Little Secrets

Chapter 3

Author's Note; Sorry for the delay, my computer broke down and erased this chapter so I had to write it over again. I hope everyone likes it, happy reading!

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“Mano, honey, wake up.”

I rolled over in the sheets, covering my head with my covers.

“Can I just sleep in today?”

My mother’s soft laugh could be heard through the blankets. She shook me once more.

“You can’t sleep in, unless you don’t want to know if you’re going to college or not.”

Fling the covers back to the bottom of the bed; I jumped up on my knees and stared wide eyed at her. A joyful smirk was painted on her face. Her hand inched little by little in the air. It was holding a yellow envelope. My acceptance letter, or decline. I sure hope it’s not a decline. That little envelope held my future. This was the only college left that didn’t turn me back to square one. The others, I had entered too late and there was no more room for me. But this was NYAA, my dream school, I needed a yes. Terrible ‘what if’s started to fill my mind. Panicking, I grabbed the envelope from my mom’s hand. I searched for the opening but impatience move in on me. Ripping the paper envelope, being sure I was not ripping up my letter, I pulled the crisp letter out of it. Biting the inside of my cheek, I unfolded the paper. ‘Congratulations!’ was the first word that met my eyes. I read on, finding a better word, ‘accepted’.

“I got in. I got in!”

Squeals and grins of happiness filled the house. My mother wrapped her warm arms around me. She swung me to and fro, kissing my forehead. I couldn’t believe it. I was going to NYAA. Hearing the yells, my father appeared at my door frightened.

“Is everything okay?”

“I got accepted to NYAA!”

“What?”

I nodded to stop his disbelief. He walked up and hugged me with a huge smile.

“Congrats! I’m so proud of you!”

“I have to call your sister and tutu and....”

My mother’s voice trailed off as she hurried out the room. He let go of his grasp, looking at me. A hint of his faded grin still laid on his face.

“I knew you’d get in.”

“That makes one of us.”

Looking around to the clock, it read 12:42.

“Oh no.”

I speedily ran pass my father.

“What’s wrong?”

The dresser door almost flew off its hinges as slammed it open.

“I’m supposed to meet François in less than 20 minutes.”

A little floral dress hung on a hanger in front of the rest of my clothes. Taking a hold of it, I darted to the bathroom. Pressing down on the soap bottle, red glop filled my hands.

“Is he going to NYAA with you?”

I stopped short as I was running my soapy hands along my face.

“No. He’s going back to Lille.”

Warm water splashed on my face. I took my towel from its rack with my eyes closed. I didn’t ever talk about college with François, nor did he with me. This question just bought me back down to Earth and the reality of the situation. Walking by my father, I could tell he knew how I felt.

“It’s okay. We’re going to be just fine.”

I slipped a pair of worn brown boots next to the bedroom door on and made a quick exit. As much as I like to believe that’s we’ll be okay, I really don’t know, but anything to spare the pity from my parents. As my foot landed on the last step, I could hear my mother giggling away on the telephone in the living room. My eyes set sights on my keys and phone sitting on the clear glass side table near the door. Making a effort to keep quiet, I gripped them and headed out the front door. Sunshine washed over me. I inhaled the fresh air. I stepped forward and started on my way to the city park where François and I always meet.

I faced the green garden that was the city park. Flowers of every color were planted on every inch of this place. My boots crunched over the gravel path. From a far distance, I saw a brown haired silhouette. I called out a hello to it. It turned to me and waved, it indeed was François. I quickened my pace up until I was standing right in front of him. It seemed as though every time I saw him, he had that same lopsided toothy grin on his face.

“Well look who it is!”

He latched his arms around me.

“I’m sorry I'm late. I had a bit of a shock this morning.”

Letting go, he looked at me with concern.

“I got into NYAA.”

“Did you really?”

I nodded. He hugged me once more.

“Congrats, you lucky duck you!”

I was overwhelmed with happiness. I hadn’t thought about how he would take the college thing until now. I knew he’d be happy for me but I didn’t want any tention between us. I couldn’t even sense a drop of disappointment in his voice or face, he was hiding it well.

“So where do we go to celebrate?”

“I don’t know but I hope you have money because I only have seven dollars in my pocket.”

His calm facial expression quickly changed into scrunched up frustration.

“I only have five.”

I sat on the large bench behind us.

“I guess we’re staying here.”

He plopped down next me. Wrapping his warm around mine, I started to chuckle. The look of pure displeasure on him just made me laugh. It didn’t to seem to bother him. He appeared to be thinking about something.

“Is everything okay?”

He didn’t turn his head to me.

“I’m fine, just thinking.”

I didn’t push the subject any farther. If he wanted to tell me, he would have. Out of habit, I rested my head on his shoulder.

“Do you think we’ll see each other again?”

The question caught me off guard. Eyeing him, he was still gazing forward. I didn’t really know how to answer, I didn’t know myself. People change over the course of this transition from a teenager to a young adult. People adapt to their new lives away from home and might even forget about the people they use to call friends. We were no different.

“We might. We both know where the other will be for the next couple of years but I’m no psychic.”

This probably wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear, nor did I, but I wouldn’t want to be lied to. Finally he locked eyes with me.

“I think we will.”