Room 330- Thursday evening

[annieadderall]

Annie had officially heard back from everywhere by now. And while she had proof she could totally get into college, she also had proof that she couldn't afford to go. One place had awarded her a partial scholarship, which was something, but without some kind of help it wasn't going to make a dent in the costs. So she'd gotten her freakout on,

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[rilla_myrilla]

Rilla poked her head, then the rest of her body, into Annie's room. "Susan sent another package today. Would you like some chocolate cake?"

[annieadderall]

If Annie could live on handouts from now until college graduation, she would be able to save money on food.

"Yes, I would," she answered, making room on the bed so Rilla could sit. "Hi."

[rilla_myrilla]

Don't let Susan hear that: she'd take it as her personal, Christian duty to feed the poor starving Yankee.

Rilla sat down and held out the cake.

[annieadderall]

"Thank you," Annie said, taking some. "It's definitely a cake kind of day."

[rilla_myrilla]

"In Susan's view, every day is a cake kind of day," Rilla said. "Was there more bad news?"

[annieadderall]

"I've heard back from everywhere," she said, and added fake-cheerfully, "I got in everywhere."

[rilla_myrilla]

"That's wonderful!" Rilla said, beaming back.

Rilla wasn't so good at picking up subtle nuance. Or not-so-subtle nuance.

[annieadderall]

"Yeah, it is," she agreed, even managing a little smile. "But my scholarships didn't pan out. So even though I got in, going to them isn't going to happen. So I'm trying to figure out some alternative plans."

Where prostitution had ended up on the list one and a half times.

[rilla_myrilla]

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Rilla said earnestly. "Have some more cake."

That's not really a plan, Rilla.

[annieadderall]

Don't mind if she did anyway.

"But you know what, it'll be okay," Annie said. "Plenty of people can't go to a real university and their lives don't end... entirely."

[rilla_myrilla]

Rilla nodded. "They get married instead!"

There weren't huge options in Rilla's world.

[annieadderall]

"That's not in the life plan for a lot of years still," she said slowly.

[rilla_myrilla]

"Oh," Rilla said, looking a little stumped. "I suppose farming, fishing and tending shop aren't your idea of fun either?"

[annieadderall]

"I was thinking more community college," Annie offered.

[rilla_myrilla]

"What's that?" Rilla asked.

[annieadderall]

"It's college, but on a much smaller scale," she explained. "Anyone can go, and it's a lot cheaper, so it's not as good an education as I'd get somewhere else, but it's something."