The weeks passed, and while the eighteen-year-old girl waited anxiously to hear news from colleges — as she had already received positive responses from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, UC San Diego, and Carnegie Mellon — it was Yale she was most eagerly awaiting. One morning, as she was sitting at the kitchen table, her father walked past her as he started to talk.
«Donna, I have to go. Tonight I don't think I'll be able to eat with you and mom, but we'll keep you posted. Alright?»
«Sure. Have a good day, dad»
«You too, sweetie»
After saying goodbye, Jim left the house, and Donna found herself alone while her mother had already left for work about twenty minutes ago. The curiosity being too great, the redhead checked if her parents had already emptied the mailbox, and, noticing no letters on the hall cabinet, she hurried out to go to the box and open it. The moment she took out the packet of letters and saw the Yale crest, she felt her breath catch. A few miles away, Harvey was on his way to law school and was surprised to hear his phone ring, and especially, to see Donna's name on the screen.
«Allo?»
«Harv, I'm not disturbing you?»
«No, no, don't worry. Are you okay?»
«I got the answer from Yale»
«And?»
«I don't know, I don't dare open»
«Hey, come on, relax»
«If I didn't make it, I —»
«Stop, you will. Where are you now?»
«Still outside»
«Alright, turn back home. Are you all alone?»
«I am»
«I'm here, alright? So put on speakerphone and open this letter»
«Harvey»
«I'm here»
«Okay»whispered the young girl.
For a few seconds, he couldn't hear anything except the sound of the paper and her deep breathing. If he was starting to panic given her lack of reaction from her, after a moment, he heard her whisper.
«Holy shit»
«What?»
«Harvey, I —»
«Hey, what?»
«I got in»
«You got in?»said Harvey excitedly.
«I got in, yeah»
«In dramaturgy and dramatic criticism?»
«Yeah»
«Fuck Donna, this is huge»
«Yeah»
«You made it to fucking Yale, Donna»yelled Harvey, as he looked like a madman in the middle of the park.
«I made it»
«Oh my God, I'm so proud of you. I wish I could be there with you to celebrate»
«When are you coming back to Hartford?»
«As soon as I can»
Seeing Scottie coming from afar, he swallowed hard before talking fast to the redhead.
«Hey, I gotta go. I have class in a minute, but I'm so proud of you»
«Thanks, Harv»
«See you, Donna»
«See you. Bye, Harv»
He barely had time to hang up when Scottie approached him, talking with her arrogant face.
«Hey, Specter»
«Scottie»
«Who was that on the phone? You sounded happy»
«None of your business»
«Alright, I touched a nerve. Anyway, are we going to class?»
«Let's go, yeah»
In Hartford, Donna quickly ordered an Uber to Marcus's house, where she rang the bell until he opened the door, clearly surprised by this enthusiasm this early in the morning.
«Wow, what's wrong with you?»
«I got in»
«What?»
«Yale. I got in»
«No way»
«Yes way»
«Oh my God, Donna»
«Yeah»
«This is huge»
«It is»
«I don't even know what to say. Come here»
Immediately, she jumped into his arms while he vigorously rubbed her back, both chuckling before he invited her in and served her an iced tea, the two of them chatting.
«I'm so happy for you »
«Yeah, me too. I can't believe it»
«In theater?»
«Nope, Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism»
«Good too, right?»
«More than good»smiled the redhead.
«It's so cool, Red»
«What about you? Still no news from Stanford?»
«Nope»
«It'll come at some point»
«I know. And if it's not Stanford, it'll be Wharton»
«Yeah, second-best business school in the country»smirked Donna.
«Stanford is far»
«Come on, distance means nothing, we'll call each other all the time»
«I hope»
«Yeah, don't worry»
«Anyway, you're going to be late to school. Let's go»
«Yep»
The day passed, and if Donna spent her day at school, the end of the year approaching, discussing the good news with her friends, Harvey spent his day looking at the photo she had sent him after their call: a selfie of her holding her Yale acceptance letter in hand, a big smile on her lips, her beautiful hair cascading on her shoulder. In the afternoon, as soon as she got home, the redhead's parents congratulated her and discussed her future until Laurel interrupted herself.
«Oh, I forgot to tell you, we delivered a bouquet for you»
«For me?»
«Yeah»
«From who?»
«I don't know, I didn't look. I put it in your room»
«Alright, thanks mom»
It was with a pounding heart that she went up to the second floor and rushed into her bedroom to see the huge bouquet of flowers on her dresser. God, it was so big and beautiful. After a few seconds, she found the small card, and her breath caught as she read the few words.
I'm so proud of you, you're unbelievable. I wish I was there with you
He didn't need to sign it, she knew very well who it was, and after sending him a message to thank him, she lay down on her bed to reread the little note over and over again, biting her lip lightly, finding it so cute. Days passed, and exactly a week after Donna received her letter from Yale, it was Marcus' turn who showed up at her house with a smile on his face.
«No way»
«Stanford»
«Marcus. No way»
«I can't believe it»
«Oh my God, I'm so happy»
«You'll be the best manager in the world»
«Donna»
«Yeah?»
«Can you imagine? You were dreaming of Yale, and you got in»
«And you were dreaming of Stanford, and you made it, Marcus»
«We made it. High five, sister»
At eighteen, the two young people couldn't be happier. They only had their final exams left, and two months later, they would move to start their college lives a few miles from their parents. If Harvey hadn't come back to Hartford because of his own exams, she was surprised one night to receive a text from Harvey at almost midnight.
Open the window
As she complied, she was surprised to see the future lawyer on her terrace, a big smile on his lips.
«Harv, what are you doing here?»
«I haven't had the chance to congratulate you in person for your entrance to Yale»
«Are you serious?»
«Yep. Congratulations, then»
«Thank you»
Without her expecting it, after weeks without seeing each other, he kissed her tenderly before pushing her onto the bed, feeling him murmur against her lips.
«I miss your lips»
«Oh please, I'm sure they were busy with other»
«What? Are you jealous?»
«You know I'm not»lied Donna.
«Good then. Let's enjoy it»
For another twenty minutes, they were making out on the redhead's bed before Harvey separated to murmur against her lips.
«I have a gift for you»
«Really?»
«Yeah, for your room at Yale»
«What?»
He grabbed his fanny pack — the one he dropped on the floor when he jumped on the redhead — to search for something inside. Donna then propped up on her elbows to watch him before she saw him handing her a picture. As she burst out laughing seeing what it was, Harvey quickly put his hand over her mouth before chuckling.
«Hush. Your parents are downstairs»
«Are you serious, Harv?»
«What?»
«I'm not putting that on my wall»
«Why not?»
«You're half naked»
«So what?»
«I can't believe it. You're crazy»
As she stared at the picture for a few seconds, Donna couldn't help but giggle. It was a mirror selfie where Harvey was standing, wearing only a pair of black long shorts that stopped above his knees, shirtless, his bulging chest, his abs outlined, his v-cut, while he flexed his biceps to show off his muscles, his phone partially hiding his face.
«So?»
«It's cringe»
«I'm hot on it, no?»
«You are, yeah»
«But?»
« It's still cringe »snorted Donna.
«Alright, shut up»
As both of us laughed, Harvey rushed to kiss her again, as Donna couldn't help but chuckle when she thought back to Harvey's picture. After a few more minutes, Harvey broke away as Donna groaned.
«I have to go»
«Where?»
«To my place»
«You haven't been yet?»
«Nope, I came straight here»
«What a gentleman»smiled the redhead.
«Yeah — alright, see you, Donna»
«Bye, Harv»
After one last kiss, he left the way he had come, avoiding running into her parents, before going home and celebrating his return for summer vacation and his brother's departure for California. Months passed, both teenagers graduated, Harvey winking at Donna when she went up on the stage to receive her diploma, then it was Harvey's turn to get his Juris Doctor, the redhead pretending to have come with Marcus and Gordon to congratulate him, kissing him discreetly as soon as the other two Specters chatted a little further away. That summer, Donna and Marcus spent it together — plus a few stolen moments for Harvey and the redhead at night or when the younger brother was away — knowing that they would be physically separated by distance for a few months, meeting up only for breaks when Marcus returned from California. Donna and Harvey also knew that it was a bit of the end for them because, even if their universities were not very far from each other, they would no longer really have any reason to cross paths in Hartford since Marcus was not there and the redhead had no excuse to go to the Specters. Anyway, once they were all at their university, the year started and everyone went back to their lives. While Harvey had started his master's degree, Donna was going to have her first exams, and if she loved her studies, she was happy to finally be on winter break. So, after greeting her new roommate and best friend — Rachel — who was returning to New York to her own family, Donna took the train to Hartford, where her mother was waiting for her at the station.
«Oh sweetie, I'm so happy to see you»
«Hey mom. Where is dad?»
«He's working»
«Oh, alright»
«Let's go home?»
«Let's go»
When the redhead had left for Yale, the house having become too big for the Paulsen, who still didn't have a lot of money because of Jim's failed plans and Donna's studies, the two parents decided to move into an apartment where Donna unfortunately didn't have a room anymore. After having left everything at her now place, she rushed back to the Specters, where she jumped into Marcus' arms, who hugged her tightly against him.
«Hey, how's my favorite dramaturg?»
«I'm exhausted by the exam session, but I'm alright. What about you, Mr. Businessman?»
«Amazing»
«You've gained muscle?»
«Well, there's a gym in my residence, so I'm taking advantage of that. Maybe one day I'll beat Harvey on that»
«No way, brother»
Harvey.
It had been four months since she'd seen the future lawyer, and even though they'd exchanged a few messages over time and she'd had the opportunity to hang out with other guys at Yale — seriously or not so seriously — when she saw the way he was looking at her, she knew they were going to pick up where they left off.
«Hey, loser. How California?»
«So good, dude»
«I'm glad — hey, Donna»
Since Marcus was watching them, they hugged for half a second before separating, but it was enough for their scent to awaken things in the other. A few minutes after talking, Gordon entered the house, greeting his two sons before turning to the redhead with a big smile.
«Hey Donna»
«Gordon, it's good to see you»
«How are you, my dear?»
«I'm great»
«Do you like Yale?»
«It's incredible»
After asking a few questions about her schooling and exams, they began a discussion about the arrangements for this winter break.
«And where are you going to sleep, Donna?»
«On the couch probably»
«Why?»asked Harvey.
«My parents moved into an apartment, so I don't have a room anymore, and I don't have the courage to take an hour train ride every day to sleep in my room at Yale»
«You know you can come here if you want, Donna»
«I don't want to take advantage»
«Come on, you'll sleep with Marcus, you used to do that all the time when you were kids»
«Dad, we're nineteen now»chuckled the younger brother.
«So what?»
«It's fine, take my room»smiled Harvey.
«Harv, what? No»
«I insist»
«Where are you going to sleep?»
«Oh, come on, you know me, right? I'll either be out or on the couch»
«I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed, Harv»
«You're not kicking me out, I'm offering it. Besides, you know how many nights I spent on that couch? A lot»
«Are you sure?»
«Yeah, yeah, don't worry»
«Thanks, Harv»
«You're welcome, Donna — shall we pick up your stuff from your house?»
After accepting, both of them found themselves in the car, and seeing him take the road to an abandoned industrial estate as they used to do when she was still in high school, she chuckled while looking at Harvey with a knowing smile.
«Harv»
«What?»
«Don't do that»
«Why not? I don't have the opportunity to greet you normally today»
In a split second, he stopped, pulled something under Donna's seat, who found herself in a lying position, and before she knew it, Harvey was straddling her and approaching her mouth.
«You don't have anyone at Yale, right?»
«No»
«Okay»
After that, they made out for a long time, the other two Specters asking questions about the time they took as soon as they returned to the family home. After settling in, Donna turned back to her place and spent the day with her mother, waiting for her father to return so they could all eat together, then returning to the Specters in the evening to spend the night there. After chatting with them for a good part of the evening, she excused herself to go upstairs to take a shower in Harvey's bathroom before getting under the sheets to watch a series on her laptop, shivering when she was invaded by the smell of the future lawyer despite the fact that he hadn't slept there for weeks. About twenty minutes later, while she was concentrating on her show, she was surprised to hear someone knock on the door.
«Yeah?»
«Hey, can I come in?»
Harvey.
«Sure»
«Thanks»
Barely inside, he approached quietly to whisper.
«Do you mind if I take a shower? I'm hurrying»
«No, of course, go ahead»
As he locked himself in the bathroom, Donna released a breath she didn't know she was holding before trying to focus on her show again, but hearing the sound of the water, it was impossible, her brain too busy imagining the naked young man in the next room. Donna was nineteen now, and even if she had never gone beyond the stage of hot make-out sessions with Harvey, she thought more and more about the aftermath, especially when she knew what his body looked like. As she stared into space, biting her lip slightly while thinking about his abs and bulging biceps, she was surprised when the door opened and swallowed hard as she saw the future lawyer coming out dressed only in his boxers, a few drops still dripping from his body while his wet hair had been combed back.
«You like what you see?»
«I've seen more muscular guys at Yale»
«I understand that it works well, then»
«Maybe»
«You're not going to tell me anything?»smiled Harvey.
«Are you talking to me about all the girls you spend your nights with at Harvard?»smirked Donna.
«Touché — anyway, we haven't really had the chance to talk about it, but how are you?»
As Donna was leaning against the headboard wearing a shortie and a matching top, Harvey took a seat across from her while they chatted quietly about how her first year and his master's degree were going. As midnight approached and the redhead yawned, Harvey chuckled before whispering.
«Alright, I get it. I'm boring you»
«No, not at all»
«You look knackered, I'll let you sleep»
While unconsciously both leaned in to kiss each other goodnight as if it were a habit, as usual, the delicate kiss turned into something intense as Harvey flipped them over, finding himself sitting against the headboard with her straddling him. If they were both lost in the moment, Donna heard the young man murmur against her lips.
«Let's share the bed»
«What?»
«Come on, I'm leaving before everyone wakes up, no one will know»
«Harvey, we're not going to share a bed»
«We already did it at your place, remember? When you were drunk as fuck»
«Exactly. I was drunk, you were dressed, and you slept on top of the sheets to watch me. Here, we are both sober, you are half naked, your brother is in the next room, and your father is right in frontof here »
«I'm not going to try anything, you know»
«I know»
«It's just sharing a bed, come on, it's always good to share a little human warmth, right?»
«Harvey»
«Come on»
«What is wrong with you?»snorted Donna, seeing him smirk.
«I just want to share my bed with you forever»
Seeing that he was doing it on purpose to annoy her, she decided to play along and answer with arrogance like him.
«Forever?»
«Forever, yeah»
«What will you do when I have a boyfriend? Sleep between us?»
«Exactly. That way he won't touch you — no one touches you — that body and those lips belong to me, it's all mine»
As she shivered by his possessive attitude and his words, she saw him laugh softly before he continued to speak.
«Alright, I get it, it won't stay here tonight. I'll leave you alone then»
He then quickly grabbed her jaw forcefully to place a series of quick kisses on her lips, sliding his tongue into her mouth dirtily as she pushed him right away while laughing, Harvey finally leaving the room to go sleep on the couch downstairs. That night, neither of them really slept. The redhead couldn't help but wonder about Harvey's possessive attitude and how he remained the same despite the months of distance that separated them. Mentally, the redhead wanted to beat herself up for being so weak, she was unable to say no to him, all it took was for him to look at her or lean towards her for her to lose what little reason she had left, letting herself go under the kisses of her best friend's brother. It wasn't like her, even now in college, she didn't especially flirt or hang out with other boys because she always felt like she was betraying Harvey when she knew that it didn't stop him — she knew it — and yet, she couldn't move on. For Harvey, the young man wanted to slap himself — what was wrong with him? He knew he had to stop, especially since she was obviously seeing other people at Yale, but still, it was like their bodies were magnetic, drawn to each other, unable to separate once stuck, and even if he continued to pretend that he was still the eternal bachelor and flirt from Harvard, in reality, it was becoming more and more complicated. He hadn't slept with a single girl while being sober for almost a year and was constantly forced to get drunk to touch another girl, his mind too muddled to differentiate between brown, blond, or red hair — all that to escape as soon as he woke up and took a burning shower to get rid of all traces of his previous night so he could go back to school the next day as if nothing had happened. He was no longer the same as before, and maybe he could fool anyone but him because he knew that, deep down, she changed him forever and there was nothing he could do about it.