Short Stories

Not Easy

There were so many things in life that brought you happiness. It wasn't always like that but fortunately you were at a point in your life where you were content with the way things were going and you were excited for the future. It was the last year of high school and both you and your best friend, Shawn, were excited for this milestone to end and a new one to start. Ever since you both got accepted into the same university, it was a no brainer that you were both going to the same university. It wasn't only about being together but about being able to pursue careers in a media field - Shawn in music and you in film. It was like the stars had aligned for your future and everything was looking positive and bright.

The future was looking exceptionally bright for Shawn who had gained a significant amount of attention for his talented voice by posting videos online. He had even done a bunch of local shows which helped him gain more recognition and a good amount of fans. It was amazing seeing his dreams come true but the selfish part of you also knew that with the increased amount of shows he played and the more recognition he got, there was a higher chance that your part in his life would decrease.

Despite the insecurities that would slowly start to creep in, you pushed them aside and focused on the endless amount of work that still lay ahead before graduation. With the multiple assignments and tests coming up in the last few months of school, you and Shawn had barely talked outside of school and even in school, it was hard because of the different schedules you both had.

Amidst the busy schedules, you were happy when Shawn asked to hang out with you one day after school. He had been missing a lot of days of school in the past week and it had started to worry you. Shawn had reassured you that everything was fine but there was about his tone that made you suspicious of what else he may be holding back from you.

When you finally saw Shawn at his house, he greeted you with a large grin and a tight hug. You could hear unfamiliar voices in the kitchen which made you curious to who was over but instead of leading you in that direction, Shawn walked up the stairs to his room. After asking you to take a seat, he finally told you the news.

"I'm going on tour!" Your mouth dropped open in surprise and you let out an excited squeal. Hugging Shawn tightly, you congratulated him excitedly before pulling back and asking him a million questions. Shawn told you the story of the producer who had seen his performance and gotten him a mini tour that started in September. You could feel the excitement pouring out of Shawn as he practically bounced in his seat.

"What about university?"

You knew that university was out of the question for Shawn - at least for now since his tour dates were during the school year - but you still couldn't stop yourself from asking.

Shawn's smile dimmed slightly but he still didn't lose his positive energy, "Well, that's the other thing I wanted to tell you. I won't be able to start university this fall. And because of the upcoming tour, they said it would be better if I was homeschooled for the remainder of the school year."

"Oh." You didn't want to show your disappointment right now because you knew how much this tour meant for Shawn and how it would help his career in the future. Instead of dwelling on the change of plans, you celebrated Shawn's upcoming tour with his family and friends and tried to forget about how things were already beginning to change.

~

The last few months had passed by in a blur. With the finalizations of university applications and graduation, you barely got any free time and with Shawn juggling school plus an upcoming tour, he barely had any free time either.

Today was a big day for you though and you knew that despite the fact that Shawn was no longer coming to university with you, he would still be there to say goodbye. He had come over in the early morning and helped you load your parents' car with your university gear. It was nearing noon and you had to start driving to your campus if you wanted to get their in time to settle in.
The round of goodbyes started with your friends and family members who had popped in to say words of encouragement and wish you luck in university. You finally got around to Shawn who was patiently waiting beside the car. Walking up to him, you wound your arms around him in a tight embrace and relaxed into his touch. You knew it would be hard to say goodbye to your best friend but you never expected the teariness in your eyes and the lump in your throat. Pulling back slightly when he heard you sniffle, Shawn hugged you tighter in response and promised to keep in touch often.

He had apologized for not being able to go to university together since he knew it was something that you had been hoping for and looking forward to for a long time. But you also knew that Shawn was getting an amazing opportunity and no matter what, the both of you knew that he was always going to follow his dreams of becoming a musician. Shawn's positive energy and excitement had kept you from feeling the sadness of leaving home but now it hit you harder than ever before and you knew that it was never going to be easy saying goodbye.
Holding on to each other a little while longer, the both of you finally pulled back and gave each other solemn smiles. He kissed your head and spoke the three words you two had shared often in your friendship, "I love you."
As you drove further away from your home with your parents, you turned back around one more time to wave to everyone. You knew it was would hurt you but for the first time you saw the conflict on Shawn's face as his teary gaze followed you.