Luke Jackson: My Story

College Acceptance Letters

It had been a long Wednesday and I'd gotten a text from my mom saying there was some letters for me from MIT, NYU, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Columbia University. The second Zoe and I made it home after dropping off Lauren, we ran into the kitchen.

My parents and Taylor were waiting for me, Zoe and the twins to get home. Taylor was in eighth grade this year, she was so ready for high school. "Who's ready to open some college acceptance letters?" My mom asked, she couldn't stop grinning.

"Been waiting all day, hand me MIT." I reached my hand out.

"No, let's do that one last or else you won't open the others." My dad said as he handed me NYU.

"Ok fine, you're right." I tore open the envelope. My eyes scanned the printed text, my heart jumped, "I got in!" I grinned as cheers erupted from my family members.

"It's ok buddy, let's open Columbia." Dad encouraged as he handed me the next one.

I opened the envelope and my heart pounded with excitement, "I didn't get in." The mood instantly dulled, what if I didn't get into MIT or Harvard?

"Luke, let's open Yale." My mom encouraged, trying to lighten the mood.

"Columbia is a bitch for not accepting you dude." Charlie bumped my shoulder.

I tore open the letter, "I didn't get in." I sighed.

"Damnit!" Zoe hissed, mom slapped her with another letter.

"Don't feel bad buddy, here, try this one." Dad handed me the Princeton letter.

My hands quivered as I opened it "I'm in! I got into Princeton!" I jumped up and down, my mom and dad gave me big hug and my mom kissed my forehead repeatedly.

"Yeah for Princeton!" Lena and Taylor cheered.

"Two for four! How bout we open up Harvard." Mom handed me the letter, I knew this was where she wanted me to go. Mom's face turned ghost white as I opened the letter quivering with nervousness.

The kitchen went silent, "I...I didn't get in." My heart broke, if Harvard didn't accept me then there's no way I'd ever get into MIT.

"Shit," mom cursed, followed by a few words in Greek I'd prefer not to translate.

"Luke, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Zoe leaned her head into my shoulder.

"Sorry man," Charlie's usual joking voice said in a sad tone.

"Luke, how could Harvard not accept you?" Taylor asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

My dad clutched the last envelope close to his chest, "you've got one more bud, wanna open it or should we?" My dad asked in a sad tone.

"I don't see the point, if I didn't get into Harvard, MIT would never accept me." I hung my head low.

"Come on Luke, stay optimistic. Maybe you got in." Lena squeezed my shoulders.

"You open it, no tricks ok?" I sighed, not really wanting to know what MIT had to say. I'd worked my whole life to get into this school, spending countless hours doing community service, practicing basketball, doing speech and debate in and outside of school competitions. Maybe my score on the SAT wasn't good enough. It clearly wasn't good enough for Harvard.

My siblings fought their way for a spot around my parents who were shaking like they had arthritis in their fingers as they opened the letter. Time seemed to stop, "where does it say it?" Taylor whispered. Then my mom gasped and covered her mouth she took a step back.

"Oh gods," Charlie gasped.

"What?! What did they say?!" I demanded slamming my fist on the table.

"Holy Hades," Lena whispered covering her mouth like mom, who looked like she wanted to sink into the refrigerator.

"What?!" I shouted snatching the letter from my fathers hands, my eyes found the sentence I'd been waiting to read since sixth grade Luke Jackson you have been accepted into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. My eyes stopped reading the letter entirely and I screamed as loud as I could with my family "I GOT INTO MIT! I'M GOING TO MIT!"

"Luke! Oh gods I'm so proud of you!" My mom crushed me in a hug followed by siblings and my father who were all crying, including myself as we celebrated jumping around the room.

"I always knew you'd get in buddy." My dad ruffled my hair.

"I can't wait to tell everyone my brother is going to MIT!" Taylor squealed.

Zoe's phone rang, "oh it's Lauren!"

"Don't tell her anything and I don't want to hear hers yet, tell her to come over here right now." I ordered as Charlie and Lena crushed me with hugs.

Zoe disappeared for a few moments then answered the door about three seconds later. "Lauren! Did you get in!?" Zoe pulled her into the kitchen.

"Laur! I got into MIT!" I jumped up and down with my parents and siblings.

"Luke that so great! I'm so happy for you." Lauren congratulated.

"What about you?" Everyone asked in unison.

"Well...you all are looking at the next Harvard Law student! I got in! I got into Harvard Law!" Lauren screamed.

My mom tackled Lauren in a hug, followed by everyone else in the family. "Lauren! Oh my gods that's so awesome! Harvard Law, you're gonna crush it!" My mom exclaimed.

"Thanks Annabeth, I owe this to you. You got me thinking about this school and inspired me to strive for this, thanks for your support, I can't thank you enough."

Lauren smiled proudly at all of us, "all of you, thanks for helping me strive to be better."

"Aw, come here Laur." Lena hugged her first followed by Zoe, Taylor, Mom, Charlie, Dad and I.

"We should celebrate!" Charlie suggested as he bit into an apple while sitting on the counter top.

"Yeah, where should we go?" Taylor asked.

Charlie, Zoe and I all exchanged energetic looks, "Dave and Busters!"

"Yeah!" Lena and Taylor agreed.

"Is there anywhere else you want to go? I'm sure Lauren doesn't want Dave and Busters." Mom sighed.

"Actually, I don't think I've ever been there. If it's alright with you Annabeth, I'd be just fine going." Lauren responded shyly.

Charlie's mouth fell to the floor, "you've never been to D and Bs? Oh gods Laur, we are going right now." Charlie grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the car.

"I guess we're going to Dave and Busters," dad snagged his keys off the hanger. He held open the door for the rest of us and ruffled my hair on my way out before we all piled into two cars and drove off to Dave and Busters to celebrate the success of Lauren and I getting into college.

A/N: aw, my baby boy is off to college, it seems like only yesterday he was going to kindergarten. Question, do you guys ever get weirdly attached to your own characters, or is it just me?