SHE ONLY DID HER CLASSMATES’ HOMEWORK FOR MONEY—UNTIL ONE LOVE LETTER CHANGED EVERYTHING
Chapter 7
Mia didn’t immediately become comfortable with relationships.
She still overthought everything.
If Jason took ten minutes to reply, she wondered whether she had said something wrong.
If he smiled at another girl, she became irrationally jealous.
If he canceled plans because of class, she worried he was losing interest.
Jason was patient.
But he also challenged her.
“You can’t keep guessing what I think.”
“What should I do?”
“Ask me.”
“What if I’m embarrassed?”
“Be embarrassed.”
Mia frowned.
“That’s terrible advice.”
“It’s honest advice.”
She laughed.
Their relationship developed slowly.
There were no dramatic declarations.
No perfect dates.
Just ordinary moments.
Studying together.
Sharing meals.
Walking home.
Arguing over books.
Mia learned that love wasn’t one enormous emotion.
It was hundreds of small decisions.
Remembering someone.
Listening.
Apologizing.
Making room.
One afternoon, Jason asked Mia to meet his mother.
Mia nearly panicked.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“What if she doesn’t like me?”
“What if she does?”
“That would be worse.”
Jason laughed.
“Why?”
“Then I’d have expectations.”
He shook his head.
“You think too much.”
“I know.”
She met his mother anyway.
To Mia’s surprise, the conversation went well.
His mother asked about her studies.
Mia talked about literature.
Then his mother smiled.
“Jason hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
Mia looked at him.
“You talk about me?”
Jason turned red.
“Mom.”
His mother laughed.
Mia smiled.
She liked this.
The warmth.
The embarrassment.
The feeling of being included.
Later that night, Jason walked her home.
“You were good.”
“At what?”
“Meeting my mother.”
“She was nice.”
“She likes you.”
Mia looked down.
“That makes me happy.”
Jason smiled.
“You’re getting better at saying things.”
“Maybe.”
They stopped outside her dorm.
Jason looked at her.
“Do you regret it?”
“What?”
“Letting me in.”
Mia thought for a long time.
“No.”
“Good.”
She reached up and kissed his cheek.
Then immediately stepped back.
Jason looked stunned.
Mia laughed.
“Good night.”
She ran inside.
For several seconds, Jason remained outside.
Then he smiled.
Mia had spent years believing vulnerability meant losing control.
Now she was discovering something else.
Sometimes vulnerability meant choosing to trust.
And trust, she was learning, could be terrifying.
But it could also feel like freedom.
