"You what?" Adrian stared at Dante, not comprehending what he'd just heard.
The words didn't make sense. Couldn't make sense.
"I turned it down," Dante repeated, voice steadier now that he'd said it once already. "Called them this morning, said thank you but I'm not ready to leave school yet. That I have commitments here I need to honor."
"Dante..." Adrian didn't know if he was relieved or horrified. Both emotions warred in his chest, making it hard to breathe. "Why?"
"Because I have another year here. Because I'm not ready to leave you. Because—" Dante's voice caught. "Because when I imagined my life in California without you, it felt empty. Wrong. Like I'd be chasing someone else's dream instead of my own."
"You're going to resent me."
The words came out flat. Certain. Because Adrian knew how this story ended—he'd seen it play out in movies and books and real life. The person who gives up their dream for love eventually wakes up bitter and angry and full of regret.
