but she felt she was a bit young to want to rush into something like sex. After all, how would birth control work with a vampire?

She hadn't thought to ask, but as their relationship was progressing, she felt she would have to talk to Dr. Cullen on what would keep them safe. Who even know if half vampire babies could even happen? Would they nurse milk or blood? The idea hurt her nipples just thinking of it.

Shaking the crazy thoughts from her head, she texted him back.

Lily- "Hey, I miss you too. I'm sorry if you're miserable there. Guess what? I finally opened the acceptance letters from the schools with John. We're gonna burn the rejection ones."

Jasper replied right away.

Jasper- "Really? That's an amazing idea! Try not to get burned though, okay?"

Lily- "Have a tiny bit of faith in me lol."

Jasper- "I do, but its windy. You never know where embers will land."

Lily- "You're just afraid my hair will get singed, aren't you?"

Jasper- "I like your hair. Its long and soft and feels amazing when I wrap my fingers in it."

Lily- "You know. . . I had an idea."

Jasper- "Oh, do tell."

Lily- "You sure? It's awfully naughty."

Jasper- "Don't tease or I'll rush over there and spank you."

Lily- "Promises, promises. "

Jasper- "What was your awfully naughty idea little Ms. Rose?"

Lily- "I was thinking. . . about going bald."

Her phone rang shortly after her message was opened. It was naturally Jasper. Lily answered the call with a smirk on her face.

"Hello handsome, what brought this on?"

"You evil woman, winding me up to tease me like that."

Lily's smirk turned into a smile. "Would you still like me if I was bald?"

"Obviously, but Rose may have something to say regarding your newest hair style. You wouldn't leave me with an angry sister, would you?"

Lily laughed at the idea. "No, I'm not that cruel."

"Hey, hold on, Alice needs me for a sec."

"Sure, no problem."

In the background of the phone call there was some talking before Jasper returned to the phone. "Hey, I have to go. Somethings going on. I think the wolves want to help us with the vamps in Seattle."

Lily frowned at the sound of that. "Want me to come? When are you guys doing it?"

"Tomorrow, and honestly? I would really like it if you came. I. . . I want to go somewhere with you afterwards, just us. Is that okay?"

"Jas, its always okay. I'll let my family know I may be home late or the day after if it gets too late. Besides, they love you and Rose. Its hard for them to say no to either of you."

"Don't forget, you're their favorite Lils. Go enjoy your time with your dad. Call me when you get ready for bed?"

"Of course," Lily said with a soft smile. Jasper would talk to her on the phone while she tried to fall asleep. IT helped more than the medications did at this point. She was afraid what would happen if she ever fell asleep with him. That would be a habit she doubted she would be able to break even if she tried once it started.

"Bye Doll"

"By Cowboy"

John was leaning against the wall behind Lily when she hung up the phone, arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"How's lover boy? I mean, it's just ben sooooo long since you last saw each other. A whole few hours, right? Oh, the torment you must be going through; the anguish" He teased.

Lily smacked him on the shoulder with the bag of marshmallows before stomping outside, her face flaming red.

"Hey! Don't start without me!" John shouted before rushing after her, laughing the entire way.