It's the last week before school closes for Christmas break so it's crammed with tests and assignments. I've been in the library for my two free periods, writing my English book report on Anna Karenina. I'm about to call it a day and head out to the cafeteria for lunch break when I happen to check my phone and my heart does a somersault.

Breathing heavily and my entire body is shaking as I hurry to log onto my Stanford Application account. In the seconds that it takes for the page to load, I cover my mouth and squeeze my eyes shut, feeling that I might pass out any moment.

When I finally brave myself to open my eyes and look at the screen, I scream silently and almost fall off my chair as I bend forward and touch my forehead to the table top to try and get my heart under control.

When I finally stop wanting to scream, I look at the screen again to read it through.

Congratulations, Hazel! I am delighted to offer you a place at Stanford University...

I read through the letter thrice before my mind finally wraps itself around the news and a sense of accomplishment settles over my body. The letter goes on to applaud my academic GPA and my athletic accomplishments.

I shut my laptop and lean back in my seat as I take deep breaths to get my emotions under control. I know that to anyone else who happens to look at me, I am smiling like an idiot, sitting all alone at a library table.

I pack my books and laptop in my bag and then head out of the library. The hallways are empty since it is lunch break and everyone is in their usual spots having a bite to eat or catching up with friends. Speaking of friends, I find all of mine except Ash at one of the outdoor lunch tables, enjoying the sun in the winter cold.

"Someone's really happy." Liam says as I walk up to them and Ben turns around since he has his back to me.

"I got into Stanford." I finally tell someone.

"No way!" Liam exclaims as Ben jumps up and pulls me into a tight hug, "Congratulations Hazel!"

I wrap my arms around his neck and smile into his shoulder, "Thank you."

"Do I get to congratulate her now?" Liam says, making me laugh. Ben lets go of me as Liam pulls me into a crushing hug.

"Can't breathe." I choke but laugh at the same time.

"Someone else looks happy too." Ben notes and I follow his eyes to see Ash walk up to us.

"I got accepted early action to George Washington." He sounds out of breath and I can one hundred percent relate.

The whole congratulatory process begins again. I'm talking to Ash when I hear Ben say, "Guys."

We look towards him just as takes our picture. There was no need to wait since we're both already beaming and smiling. The day passes in more congratulatory hugs and words as others who applied early action to different universities find out their results.

Sebastian hugs me the moment he meets me in the parking lot. "You couldn't find a moment to text me and let me know?!"

I laugh, "I feel like I've been high on adrenaline all day. Shit, I haven't even told mom and dad." I smack my forehead.

"Yeah, imagine my surprise when some random student who I've never even met before congratulated me on my sister's acceptance to Stanford which I didn't even know about." Seb shakes his head at me as I laugh even harder.

"Sorry." I shrug as we get into my car and I drive us home.

We first call mom and then dad over the Bluetooth in the car to tell them the news. They both are ecstatic at my acceptance and instantly make plans to go out for dinner together tomorrow night since mom and dad both have meetings tonight, Seb has tests tomorrow to study for and I already had a date with Ben before I even found out about Stanford.

Lola is away on her Junior year school trip and Mia and Conley are in Los Angeles for meetings, they took Charles with them so we decided to have dinner together at Ben's house.

The security car that used to trail after me has long been discarded after I reassured mom and dad that I feel safe enough going around on my own. So, when I pull up in Ben's driveway, there's just his car and mine.

I've just locked the doors when Ben opens the front door.

"Thought I heard your car. I've ordered Chinese, hope you don't mind." He says as I follow him into the kitchen.

"Not at all. The five thousand word report on Anna Karenina's themes has left me starving." I tell him, thankful to have gotten one assignment out of the way.

When I see what's on the kitchen island, I stop in my tracks and look at Ben. "You shouldn't have."

"Stanford has a 5% acceptance rate. Getting in calls for celebratory cake." He solemnly nods making me laugh.

It's my favorite chocolate cake with 'Hazel at Stanford' written in white icing over the top.

"Is it okay if I have cake before the food arrives?" I raise an eyebrow.

Ben smiles and shakes his head, "Help yourself."

His phone rings somewhere in the house so while he leaves to fetch it, I take out a plate and cut myself a small slice of cake so that I have appetite for dinner.

"Who was it?" I ask, swallowing my bite of cake.

"Ash." Ben is laughing as he walks back to the kitchen island and stands across from me.

"What did he want?" I take another bite.

"He's on a date with Angelina." I choke on my food and force myself to quickly swallow.

"Ash and Angelina are on a date?" I ask, surprised.

"Yup." Ben nods, setting his phone down.

"When did that happen?" I muse as Ben shrugs.

"Wow." I smile, "I hope things work out between them."

"Me too." Ben says and just then the doorbell rings, announcing the arrival of our food. Ben leaves to get the food and in the meanwhile I clear away my cake plate and put the rest of the cake in the fridge for later.

Five minutes later, we're both sitting on kitchen stools, sharing the food. Ben knows all my orders as I do his so he knew to order me Chow Mein.

"Hazel?" He says.

"Hmm?" I ask, chewing on a bite.

"There's actually been something on my mind that I've been waiting to talk to you about till you heard back from Stanford. And now that you have..."

"Talk about what?" I ask, setting down my fork and picking up my Coke can.

"I'm going to send in my university applications in a couple of weeks and I wanted to know if it's okay with you if I apply to Stanford." He looks at me, making my heart melt.

I tilt my head as I look at him, "Did you think I wouldn't be okay with it?"

He meets my eyes, "The biggest reason you applied to Stanford was so that you could be in proximity of your home and yet still have some space from everyone you know."

I nod in understanding, "You're right. But that was before we started dating. Maybe if we'd never taken this step in our relationship, I would've been okay having distance between you and only seeing you once a month or something." I sigh, "But now I really can't imagine being away from you and I'll be over the moon if you get to join me at Stanford."

"Really?" Ben asks to make sure and I nod with a broad smile that I can't help, "Yes."

Since he's sitting right next to me, I need to just tilt my head to kiss him. This new revelation that may let us be together for the next four years of our lives had made me forget all about my dinner.

"Do you want to go to my room?" I hear Ben whisper and I nod before he pulls me off my kitchen stool and then we're in his room.

Ben's shirt is the first to come off and I feel him hesitate as his hands linger on the hem on mine. I pull back slightly and in one swift motion tug it over my head, leaving Ben stunned. The next hour or two, I don't know how long passes. We satisfy each other's desires but just don't get to sex, but we do everything that can be done to another.

It's exactly eleven when I pull up in my driveway and rest my head on the car's steering wheel.

I love Ben more than anything else. I smile to myself as the Euphoria refuses to leave my body.

~Ben's Perspective~

As I look at the ruffled sheets on my bed, I can only think one thing, I love Hazel more than anything else.