Mistake or fate? (JenLisa Adaptation)

Twenty

The summer days crept by eerily slow and Lisa Manobal was on break, eating her lunch. She dunked her french fry into deep red Huntz ketchup as she watched customers enjoying their day. So many kids in wet bathing suits ran around the hot concrete pavement with chocolate ice cream smeared on their faces. Exhausted mothers sat for a quick break under the shade of the awning, to block the summer's harsh sun.

Sonic was fun to work at, but the heat sometimes was exhausting. Nevertheless, it beat Wendy's. Skates and exercise did her good and entertained customers. She'd fallen once and skinned the palms of her hands really bad. It took nearly two weeks for the scrapes to heal all the way. Every night, Ma-Ri would wash out the cuts and rebandage them for her.

Today however, was extraordinarily hot for the Portland area. It was ninety-five degrees and still counting. Maine never got too hot, it was famous for having cooler summers. She loved that about living in the North, her body couldn't handle the heat.

She scrunched her face as she winced from the Sun's hot rays and continued to eat her greasy fries. Mino was almost over and she'd spent the entire summer saving tip money for her own apartment. September would be when her big move happened, she was heading South to New York City. She needed to get away from Maine and while she liked the idea of Boston, she'd never forget Harvard.

Ms. Blanchard had turned up at the group home in the end of May with her acceptance letter, which was dependant upon her final grades. While she still could have attended because she passed her GED, it didn't feel right. She only applied to make her annoying guidance counselor shut up and Jennie went there too, which she wanted to impress her.

Harvard symbolized too much heartache. She couldn't go there and even if she applied to somewhere else like MIT or Northeastern, she'd see too many students wearing crimson sweatshirts and Harvard apparel. It just would remind her of what she gave up, which is why she applied to Cornell, Columbia, and NYU. All of which were great schools that she was confident she'd get into for the Winter semester.

Ma-Ri had also been great these past months, she'd taken her down to New York City for the weekend so they could tour campuses. None of her other friends at the group home wanted to go to school, so most of them just passed through while they got on their feet with good jobs. Ma-Ri would always support whatever decision the girls made, but she was so happy that Lisa wanted to still attend college. They drove down in her old yellow car and spent the day doing the non-touristy sight seeing of the city.

Except, Lisa made Ma-Ri take her to 72nd at Central Park to Strawberry Fields. John Lennon's Imagine memorial was on her bucket list of things to see. So many people from all walks of life stood there having a moment of silence for the fallen Beatle. He was before his time and everyone knew it. Crowds of people bowed their heads in silence and took pictures of the mosaic memorial where his ashes were spread. It was humbling to share that moment with strangers and Ma-Ri . No matter where anyone of them came from, they all shared together that moment in Central Park.

The park was filled with hundreds of people going on about their lives, kids playing, engagement photos with beautiful brides and grooms, and of course there were street vendors selling artwork. The horse and buggies were on every corner and it just felt right to Lisa. She knew that was her new home. She couldn't envision herself anywhere else.

In Chelsea, they toured the High Line, an elevated park of old train tracks that followed along the Hudson River on Manhattan's Lower West Side. Like Central Park, the High Line was filled with so many people, mom's walking with kids in strollers, men in business suits, and old couples enjoying a nice summer's day. Not one person spoke the same language, it truly was a melting pot. At 14th Street, they saw the mural that featured Albert Einstein holding a sign that read, "Love is the answer."