Lena’s smile looked bright enough to power Manhattan.
“Language!” her mother shouted from inside the house.
The two immediately stopped spinning and stared at each other in silence for one dramatic second before collapsing into laughter again.
Dalila pulled Lena into a tight hug.
“I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you,” Lena whispered emotionally. “That means everything to me.”
A tear slid down her cheek, smudging her blush slightly.
“You deserve this,” Dalila said softly, wiping the tear away with her thumb. “Seriously.”
Lena smiled.
Then her expression shifted mischievously.
“So. When are we leaving?”
Dalila blinked.
“…We?”
“Yes, we.”
Dalila tilted her head slowly.
“I’m pretty sure I would remember applying to a graduate program in New York.”
“Don’t play dumb. You know exactly
