Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park Read Free Book Online

students walked by her, one of them with a Harvard jacket on. And it hit her again: even at college, even at Harvard, there were social expectations that could not be avoided. College did not just take place in isolated classrooms.
    The yoga thing clearly hadn’t panned out, but something else would need to. Celeste was not about to turn up at an Ivy League school without making dramatic changes to herself.
    “Hey,” Matt said. “There’s a tea shop around the corner on Church Street. I feel like we should have tea.”
    “I do not like tea.”
    “Me neither.” He scooted through the crowd.
    She quickened her pace to keep up with her brother. “Then why must we have tea?”
    “Because you’re clearly part British.”
    “I assume you are referencing my speech patterns.” She sniffed and lifted up her chin. “That is not funny.”
    “It’s a little bit funny, my Victorian sister.”
    “One cannot help one’s tendencies.”
    “Then we shall have tea together, shall we not?”
    “Fine. But I expect this place to have Shrewsbury cakes and rout drops. Perhaps even cocoa flummery.”
    “See? Told ya you’d like having tea!”
    “I will not like it. I am guessing that I should prepare for a stale scone and a flavorless hot beverage, so I will instead rely on your companionship for enjoyment.”
    “Then you’re definitely in trouble.” They walked a few blocks, and then Matt held open the door to the tea shop. “After you, m’lady. I want to hear about your visit to Yale last weekend.”
    With her hands warming up as she cradled the tea cup, Celeste gave a short summary of Yale. It was… Yale. What was not to love? Beautiful campus delivering one of the top educations in the world, intense academic pressure, highly astute and brilliant professors. Things Celeste loved. Or should love.
    “You don’t make it sound very exciting.”
    “It was,” she said dryly. She was having an inexplicably difficult time mustering enthusiasm. “I… I suppose that I do not want to get my hopes up should I be denied acceptance.”
    “Celeste? They asked you to come for an interview. You’re getting in.”
    “There are other schools to consider. I am keeping a compare-and-contrast chart of different colleges. We shall see which one comes out on top. There’s Dartmouth. Harvard… those. What are the others? I don’t know. Those silly schools…” Her voice trailed off.
    “What?” Matt leaned in. “Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?”
    “Huh? Oh… oh dear.” Celeste shook her head and smiled. “I am not sure what came over me. Really, all are highly desirable schools. I will be delighted to accept any one of them.”
    “Obviously Harvard is Harvard, but you don’t want to stay at home. Trust me. Get out while you can.” He winked. “Really, I don’t know how you could find a better fit than Yale. And it’s not too far, so I can come down and embarrass you in front of your friends.” Matt nudged Celeste in the arm.
    “Actually, I would adore having you visit, Matthew.” She didn’t know what else to say. Yale, Princeton, Cornell, U Penn… They were all blending into one collegiate blob. “Perhaps when you come to visit me, you will take the opportunity to extend your travels.”
    “And to where else, I dare ask, do you suggest I travel?”
    “Why not explore our great country. The west coast, as a random suggestion. California has lovely weather, really, year round.”
    “Celeste…” Matt warned
    “It is merely a suggestion. Los Angeles, I believe, is beckoning you.”
    “I sense that a Julie conversation is upon us, so let me just stop you right there.”
    “Julie and I still email each other,” Celeste said, “And text. Why do you not do that with her?”
    Matt did little to hide his exasperation. “You know we’re not together. Therefore, we don’t go around texting each other adorable things.”
    “I did not say that the communication exchanges had to be