Glory Days

Chapter 17: New Years Eve

-Aaron-

Its New Years eve and the first year we aren't doing our usual New Year's tradition. My dad would always give us envelopes and a piece of paper and we would write one goal for the new year, and then try to keep it. Then we would open the letter in June and see if we reached it or about to reach it. But this year we are just having dinner and watching the New York countdown. I can't complain, we got home from Italy about 2 days ago and I'm still pretty jetlagged.

I look through the mail and see a couple of letters from colleges address to Mark, asking him to come visit. I've received many of these letters too, but I haven't toured any yet, but I plan to see a couple during spring break with my Dad. I walk up to Marks room and drop the letters on his desk.

"What are those?" He mumbles while watching something on his computer, sitting on his bed.

"The standard 'come visit us' letters from a couple of colleges." I tell him.

"Ugh, college. What schools?"

"Um, looks like UVA, NYU, Clemson, and Pitt. Random assortment, I guess. DO you have any interest in these schools?"

"Nope." He says. I sit down on his desk chair.

"What schools are you interested in?"

"Why do you care?" HE asks, looking up from his computer.

"Just wondering, I haven't seen you in a while so I'm catching up I guess." I say.

"I don't know, I haven't thought about it." He says, looking back down at his computer. "What about you?"

"Well I don't want to go out of state- "

"Why?"

"Because I just don't want to."

"What if you get offered a football or baseball scholarship?"

"Well, then I may reconsider. But I'd prefer to stay close to family, I guess."

"I want to go away. I want to get out of Virginia."

"So, I guess UVA is off the plate." I ask.

"None of those colleges are on the plate. They just sent me letters to see their stupid campus."

"Really? NYU, Clemson and Pitt are all great schools."

"Ok not them, they can stay, I guess. But there is no way I'm going to UVA."

"OK." I say. "Where else are you considering?"

"I already told you Aaron, I don't know. Not all of us have our lives perfectly together and know exactly where we want to go like Virginia Tech or UVA or William & Mary."

"I know, but you're a Junior Mark- "

"I know what grade I'm in. It's not like our counselors remind us every other day."

"So, you know you should be researching and looking at colleges?" I ask him. He looks up at me and closes his computer.

"Yes, I freaking know what I'm supposed to do all of that."

"They why haven't you?" I ask him. There's a knock on his door frame, I look over and its Emme.

"Um, Hey guys. Your mom said it's dinner time." She says, awkwardly smiling.

"Hey Emme, long time no see!" I say and stand up.

"It's nice to see you too, Aaron." She says and give me a hug. "How's the west side?"

"Well, its not Lakewood, that's for sure." I say and laugh. We walk downstairs, Mark sulking behind us. During dinner, my mom asks.

"So, what you been up to during break, Emme?"

"Oh, I had a sleepover and went ice skating with some friends." Emme says.

"I saw the pictures on Instagram." I say. Wait, where did I see the pictures from?

"Oh really? Kira must've put them up, I hardly use Instagram." She says, smiling a little. Wait... How does she know Kira? "How was Italy?"

"Oh, it was beautiful." I say.

"The Mediterranean is the best sea to dive into, and the pizza there is Bravissima." Mark says.

"Have you been working on your Italian?" Emme asks.

"Well, some words rub off on you when you spend some time there." Mark says.

"I could imagine." Emme says and smiles. I remember when we were friends when we were little and she would come over with her mom, until her mom passed away. She came over more often when were grew older, until around middle school when we grew apart.

After dinner I help Emme clean and put away the dishes.

"So, how's Lakewood? Is it still the same without me?" I ask her.

"Totally different, everyone is crying, all the time, saying why would Aaron leave us." She says sarcastically.

"Aw, nice to know they miss me." I say, placing my hand on my heart like I'm touched.

"Other than that, nothing's changed. Same thing every day, every teacher is the same. How's Westmoore, really?" She asks.

"It's actually better than I thought. I've made lots of friends."

"Well, it probably wasn't too hard for you to find people."

"Yeah, I guess I am pretty extroverted." I say.

"And girls are attracted to you like a magnet." She jokes. I had a reputation of girls following me around at Lakewood.

"Ugh, don't remind me." I say and laugh. "So, have you started looking at colleges?" I ask her.

"Yeah, I actually recently went on a tour at Virginia Tech and got to look at their architecture program." She says, smiling.

"They have one of the best programs in the country, right?"

"Yeah it was ranked number 4 in the country." She says.

"Wow, that's going to be pretty competitive." I say. "I'm actually looking at tech too."

"Really? That's so cool, we could be Hokies together! What about Mark? I've never asked him."

"He doesn't know." I say. She nods, understanding.

"Um, so you know Kira?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Oh, yeah. I've known her for a while." She says.

"Oh, how'd you meet?"

"Um, strange coincidence you could say." She says.

"Hey, do you guys want to watch the New York Square live?" Mark asks, coming into the kitchen.

"Yeah, how much time do we have?" I ask him, looking for a clock.

"It's 8, we had a late dinner." Emme says, looking at her phone.

"Yeah, do you guys want snacks?" I ask.

"Yeah sure, why don't you make some popcorn and we can watch a movie till 11 or so?" Mark asks.

"That sounds like a plan." I say.

We watch E.T., one of our favorite movies from when we were little. Then we watch the performances in New York, then the ball drop. A part of me wishes Kira was here... I check my phone and look on snap chat, she posted a selfie with her brother in New Years hats. I smile a little, then notice Emme looking at me.

"Whatcha smiling at?"

"Nothing" I say and quickly turn off my phone. She nods her head slowly, as if to say mhm I know your lying.

We walk Emme to her car and say goodbye. Before she closes her door, I ask her.

"What do you think I was smiling at?"

"Oh Aaron, you are so smart, yet so stupid. I won't say anything. I'll tell her you said hello." She says and closes the door.

Say anything? Wait...