The Pursuit

One

ONE

The scenery for Seattle was becoming clearer and clearer as the rain let up. The tall buildings towered over my 2006 model Volkswagen Jetta. It was my prized possession ever since I got out of high school and saved enough money for a car. My family and I, which only consisted of my mother, my nineteen year old brother, and myself, weren't too fortunate in the money department. 

I went off to a college not far from home, so I would still be able to help around the house. I dropped out of college after two years, however, to help with financial issues ever since my mom had been laid off her job as a teacher. I needed to help out even more especially when she turned to alcohol and smoking. She never went back to work. I wasted four years of my life after college working several odd jobs just to pay the mortgage and put food on our table. 

Finally, there was a huge opportunity for me to pursue my dreams of being an architect in Seattle. A new airline company was looking for ten interns, and at the end of the internship, they would choose three people to work for the company. It could be in the marketing department, PR, and architectural. I hesitated on applying for the architect position, but my friend persuaded me, and here I was on my way to move to Seattle after being accepted. 

"God I wish I could come live with you," my brother, Ben, said from the passenger seat. "I'd kill to live anywhere but Olympia. I've had enough of that place."

"Yeah well when you already have a degree in engineering, you can apply for jobs out of state. Even out of the country if you wish," I replied patting his shoulder squinting at the road signs, "but for now you're stuck at home going to your classes."

He rolled his eyes and shoved my hand away. "Yeah, yeah. I know. When does your internship start?"

I made a sharp turn that I almost missed to which Ben glared at me for. Hey, I never said I was a good driver. "The day after tomorrow. From nine in the morning to three in the afternoon. Then after the day is done of interning, I go straight to work as a waitress at the restaurant until eleven at night."

"Shit, Ann. Can you even manage that? I mean won't you be tired and all."

"Sleep is for the weak," I teased. "Besides, I need the money. You need the money for college."

Ben sighed shaking his hair out of his eyes as he pointed to a street a few yards away. "You know I can work. I can help with the money."

I shook my head adamantly. "No. You need to focus on your college classes and making sure Mom stays sober. Ben, please. Don't end up like me dropping out of university. Look at all the opportunities I missed. I'm very lucky this internship came up."

I peered through the window to the buildings we were now passing. They all turned from very beautiful buildings to dingy, drab ones. I crinkled my nose in distaste. I stopped in front of an okay looking bricked building that had Royal Palace Lofts. Yeah right, as if this building was a loft fit for a queen. 

"Is that the building you're going to be living in?" Ben asked with the same tone of contempt as  me.

I nodded and turned the engine off. "Unfortunately this was what my budget could allow me." I opened the door, and he followed me inside to the building. The lobby was a small space with an electric fan buzzing on top of the ceiling. The place wasn't even air conditioned. 

I walked up to the front desk where there was a kind looking old man reading a newspaper. "Excuse me."

He looked up with a toothless smile. "Why hello there young lady. What can I do for you?"