The Novelty of Existence

8

𝙾𝙽 ⋆ 𝚆𝚎𝚜 ⋆ 𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝

When we got to Ontario, Mo was driving. I was in the back with Aiden, and I watched him perk up. Mo didn't make us switch straight away, she drove us all the way into Ottawa. "Welcome to the capital." She said, leaning forward to take in the sights of the new city. I was glad to get out of Quebec, I think we all were. No shade to Quebec, but Danny had us looking at architecture and museums for a week straight. All I could do was hope that Aiden had something better in mind for Ontario.

Aiden picked Ontario mostly because UT was where he would be for the next who knows how many years until he became a doctor lawyer engineer. It was like he could have a little taste with us  before he had to jump right in, just a short weeks ahead.

The cross-country trip really had me thinking about our lives, individually and together. Especially when we got to Ontario, and even more so when I saw that UT campus up close. Everyone's life is full of despite's and because's.

Danny was easygoing and peaceful despite the things kids had bullied him about in school. He was pursuing his dreams because he had a strong support system at home.

Aiden was on track to become truly successful despite his Dad ragging on him his whole life. He was in a good place mentally because of Auntie Adla.

Mo was a dreamer despite her family being desolate. She kept her dreams alive because she was strong willed, bullheaded.

I was still the most positive in the group despite the ass kicking's my stepbrothers would hand to me weekly. I was content with my situation because of my friends.

Some of us had more because's, some had more despite's. I, unfortunately, have been cursed to have a shit ton of despite's on my plate.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

𝙽𝚂 ⋆ 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚈𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝙰𝚐𝚘

Being 15 was awkward and scary for everyone. It was an age everyone wanted to get out of, an age where even the closest of friends could feel distant. It was strangest when Wes went quiet, though. He was the only one that had been pretending his troubles didn't exist even with his closest friends, but even with his mother.

The week after he visited his father, he sat in silence. He went through the motions in eerie quiet, while the others just watched helplessly, waiting for him to return. And return he did, but he would never forget.

That summer, he had disappeared for three whole days. His mother was beside herself when Adla Juma approached her door that third day, his stepfather was concerned, frustrated. Adla wanted to file a police report as soon as Daniel broke and told her he was gone. Thankfully, he showed up before she and Wes's mother left the house.

The kids had been instructed to cover for him for 2 days at most while he travelled out of town to find his Dad. His real Dad. After years of being abused by his hick older stepbrothers and ignored by his endlessly tired, fishy-smelling stepfather, he had decided that the love of his mother wasn't enough to keep him at home.

The return address was on an old letter his mother had stashed away in her sock drawer. That was his ticket out of town and over to Newfoundland. The ferry ride was long and rocky, but he kept reading that old letter over and over again, finding peace in the words.