Before the College Application Deadline My Boyfriend Unplugged My Mouse Chapter 01

Before the College Application Deadline My Boyfriend Unplugged My Mouse Chapter 01

On the final day to submit college applications, the school kept the computer lab open so seniors could review everything one last time. My boyfriend and I had agreed to revise our college lists so we could apply to schools in the same city.

My best friend rushed into the room on the verge of tears.

“My mouse stopped responding while I was reviewing my application. Can someone help me?”

The college counselor reminded everyone, “The portal closes in ten minutes. Take care of your own applications first.”

I had just entered the verification code when my boyfriend unplugged my mouse and took it over to her computer.

“Yours can wait. Her GPA isn’t high enough, so she can’t afford a mistake.”

I froze. “But I haven’t submitted mine yet.”

***

He didn’t even look at me. He was already seated beside my best friend, Hailey Dawson, rapidly double-checking her intended major and alternate-program selections.

Hailey bit her lip as she looked at me. “Natalie, I’m sorry. I just panicked.”

My boyfriend, Nolan Carter, lowered his voice to reassure her. “Don’t cry. I’m here.”

I watched the countdown on my screen tick lower as my palms turned cold. Five minutes became three, then one.

A red error banner flashed across my screen: SUBMISSION FAILED.

My head buzzed.

At Hailey’s computer, a success chime rang out. She threw her arms around Nolan in excitement.

“Yes! We’re really going to end up at the same college!”

Nolan stiffened, but he didn’t push her away.

Only when I stood up did he finally turn around, as if he had just remembered I was there.

“Did you submit yours?”

I looked at him, feeling as if my throat were full of broken glass.

“No.”

His expression changed instantly. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

I let out a small laugh and folded up my application worksheet before slipping it into my bag.

“I did.”

“You weren’t listening.”

The computer lab went deathly quiet.

Hailey was still clutching Nolan’s sleeve, and the relieved smile hadn’t completely faded from her face. A second later, she seemed to realize what she was doing and jerked her hand away.

“Natalie, I didn’t know you really hadn’t submitted it—”

I said nothing.

The college counselor hurried over. The moment she saw the red error banner on my monitor, her expression turned grave.

“Natalie Wells, what happened?”

My ice-cold fingers were still resting on the keyboard. The clock in the corner of the screen showed that the deadline had already passed.

Nolan shot to his feet.

“Can we request a late submission? She only missed the deadline because she got held up. It wasn’t intentional.”

The counselor frowned.

“The statewide university application portal shuts down for everyone at the deadline. This isn’t a classroom quiz we can reopen.”

The color drained from Nolan’s face.

Every student nearby turned to stare at me.

Someone whispered, “Wasn’t she aiming for Southridge State University’s journalism program?”

“Wasn’t Nolan helping Hailey just now?”

“This is insane. How do you miss a college application deadline this important?”

Nolan spun around. “Don’t start rumors.”

He walked over and reached for my arm.

“Natalie, let’s go to the counselor’s office. She’ll figure something out.”

I stepped aside, leaving his hand suspended in midair.

Hailey approached with her head lowered and tears filling her eyes.

“Natalie, this is all my fault. If the application portal hadn’t frozen, you wouldn’t have—”

Nolan instinctively looked at her.

“Don’t cry. This isn’t the time to blame anyone.”

I raised my eyes to him.

He reacted as though he had been burned and quickly added, “Natalie, I’m not saying this isn’t her fault. I’m saying we need to fix your situation first.”

“How?” I asked softly.

He opened his mouth.

“You could look for late-cycle openings, apply somewhere with rolling admissions, or—”

“Or what?”

“Take a gap year and reapply next fall.”

I looked at him and suddenly laughed.

I had spent four years working toward Southridge State. I had studied late into the night, strengthened my application through academic competitions, and revised my college list more than a dozen times.

After all that, he said it as though it were nothing.

Just take a gap year and apply again next fall.