Together Apart

3

Holidays were just around the corner, finals were wreaking havoc on my nerves and I honestly couldn't wait for school to be over. 

Of course first were finals, known also as "mental breakdown season"  

So far I had already gotten three, admirable, considering it was already Tuesday.

"Have you sent the essay we were supposed to do for art class?"

"I have. You know, one would guess that, because is art. They'd give us a damn break from essays and research and crap"

Monica just shrugged and kept walking, papers in hand. She was always walking around with papers in hand to make it seem like she was busy all day. well, she was busy all day, as a matter of fact, but she shouldn't walk with papers in her hands all the time just to make a point of it.

I walked into art's room and left my paper on the teacher's desk as I walked to my designated place where I was working on what seemed to be a mixture between pop-art and an abstract inspired by one of Amy Winehouse hallucinations.

"You are getting good at this"

Gerome said behind him, making me turn and give him a skeptical look. Gerome was the kind of guy that could make a masterpiece in any technique with pretty much whatever you gave him.

"Coming from you, I don't know how to take it. Is it a compliment? Is it an insult? I'll never know"

He laughed in that charming way of his and shook his head. 

"I mean it! You could barely hold a brush when I first met you"

"Yes. That's not a compliment either, considering we met in third grade!"

He shook his head and gave a 'just saying' look

After art we went back to laws, where we reviewed the course for next day's test, then math, for the test, sports, where I ran until I almost puked a lung and finally, it was time to go. 

"I can't do this anymore. I swear"

I told my brother as we climbed in the car. 

"You'll have to. Your daddy wants you to get to an ivy"

I groaned honestly, my GPA wasn't bad at all. it was all the visits, interviews and competition with over-achievers that almost made me wanna cry. 

"Think he'll change his mind?"

"No. and you better start contacting them soon"

Too many things to do, too little time. 

As usual, I went home, ate, left for work, came back feeling exhausted and instead of falling to my bed, I grabbed a yoghurt from the fridge and opened my books.

Finals, man. they have a way to make you feel like you never learned a thing.

While I spent most of my night burning y retinas and saturating my brain with information that I was going to puke out on a sheet of paper in exchange for a good grade and then be done about the subject.

After two am. not even a very caffeinated Nespresso would keep me up, so I decided it would be a good moment to collapse and give in to Morpheus arms. 

The next morning I tried not to cry when my alarm went off. I did cry a little when I was in the shower but then I felt almost human by the time I had my cofee; God bless Nespresso.

The rest of the week went by through a blur of exams, sweat and sleep deprivation; but once finals were over... 

well onCe finals were over. I was ready to colapse; that's what. And that's exactly what I did once I was in the privacy of my own car.

"I don't think I can drive" 

"Then by all means, crash agains a tree. I can't go through this anymore"

I did drive and I also did almost crash against a tree, several times. other cars as well. 

thank heavens we were allowed to skip work that day since our father was not in town, or the continent as a matter of fact. we slept what was left of the day, through dinner and only untill my alarm woke me up did I manage to open my eyes. 

today was my interview for yale. 

I showered, dressed and took breakfast, then asked Travis if he could drive me and wait for me then. after an excruciating three hour interview, consisting of speaking with the mentor, the principal and some of the professors, I was finally free to go.  

"I believe you would be a wonderful adition to our institution, Miss Skylar. I do hope we get to see you next year"

"I believe you will, but I do have to consider all my options. you are a sensible man and understand that I would be a fool not to"

"But of course. I do hope we have more candidates like you, quite a refreshening change"

"I hope you don't. Where would that let me?"

The old man smiled and offered his hand for a shake.

"Have a nice day"

"You too"