The Hidden Life

The Hidden Life Chapter seven

Chapter 7 The shock from the DocOn Monday morning I went to the main office to sign out for a couple hours. I saw Scrubbs sitting behind the table acting like she was doing whatever. I swear she is such a teacher's pet. If you see me kissing up to someone like that, it means I want something huge. Huge like I want to move to mars or whatever else that could be big enough that would give my father a heart attack. I signed my name, and at that time Scrubbs popped up like the dumb blond bobble head that she is. "Hold on, you can't sign yourself out Rosemen. It's against school rules. You've got to be 18 and you're not." I grabbed my bag and my drink. "I have to go to the doctor, okay? If you don't mind bobble head Barbie.""What's wrong? Getting unknocked up by my boyfriend?" I scoffed at her. It's sad that she still thinks Jack is still hers. (She really needs to get over it by now. Good Lord woman, it's been over two years!!) "No I'm not, because I'm not pregnant. I'm going to the shrink because some crazy little ass kissing bitch still believes that she is dating MY SOON TO BE HUSBAND!!! The stress of that is making me go crazy. So I have to see a shrink. Bye Scrubbs." I drove for about 45 minutes from Brickfield high to Dr. Jena's office. I smoked a pack and a half of Newports before getting there. Yeah I have to get more soon, I'm almost out. I run to the door of the office before I freeze my butt off along with any other body part I have. (Winter is almost over but it's still as cold as the north pole.) I look around the office and see roses and flowers everywhere. Even the love seat has flower things on it. It was all cheery and cute. The doc must have done it that way to make people feel happy or want to throw up. I say throw up because it is too damn happy. You know whatever would make you want to spill your guts to her. I looked at Dr. Jena Klein's picture and info. She went to two different medical schools and was in the top two of both of her classes. Yeah she is one of those brainy chicks you hear about. I flicked the switch on the wall so she'll know I'm there. From her picture she looks nice with her nice smile and all. I sat on the chair near the door. "I'm just here for info, I'm just here for info." I keep telling myself this over and over again. Like it would make me feel better if I lied to myself. I waited for ten minutes when someone came out of the doc's office crying.After twenty minutes of waiting in the cheery, too happy office Jena Klein comes out of her office and says my name. (I used Scrubbs's name only because I would rather not have anyone I know track me down here.) I grab my bag and follow the little woman to a very nice big office with more flowers everywhere. I look in her office for a second and see pictures of people and dogs on her desk. She seems friendly enough. I know you guys are going to want to know what happened in that sweet smelling office. But I'm not going to tell you. What I said or didn't say to Dr. Klein is between the two of us and my diary. (For that you can just think of what I might have said.)I leave the office with a bunch of little books on the right path or the true path to a healthy and right lifestyle. I put them in the bottom of my bag so no one will find them. I go back to school for the rest of the day and rush home to check the mail. Last year I sent my papers to about four different colleges. I know it's still early, but you never know with the top colleges in the U.S.A a lot of people are trying to get into them. I'm wishing I just get in one. Yeah I have the grades for all of them but I'm sure when they read my paper for getting in they'll say no. I had to help Jack with his college papers even though he said he isn't going at all. He doesn't want to go because what car guy goes to college and reads about how to fix something so simple is a fan belt? But I still made him fill out paperwork to go to a tech college.When I walk into the house I'm greeted by Klaus trying to jump on me to give me kisses. I grab the mail from the box, mostly junk and bills for my dad and mom. I see something for me with the stamp from Hudson U. I drop the rest of the mail on the floor and run to my room with the letter from the college locking the door of my room. I tear open the envelope with my might and drop it on the floor not wanting to read it fearing it says dear loser try a different college or getting knocked up by your boyfriend.I pick up the paper and walk into Jesse's room and throw it at him. He picked it up and read it. "Why did you throw your letter saying you are going to Hudson at me? What, don't you want to go there?" I grab the letter back and sure enough it says I got in for the law department. "Wow I got into Hudson. Dad isn't going to pay for my college. Unless I lie and say I'm going for marketing." Jesse looks at me with a puzzled look on his face. "Dad has always told us kids that he would pay for our colleges if we go into marketing and become bankers." "So you are screwed right?" Jesse said, closing out the net on his computer. I walked over to see what he was doing on the net. "Were you looking up porn little cuz?" I ask him, trying not to make him more embarrassed than last time. "No Meredith, God, what is it with you and porn? What, you don't get enough of Jack so you to ask that to me?" I laugh a little."Sorry Jes' I keep forgetting how shy you are about that stuff and as for my getting some from Jack is none of your business. God, does everyone need to know if I got laid or not?" I kept the I got into Hudson thing under wraps only because I know Dad would try to bully me into marketing, just what I need right now. More stress to add to the I might not marry Jack and whatever I am doing to disappoint the Rosemen name.I threw the letter under Matt Jr's bed. I thought that would be safest cause well, no one has looked under there since he was born. When I walked in my brother's room I was trying to hold my nose so I wouldn't smell the dead thing hiding in the closet. My brother was lying on his bed reading a book that is made for toddlers from ages two to four. "Wow Bro, reading a book? Who taught you how to read?" He looks up at me. "You made me lose my place, thanks Meredith. Why are you in here anyway?" I hide the letter behind my back so he can't see it. "Just checking to see if your room doesn't have a biohazard thing on the door yet. Nope not yet, go back to your toddler book on how to have manners."I turn around and start heading for the door forgetting I still have the letter behind my back. "Oh, my little sissy has something to hide. What is it? A letter from Lamberg telling mom and dad you have been kicked out of school for sleeping with Jack during study hall?" Matt Jr keeps teasing and goofing on me. He grabs the letter and starts reading it. "You got into college, a great college and you were going to hide it, why?" "Let's see, I got into the law department of Hudson not marketing so why would I tell mom and dad I won't be a banker like them?" My brother hands me the letter back. "Yeah true, but Dad would be happy you didn't get kicked out of school and got into one the greatest colleges in the U.S. And just think you aren't the only disappointment they have. I'm sure Maddie will fuck up too." I laugh for a minute. "Are we having a nice sibling moment or have I smoked one too many cigarettes?" I ask my brother. "Well now that you ruined it yeah you have. I'm sure mom and dad will be proud really sis' and if they aren't I'll do something to get them off your back. Like knocking up a girl or growing my hair out to my knees." I smile at my brother. I think this is the only nice thing he has done since, well for a long time. (Since I bit him at age one. Since then it has been bad.)I go back to my room to hide out for the rest of the day texting Jack and Angel and J.G all at once. But I didn't tell them about Hudson U. Only because I don't want to rub it on their faces especially not Jack cause he has the idea we are going to get married after high school. "So I got my letter for art school for L.A. '' Angel texted me all hyper from her letter. I say I'm happy really and then let her go crazy asking her famous 1,000 questions about what college I might go to. I'm about to turn off my phone when Jack called me asking if I would like to go out for the night. I say sure, I have nothing better to do than homework. He just chuckles telling me he'll pick me up around 7ish. And make sure my hair is down so he can play with it. Just like Jack, always wanting to play with my hair all the time. I told him once to play with his own hair. Sadly, he doesn't have much to play with. But I still run my fingers through his hair sometimes. It kind of bugs me when he does that because it makes my hair all gross.So I keep my letter somewhere in my room away from dad. It is bad enough that Matt jr and Jesse know. And if Jesse knows then so does Klaus. I take a short nap and try not to think about what might come in June.But all I do is sweat and smoke cigarette after cigarette. Maybe I should buy stock in the cigarette market. It would just mean that I'm paying myself to smoke. I get ready and head down stairs to wait for Jack. I just hope he has his mom's van, not his motorcycle. I don't think dad will let me ride that no matter how much he likes Jack now. I think the reason Dad said yes to Jack marrying me is so I might do what he wants for school next year. (There is a better chance of Maddie becoming the next teenage supermodel and getting knocked up.) I bite my nails through the date nervous about telling Jack about school. I know that I don't want to make him feel bad but he and I tell each other everything. (Well almost everything. Sometimes he doesn't want to know some lady things.) He asks if I'm ok. I say yeah. "If you keep biting your nails you won't have room for pizza, babe. Tell me what is wrong? You nervous about our wedding? The honeymoon? What?" I drink my cherry coke down the last drop. Then I start biting my bottom lip. "Oh no, you are not going to make me think of something else when something is wrong. Spit it out Meredith." (Damn must he know me so well?) "I got into college. Here in New York. At Hudson U." He smiles at me."Is that what you were losing your nails over, you got into college? Wow, here I thought it was something bad. Like I got you pregnant or something. Hold on, I didn't get you pregnant did I?" I roll my eyes at him. "No Jack, you didn't knock me up. I just don't know how to tell my dad that I will be going to Hudson U for something other than marketing. You know how he is." Jack looked at me like I had done something wrong. "When did you get the letter?" I look at him and say: "This afternoon." (At least I didn't wait until the day of our wedding to tell him. I'm sure that I get points for that.) I'm happy for you Meredith. Why didn't you tell me that you got into college?" I sat there thinking of what to say or in my case what not to say. "Because if I told you that means that I have to tell my dad that I will be his next disappointment. Because I'm not going into marketing like him and mom. But maybe I can tell them about getting into Hudson after they see Maddie's phone bill."The rest of the date went good. But I did eat my weight in Hawaiian pizza. That is a lot of pizza. (118 pounds worth.) Jack dropped me off at 10:30pm, thirty minutes before my curfew because we both have homework to do before the next day. For me, that was two chapters of math and bio plus an essay for english class. (who knew grade 12 would be this much work?) I got it all done at 1:45am. I put my essay in my big notebook for english when I saw that the paper wasn't due until the following Monday. I jumped into bed and checked my phone for any last minute calls or texts from anyone. When I turn out the lights, Klaus comes into my room and jumps on my bed. I pat his head rubbing behind his ears. "So, did Jesse kick you out for the night or did you know that I wanted company tonight?" Klaus licked my face, yawned and fell asleep. I wrap my arm around him and pass out.I woke up early and found Klaus was gone from my bed but he left a lot of hair behind him.