House Of Cards

10. Reverie

The general stereotype that people have for law students is that they're all smart. I, on the other hand, break that mould. I am an idiot and the fact that I decided to take a modern, pop culture art class on top of my law school requirements is my proof.

It seemed like a good idea and it's a genuinely fun class, but it takes two hours of my Tuesday every week that I could use for sleep. Plus, there's a final.

So yeah, I'm an idiot, but the class is sometimes worth it. For example, this morning I was in class and came across this one work that almost looked like another planet. The background could've passed as space but the focus was on these intricately drawn lines, these wave-like creases that could also pass as mountains and came in to create what could only be described as a body of water that eventually gets lost between the mountains or waves.

The entire picture, minus the black, space background, is a mix of blues and purples with minimal white accents for the waves. In the middle of the water is a sole rowboat and a person in it. The person is almost lost in the sea of blue and purple, barely visible, but he keeps down the river, preparing to get lost between it all.

It's funny because while I'm looking into this work, looking into the unknown, the uncertainty, the unpredictability of it all, I find myself getting trapped in it, just like the little guy that's painted in. I'm going with the waves, continuing down the stream.

It makes me think of a dream sequence, getting completely mesmerized. I know there's a word for it all and I can't pin my finger on it, so I spend the rest of class completely distracted, looking the picture up on my phone, and zoning out.

Class passes by quickly, mostly because I have an earphone in and my eyes are plastered to the picture instead of the slides presented by my professor. It passes so quickly that I don't even realize he went over the time by ten minutes. Usually, I wouldn't mind, but Tuesdays I have softball practice and Normani can't always pick me up (like today) so I'm stuck barely making it.

I sprint out of the class and into the subway where there's nothing more I can do to speed up my trip. I continue looking at the picture and listening to music.

Then it hits me and it's beyond ironic but by zoning out because of my music, I'm doing exactly what the picture is depicting. And then the word hits me.

Reverie is being pleasantly lost in a daydream. It's being consumed in every sense of the word by something that you're not even sure what's going on anymore. It's cruise control on the highway, autopilot in the air. I believe it's a very much out of body experience.

Reverie is escapism, it's the aftermath of getting high.

It all makes me think and I'm frustrated from thinking because it seems like that's all I've been doing lately. I have so much to say, so much to articulate, but the words are stuck on the top of my tongue and that may just be the worst feeling.

I don't have time to fall more into it all (thankfully) because I arrive at the subway stop. It takes me a lot more rushing but I do make it only a little late. I don't have time to go in or anything so I'm stuck with my bag and extra clothes on the field with me.

The practice begins pretty well but goes downhill once practically half the team tells me they need to leave early. I'm not particularly phased, a little upset, but still caught up in my thoughts. It's like I'm in my own daydream for the rest of the time.

It's as if the end of the practice doesn't come quickly enough. Normani texted me about halfway through explaining that she couldn't drive me home. Just my luck.

I made my way into the gym and found Camila at the far end with her back to me. She was on her knees doing something with the soccer net.

"Hey," I called out, walking across.