Open Notepad: Recollections, rants, and commentary

(3) Mused Thoughts - Welcome to the new world

On a quiet fall day at school the boy mused at the girl who sat across from him as he made small strokes with his pencil across the page.

"So, what's up?" He asked casually, the first intersecting lines arcing to form the general head shape of the girl.

"Oh...nothing..." she said quietly, sketching as well, glancing away from the boy when they locked eyes every once in a while.

"You sure?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I'm sure,"

"Well," the boy shrugged, "if it's cool with you, how about we grab some coffee sometime."

The girl looked down on her paper, a sort of look of embarrassment and surprise. "Sure, yeah, that sounds great."

The boy smiled, and continued sketching on.

On a winter evening at the girl's house, his hands nervously hovered over the seam of the envelope. His heart was sinking as he looked at the girl nervously, who gave him a warm smile as she rested her head on his shoulder.

This was what people referred to as the "light envelope," the envelope that would only confirm that he wouldn't be accepted.

He took a breath as the blade ran along the fold, and slid the paper out, deftly folding it open as a smile slowly spread.

"I-I-I got in," he breathed, in utter shock, before repeating the words again as confirmation as he looked at the emblazoned gold seal of the prestigious college he would be going to.

"I-I'm going, I'm really going," he laughed again as he grabbed the girl and hugged her tightly.

"Of course you were," she murmured, running her fingers through his hair before pecking his lips. He chuckled to himself as he kissed back.

The girl paused. "What about your parents?"

"What about them?"

"...your mom?"

"...I figure it out, don't you worry,"

On a quiet spring afternoon, the boy returned back from school to home, chugging down the last drops of a sports drink after a long day of practice as he adjusted his black duffel bag and backpack.

He stepped back inside the house and greeted his mother who sat quietly with her sisters and brothers.

The boy was confused.

There were no plans for an extended family dinner, what was happening? Maybe other good news? Some celebration?

"Sit," his mother told him sharply.

The boy tensed. He didn't plan for this. He didn't plan for any of this as his head spun with ideas, possibilities, of contingency plans.

All his efforts to have the highest grades to appeal to his mother, all the Honor Societies, the organizations, the sports he competed in. All those efforts came down to convincing his mother and hopefully giving him some faith, they weren't going to do anything.

"Sit. What are you doing?" She snarled to him, pointing him to the couch.

The boy moved to the couch, a moment of being defeated as his mother's extended family slowly closed in on him, arranging the table and sofas to a circle all around him.

Hot tea was brewed as everyone held their glasses in silence, drinking.

"Explain yourself," his mother told him.