she gives Genesis a genuine smile, in return, recognizing the respect. She's grown to see him differently in this short time, too. He's not long just some date her parents saddled with her.

"I'm eighteen," she assures him. "I graduate this year, and have been accepted to the college of my choice, High Smith College. Just furthering my plans, as I've been working toward this since I was fifteen. Even younger."

She is not going to wait until she's free of high school to get started on that, after all.