Californian Flare

What's His Name Again?

I was still struggling to get ready when I heard my mom yell.

"Nathan come get breakfast I have to be at the firm by 8 on the dot!!"

"Coming!" I yelled back "I'm trying to figure out which jumper looks best with the black jeans!"

She came through the door saying, "for Christ's sake Nate are you serious right now?"

"Mom, I've already told you this," I replied, "it's my first day of senior year, first impressions are everything."

I mean that was half true. Even though I've known these people for at least three years now, you never know when new students come into town. Mom doesn't get it, it's easy for her. Same law firm, same coworkers, same interns (well, maybe not always the same), same pencil skirt with a white blouse and her navy or black blazer from Monday to Friday, nine to five. High school was different though. You don't have to worry about your image as much when you're around people who don't judge you simply because your shoes cost $45 instead of $200. I honestly never understood straight, teenage boys' obsession with expensive shoes, plus they're ugly shoes. I'm decently into fashion and I'm not necessarily "poor". My mom alone makes about enough for us to have a roof over heads AND spend our breaks with my grandparents in Florida. So yeah, I'd say we're good when it comes to money. But it wouldn't matter if I made a million dollars a year, I'd never spend $200 on some ugly, overly bright, bulgy, sorry excuse for a pair of shoes. My point is, teenagers are ruthless, and you got to dress to impress. Chesterfield High may not be the model central, but the boys there sure look like they'd belong if it was.

"And I've already told you this, you're not going to the Met Gala, it's just High School"

"I'm deeply offended that your brain even proposed the idea of thinking I'd ever wear this to the Met Gala. Also, 'just high school'? Mom you act like you were never a teenager before, these people judge you harder than Simon Cowell, specially in this town"

"Fair point" she said,"I like the white one, it goes well with the black sweater so it doesn't look like you're attending a funeral."

"I don't think this is appropriate attire for a funeral anyways" I said," but I do like it, geez mom you do have a good eye for this, although I look like a mini you dressed like this"

"yeah, yeah I know, now let's go I'm gonna be late, you can eat in the car, and we can stop for starbucks on the way if you want if the line's not too bad"

Yay starbucks!!

The line was bad. But as mama loves me very much, and since I've perfected the puppy eyes, she went to the drive-thru anyways. And they said those acting classes were a waste of money and time. I got myself an iced caramel macchiato because, duh. Mom got her typical unsweetened hot latte, yuck. I don't get how adults can drink hot coffee, or unsweetened coffee. I feel like it's pretty much expected of me, as a gay high school boy, to have my coffee iced. I don't know that's a meme I keep seeing on twitter, even though I never understood it, it seems to be very accurate.

I got to school at 7:17, just enough time for me to get to my locker, get the books I need for the day and get to AP Gov by 7:30. Well, it was just enough time before I ran into Ariana, no not the Grande, just my best friend in the whole wide world. Although running into Miss Grande wouldn't be that bad right now.

"Every time I see you I'm always like, 'damn I wish it was the international pop star' but it's always just you"

"Yeah I know" she said, "you've only said that like, every single time you see me? It's honestly getting old like, I get it, you love her. But like, you need to update your jokes folder."