When Secret Places Collide

Martie

I take another shirt off its hanger, fold it, and place it in my duffle bag. My roommate Judd, I guess former roommate now, is snoring loudly and using a pillow to cover his eyes. It's almost two in the morning and I am still in my school uniform. My necktie is loose and my shirt is unbuttoned and my hair is disheveled from pulling on it trying to find a way to face my parents again.

I finally get all of my clothes packed and my belongings together. I zip up my keyboard in its case and look a the barren side of the room. It looks exactly the way it did when I moved in. I can't believe this happened.

I lay down on the white, fitted sheet. I play the events of the night back through my head. Some friends of mine and I decided to celebrate one of our finals. We purchased some beer from the gas station down the road. One of us had a fake ID. Around midnight we were laughing and drinking in the woods that surround the school when a light was flashed in ours eyes. It was the dean of students. All of us were expelled for drinking on school grounds, smoking on school grounds, and being out after curfew. We have to leave tomorrow morning.

I fall asleep on the bed in my clothes.

The plane ride home is terrible. I am sitting beside my best friends, Edison. I just hope that I look better than he does. His long, curly hair is tangled and his eyes are puffy. "Martie?" He asks

"Yeah," I answer. He doesn't say anything else, but I know what he is asking. How could we be so stupid?

When the plane lands, I ride down the tall elevator and search the faces of happy people for my father's scowl. "Son" He says when I stand before him. He is a tall man who always wears a three piece suit and a silver watch. I don't dare look him as I nod. He turns on the heel of his shoes and strides towards the door. The car ride home is silent.