Out of Time

Chapter 6

Savor a breath and a week goes by. Blink and the day is gone. Time slips by like sand through fingers if you aren't careful and apparently, Eugene wasn't. Far too soon, he was facing his last week of winter break.

As he and his family sat on the couch, all barely watching the TV, Eugene studied each of his family members out of the corner of his eye. Joseph was curled on his side, his phone in his hand and whenever their parents dared to speak, he would send a lethal glare their way as recpompense for the punishment placed on him. He had missed three classes during his last two weeks of school and was tardy to another two which meant he was grounded for his entire break, a fate he apparently believed should be filed under crimes against humanity. Naturally, this led to him shouting at how unfair the world is and how he can not wait until he goes to college and leaves this town and family for good.

Tuning out Joseph's typical histrionics, Eugene saw the sliver of truth behind the sentiment. Joseph truly did want to rush off to college. If Joseph could skip his last year and a half of high school, he would do so in an instant.

Claire felt the same. She's had senioritis since her third year of college and now that she's in her last semester, she can practically taste the freedom.

Though as he looks at Claire tucked beneath a blanket, no doubt texting her college friends, he's not so sure freedom will taste quite as sweet as they expect. For Claire, leaving college means entering the real world. Jobs, taxes, rent, insurance. Medical bills and car bills. The world of true responsibilities. For Joseph, it meant taking harder classes and his social life being wiped clean. It meant there would be no parent a short drive away to sort things out when he screwed up. It meant having to do his homework, study, stay safe, all without constant reminders. Is that really what they want to rush towards?

Why would they want to sprint up the next mountain and not enjoy the view from their current peak? In fact, Eugene was sure that he was the only one out of the three kids to be happy here, curled up on the couch. He was perfectly content going back to a simpler time where things went slower, when there was far less pressure, and his parents took all somewhat adult-shaped responsibilities off of his shoulders. Sure, he was loving his time at college. And sure, reentering the college scene next week would be an easier transition compared to the first time around. He was already moved in, he knew what to expectm, he had friends. He had a bona fide friend group that, in their drunken state, had even added his number to their group chat. But why rush into that just to rush out of it again?

Eugene settled further into the couch and shut his computer, setting it beside him. Smiling to himself, he turned his attention fully to the late night talk show that was playing, careful to drink in every moment of peace he had left before the whirlwind of college began anew.

***

The clock was moving slower than usual. The minute hand was surely broken since it had only clicked forward once in what must have been at least ten minutes. Cooper had given up on the vaguely planned call with Evan – they had agreed upon 'after lunch' and while after dinner was indeed after lunch, the implications of the phrase had made him expect a call before the evening. So instead, he had little else to do but sit morosely in his desk chair, watching the clock hands work their way around in endless circles and count the days until his life began again. Until he was back at school instead of the apartment that seemed to be covered in trip wires, each one causing a storm of anger or sadness so violent and startling that it was dizzying just trying to keep track.

***

Time is a fickle thing. One moment can stretch into a lifetime, but the next can run by without you even noticing.