Monday came around a lot slower then I'd thought. I'd packed and repacked 4 times now and it didn't make the time go any quicker. Mum's gone over the introduction information with me more then enough, and I know she only cares but it gets annoying after a while.
•Go there
•register in
•Get room key
It's pretty simple stuff but mum seems to disagree.
Anyway, once I'm changed for the day I go downstairs and grab a bite to eat before getting in the car with mum and dad. The drive there is short but silent, the type of silent that has an undertone of awkwardness, as I can see by my mothers constant tapping and fidgeting, that she's almost bursting trying to hold back a soppy comment about how her little boys all grown up. Whereas my father just stares ahead at the road.
Sometimes I wonder how they are still together after all these years. They hardly see each other and when they do they show no affection, no.. No love. My dad stopped giving my mum good-morning kisses when she got her promotion, and my mum doesn't have that brightness in her eyes when she looks at my father. They're just observations but I can't help but think they're keeping something from me.
Once we arrive at the university I insist that they let me walk in on my own but they persist and walk me into the main office. Because nothing's better then walking into university with you mum and your dad. My mum clutches to me as if I'm going to the military when in reality she'll see me in a few weeks. We decided on that once a fortnight I'll go back home to visit them both so she's really got nothing to worry about.
When we get in there the receptionist tell us to take us seat but we're immediately brought into the senior leadership office. My dad thanks the secretary a bit more friendly then he should have. We're spoken through rules and regulations in regards to classes and what should and shouldn't be done. "Now we are aware that you youngsters can be a bit rowdy but our policy's strictly forbid the presence of alcohol on the school grounds. And we are very serious with the no sex rules as this can interfere with the students learning," an old man called 'Steven' is directing me through it all whilst re assuring my parents everything is okay.
"Usually we'd wait till the next academic year till introducing anymore semi-permanent students but once we heard it was your son, Rupert, we were very excited to welcome him with open arms," Steven continues. He turns to me and says "and you, Daniel is it?"
"I prefer Dan,"
"Ah yes right, Dan I encourage you to spend your spare times studying rather then socialising as, we've seen in the past that it's very easy to fall into the wrong crowd," he says in a suddenly stern voice. I look at him in confusion, ready to reply, but my father beats me to it. "Don't worry, Mr. Rodgers, my son won't be getting into anything of the sorts, if he does he'll have us to deal with," my dad says rather seriously and then laughs it off.
"I agree, it's not like I have a very large social life at the moment so I doubt very much that it'll get bigger," I say with a slight chuckle joining the two men in the joke. My dad just glares at me as if to say that I wasn't welcomed in the joke. A just cough and go back to looking at my shoes.
"Right shall we get the emotional goodbyes out of the way so Mr. Howell here can get straight to learning!" Steven continues almost annoyingly; he's really hanging onto this 'learning is great' persona isn't he? Mum, dad and I all stand up, and my mother immediately rushes over to me and gives me the tightest hug. I start to think that I might actually miss mum, sure it's only two weeks each time but I think it might be harder then I'd anticipated. When she pulls away she doesn't look at me but I can tell she's crying.
I turn to my dad and we both stand there not really knowing what to do. My dad saves the awkwardness and hold his hand out. I shake it, and he pulls me forward and whispers something in my ear "don't disappoint son,". I just look down and nod. Mum always been more compassionate then dad but I thought he would've at least given me a hug.
