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“No. A private university. I leave in the morning.” I thought back to the day almost nine months ago when my parents had filled me in on my fate. I didn’t get a choice in it, either. All my dreams of Hawaii or even the small junior college in town swirled down the toilet.
Ugh, I sounded like a pampered brat who hadn’t gotten their way, which I was not.
Still, I wish I would’ve had a choice in my future. Oh well, it was just college. I had plenty of choices and mistakes still to make. And I tried not to take satisfaction in the announcement. She and her clique had always been quick to announce their fancy everything. Always the best, the most expensive, the latest fashions…new cars for their sixteenth birthdays… Was she really going to State?
“Oh, that’s nice. My parents are so pissed at me. I didn’t get in any of the big-league colleges they wanted me to go to. My dad even offered to bribe one of them or call the admissions board, but I refused. What I really wanted was to pursue my online career in fashion.”
The line in front of us got up to make the procession across the stage. “Oh, that sounds interesting.” Gosh, I wasn’t even a good liar. The last thing I ever worried about was fashion. Give me a pair of jeans and a black tank top and flip-flops and I was set. I liked my life simple.
“Yeah, but if I want them to keep on paying for my insurance and car, I have to go to the junior college then transfer to State.” Even worse. If I’d gone to junior college, it would have been to help out and save money. It sounded like she didn’t even have the C average and mediocre testing scores for State!
Seemed like both of us were choiceless in our futures. Different circumstances but still, helpless.
“At least I chose to go out with a bang.” She leaned close and lowered her voice. “I’m going to flash Jeremy Winters.”
Even though we hadn’t been friends, everyone and their brother knew about Jeremy and Samantha. It was like knowing about Brad and Angelina. She’d tried referring to the two of them as Jeremantha or Sameremy, but it didn’t catch on.
Wonder why?
“Well, good luck with that. We’re up.”
We stood and made our way to the stage. Samantha got right in front of Jeremy, who was the valedictorian, but when she put her hand on the fake rolled-up scroll, nothing happened. She froze and didn’t even smile at him.
Maybe something had changed between being seated and the real thing.
Or between the two of them. I tried to think of when I’d last seen their vivid displays of PDA in the hallways but wasn’t sure. I’d been busy.
Oh well.
“We did it!” My friends, the cluster of them, greeted me as I stepped off the stage. The rest of the morning was spent taking pictures and trying to freeze time by soaking up every moment we had left. My friends were the nerdy sort, the best sort in my humble opinion, and had all gotten into Ivy League schools and some in overseas universities.
“Well, we must get you home, Endy. You leave on the flight tonight.” My mom nudged me and winked at my friends. What happened to leaving in the morning? Flight change? I tried to be upset at missing the graduation parties but couldn’t really. My crowd wasn’t big on partying, and the get-together at June’s mom’s condo wasn’t going to be the event of the year. Last birthday, she’d served day-old donuts and tried to make us play kids’ party games.
We all hugged, and Lauren, my very first friend, whispered in my ear, “I did a web search on that academy you’re going to. There’s like nothing on it anywhere. Are you sure they’re not sending you to join a cult or something?”
I laughed. “If they were, the cult would return me. Trust.”
But still, my friend had a point. Other than the murmurs from my parents, no one had heard of this school. My counselor actually scoffed out loud and waved me out of her office, thinking I was crazy.
Maybe I was, but more than anything I was intrigued.
Chapter Two
Turned out that nothing had changed. I was leaving in the morning, the very early morning. Also, in my normal day, late at night. I didn’t go to bed early, but two a.m. was on the edge even for me. Especially after such an important and exciting day. I’d thought when Mom said I had to leave tonight that I’d miss the parties, both the one held by the school and June’s moms, but she’d simply wanted to get me home and finished packing so I would be all set to go.
Both parties were fun, although neither was as wild as I heard the rich clique was attending in full formals at the country club, but I preferred a quiet night with my friends, more hugging and promising to stay in touch, leaving me emotionally wrung out.
So, when the time came, I was drowsing on the couch surrounded by my bags. My dreams carried me back a few months to when every day flowed in the rhythm of the one before. School, friends, movies, hanging out…sleeping in my bed.
“Endy, sweetie, it’s time.” Mom was shaking my shoulder. “Unless you want to change your mind and stay home with us forever.”
“What?”
“I said, it’s time. Your ride to the airport is here.”
Fuzzy and muzzy from sleep, I yawned wide enough to make my jaw crack, and it all flooded back. Not many people had the kind of childhood I did. Warm, secure, two parents who loved each other and loved me. Our relationship held companionship as well as the usual parent-child elements. It occurred to me not for the first time that my plan to stay at home and go to the community college was not just to save my folks money. My grades probably would have gotten me some help anyway…but I loved it here.
“Do I really have to go?” I murmured. “Why can’t I wait until September?” I felt like a baby bird a little too young to leave the nest. “Are you in a hurry to get rid of me?”
