Weathered Love

HIATUS

I hadn't found a job yet, even though I'd promised my mother I'd try. It had been two months since she had made that condition. My followers had significantly increased, and I'd even made a little money and gotten some sponsors. But it wasn't enough to be sustainable. So I either had to find a "real job" as my parents put it, or move out.

A video call rang on my phone. "Hey Sunshine!" Andrew stated on the other end. He hadn't come home for the summer because he wanted to take some summer courses and graduate early. It'd give him a chance to re-adjust in New York when he came back before taking the bar exam.

"Hey," I responded with little enthusiasm. I hated spending the majority of my day going through job openings and only working on my music during whatever remnants were left to me.

"Oh no, that's not a good sign," Andrew pointed out.

"I'm in the middle of carrying out my sentence," I dramatically informed him.

"You're adorable, you know that?" he stated.

"Please," I rolled my eyes.

"I'll leave you to it, my love," he stated. "I'll call you tomorrow. Hopefully you'll be free," he stated. The line went dead, leaving me feeling emptier than before. I quickly shrugged it off, figuring it was that I just wanted to work on my writing and my music and I was forced to "grow up" and work on things I didn't enjoy.

I sent off what felt like the billionth resume for the day, sighed relief over the fact that I had met my quota, turned my computer off and picked up my notebook. I was working on a solo song. If I'd get kicked out anyway, I was hoping to continue expanding my horizons so maybe I wouldn't have to resort to a part-time job to make rent.

"Dinner!" my mother called up the stairs. I ignored her call, opting instead to strum a few chords.

"Hey, didn't you hear me?" my mother inquired as she came in.

"I'm just finishing up," I noted.

"I called you down thirty minutes ago," she pointed out. I looked at my phone to confirm that she wasn't at all exaggerating.

"Sorry mom," I stated, putting down the notebook and guitar and getting off the bed.

"I thought you were applying to jobs," she disappointingly pointed out.

"I did. Thirty applications a day, right? I finished them then got to my music. I'll show you the applications," I stated, heading back to my computer and opening it up.

"No, I believe you," she sighed. I assumed she was hoping I'd have a job by now. She didn't realize that the current job market, no matter how good your resume was, was fierce. And completely unfair. She left my room, and I waited to see if she'd come back. She didn't, and I took the opportunity to work on my music and my writing even more.

* * *

"Why can't you video chat?" Andrew asked the next afternoon.

"Because I'm naked," I joked.

"I wouldn't mind," he joked back.

"Please, Mr. Virtuous, you'd hate it if you I exposed myself to you before there was a ring on it. And you'd hate that I'd hate it too," I added.

"You might have me there," he admitted. "So, the real reason?" he asked after a momentary pause.

"I'm just a mess, and I'm working on some stuff, and my room's a mess. Do you need more of a reason?" I inquired.

"Quite frankly, yes," he insisted. "You know I don't care about those things."

"But I do," I pointed out.