Set ten years after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, John Connor and his mother, Sarah Connor, are off-grid and separated in 2005. While Sarah is at Norfolk, Virginia, for matters too personal to tell her own son, John is surviving on his o...
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Once my martials arts scholarship tournament was done, my dad returned to work after congratulating me and my mom drove me to Chill Out, my and Rowan's favorite ice cream parlor. Our parents always take us there when we pass an exam or get accepted into something huge, like Rowan joining the Marines and me joining Princeton's class of 2024.
Victor follows close behind. When we enter Chill Out, Victor offers to buy us ice cream. Of course, my mother declines his offer although she really wants their hot chocolate sundae. I do the same, but Victor buys us both ice creams anyways. My mother gets the hot chocolate sundae while Victor and I share a blondie-brownie split.
"Congratulations, Reyna!" Victor kisses the side of my head as we settle into a booth. My mother jokingly eyes Victor from across, not saying a word.
"Thanks, Victor." I smile, taking a bite of blondie.
"So what are you thinking of studying?" he asks, flicking whipped cream off my nose. "I know you've been torn between medical science and political science."
My mother coughs, but I ignore her warning.
"Well, I still am. I'm hoping that with the Senate Youth Leadership program, I'll be able to decide." I answer. "Are-"
"So Victor, have you been accepted anywhere?" My mother asks with a saccharine smile.
Victor looks between my mother and I, confused. "Um, well, Juilliard, for one. But I'm also considering data analytics in MIT."
"Wonderful. We aren't keeping you from something, are we?"
"Not to worry, Mrs. Dahyun, but I have viola practice in," Victor looks down at his watch and immediately stands up, "five minutes."
I peck Victor's cheek. "Will I still see you later for skateboard lessons?"
There were some days where I couldn't believe that skateboarding-Victor is the same as well-recognized-viola-playing-Victor. Before my first skateboarding lesson, Victor had explained that he had just come back from a viola recital, which explained his formal attire and the viola case in his car. I had looked him up online and discovered that he had performed with famous musicians like Daniel Lozakovich and Sol Gabetta and orchestras like the Boston Philharmonics.
And that was exactly why I loved him: because it didn't matter if he was shredding strings on his viola (which he had affectionately named Ariadne), or shredding on his skateboard. He would always be one of the constant people in my life.
"Same time, same place." Victor begins to leave. "Goodbye, Mrs. Dahyun."
"Goodbye, Victor." My mother responds calmly. "Say hello to Fletcher and Lucrezia for me and Jae."
