CHAPTER 21 COLLEGE BOUND

Jenna stared at the envelope in her hands, her heart pounding. The University of California, Berkeley logo stared back at her, both exciting and terrifying. She glanced at Ryan, who was holding his own envelope from the California Institute of the Arts. They had agreed to open their letters together, but now that the moment had arrived, Jenna felt paralyzed. "You ready?" Ryan asked, his voice steady but his eyes betraying a hint of nervousness. Jenna nodded, taking a deep breath. "On three. One... two... three!" They tore open their envelopes simultaneously. Jenna's eyes scanned the letter quickly, her breath catching as she read the words "We are pleased to offer you admission..." "I got in!" she exclaimed, looking up at Ryan with wide eyes. His face broke into a grin. "Me too!" They hugged tightly, the excitement of their achievements momentarily overshadowing the realization that their acceptances meant attending different colleges, hours apart. As the initial euphoria faded,