Chapter19: Tara's final straw

Excitement crackled in the air after Ashleigh hung up. Her long-held dream of attending college was finally coming true. In a month, she'd be a student! Grabbing her textbooks, she piled them on her desk and switched on the computer. Rushing to the college website, the welcome banner seemed to gleam, a symbol of her imminent arrival. Minutes flew by in a daydream of college life. Finally, snapping out of her reverie, Ashleigh decided to create a study schedule. Though work had eaten up most of her time, she was determined to catch up. Thankfully, Adrian was arranging a tutor to provide focused support. With luck, she could finalize a schedule by Monday night. An hour later, the schedule complete, sleep beckoned more powerfully than dinner. The excitement was buzzing through her veins. The next morning, Ashleigh woke up with a lightness she hadn't felt since arriving. Adrian's news had been the best gift he could have given her. Dressed in a matching pastel purple skirt and blouse, her