The Good Old Days

December 1995 (My Future)

It was the second week of December. Finals were taking place next week as the students' first Fall semester was coming to an end. Melissa was sitting in Jed's dorm room, he was flipping through his planner at his desk, jotting down a few notes on several of the dates coming up. Mel watched Jed working, it seemed effortless.

"You're such a good student," She said.

"I try," he replied stoically, not looking up from his planner.

"I don't think I try hard enough," She went on, "You just make it seem easy."

"It's not easy, but you gotta do what you gotta do, I guess," Jed said.

"I guess..." Mel grumbled. She paused for a moment in thought, thinking about something that had been bothering her for a while, "But really, who says we have to? It's not even worth it."

"It's worth it if you want to get a good job," Jed told her, "I can't be a teacher if I don't try hard enough."

 Mel sighed, flopping down on the bed into a lying position, still facing her boyfriend.

"It might be worth it to you... but I don't think I care anymore."

Jed put his spiral notebook down and rolled his chair to the side of his bed, so he could focus his full attention on Mel.

"You don't care?" He asked.

"No. I don't," She said, "I didn't even want to go to college,"

"I know you weren't planning on it at first, but I thought you changed your mind?"

"Hardly.." She said with frustration, "I just didn't want to feel like a complete loser when I saw you, Cathy, Adam, and Daisy all applying for colleges last year... I still never wanted to go."

"Why not?" Jed questioned.

"It's so hard.. I just think it's not for me, honestly... The stupid finals are coming up and I hate how stressed they're getting me, I seriously don't want to do them."

"Melly, you're smarter than you think," Jed assured her.

"It's not even about being smart, I think college is great for some people, but I don't want to spend four years of my life doing something just because other people are doing it." Mel insisted as she sat back up on the bed, throwing her legs over the side of it. "I never liked blindly conforming to society, and I feel such a hypocrite being here."

Jed leaned forward in his chair and just listened to the points she was making.

"I mean, c'mon Jed, Cathy is having a baby now. She's literally already getting her life started, and I feel like I'm just wasting my time taking these classes, for what? I don't even have a major, why should I bother? I want to actually do what I want with my life."

"Mel, seriously you gotta know that having a baby isn't the only way to get your life started, especially right now." Jed said sternly, sitting back up straight, he was not in the place to give Mel what it seemed like she wanted right now. "Cathy could have waited another three or four years."

"I know she could have but that's not what happened, she went against the grain and she's happy."

"But you just said you're all about not wanting to copy your friends, and now it sounds a little like you're trying to do exactly that." Jed pointed out. "We're not having a kid right now, that's for freaking sure."

"You're missing the point Jed!" Mel raised her voice and threw her arms forward, "I'm not saying I want to have a baby right now! I'm just saying I don't want to be in college! I was just giving an example... That people don't always have to do what's expected of them..."

"So, you want to drop out?" Jed asked her.

Melissa sighed, she drooped her ears and hung her shoulders down, "I do.."

"Melly, are you sure?" Jed asked, "It's a pretty big deal."

"Yeah, and I wish it didn't have to be..." Mel scoffed.

"What exactly are you so eager to get started on that college is getting in the way of?"

"I don't know, but I want to see what it's like out there without worrying about grades and going to classes. I don't even know what I want to be... I know I'm so excited to have a future with you, but I don't know much else, and I need to start figuring that out.."

Jed invited her to sit on his lap, and she did, nuzzling her head onto his shoulder.

"I see," Jed said, hugging her, "I think you clearly know what you want here, and like I said, you're smart, so if this is what you think is best, you should do it."

"Thanks.." She said, letting her eyes close, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jed said with a kiss on her head "even though you're totally thinking irrationally right now."

Mel threw her other leg over Jed's lap to straddle him in the chair, and turn her face towards his. She had her hands on his shoulders and she looked into his charcoal gray eyes, her snout was scrunched up and she had a tight smirk on her face.

"Oh ha ha," she laughed mockingly, "how wrong of me to stay true to myself!" She said with confidence.

Mel then kissed him on the lips through her smile.

He was always messing with her and their friends, but she loved him for it.