Better Than The Movies

Chapter Fourteen

"Have you been thinking about college?" My mother asks, casually while we are getting pedicures. I try to ignore the sensation running through my body from the works of this amazing massage chair.

"Yes, of course," I answer with a tight smile.

What I don't tell mother dearest is that thinking about college gives me the hives (metaphorically). I try not to think about how I need to have my whole life planned out in a matter of one year. My friends know not to approach the subject because unlike me they already have a life plan. Destiny wants to be a pediatrician, Erika wants to be an elementary school teacher, Kayden wants to be a sports journalist, and Dylan wants to be a computer programmer. While the only thing I know about my five-year plan is that I'll be far away from here.

She looks up at me from the book that she was reading. Currently, she's rereading for the millionth time Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. I remember reading it during my sophomore year for English class. It was educational and well written, just not my cup of tea, but my mother has five hardcover copies and three of them are signed by the author himself before he passed. I remember that clear as day, she stayed in her room crying over her copies for hours. It was a day of despair in our household and every year she celebrates him on his birthday.

"What colleges have you been looking at?" I rack my brain trying to think of colleges that I can feed her so she'll drop the subject.

"You know," I stammer, nervously. "College Park, Morgan, Towson." I listed off a bunch of local colleges that I had no intention of actually attended.

Her eyes brightened at the mention of Morgan and Towson. Those are my father's alumni, Morgan for undergrad, and Towson for masters. My parents would be overjoyed if I picked one of those especially since I could live at home and they could monitor my every move.

I was glad when my manicure and pedicure lady, a Vietnamese woman named Hannah who I've been going to since middle school when nails and looking pretty started to take hold of my young mind, told me to head over to her chair; leaving my mother and the subject of college in the past.

I checked my phone for any notification before I was unable to use it for an hour. It was just a Tik Tok that Destiny sent me and a few texts from Jace regarding his drive back from D.C today. He was angry that he still had school tomorrow and I explained to him that he was only driving an hour back and should stop complaining. I didn't get to respond to his probably snarky response. He is the king of snarky comments and quick responses and strong wit. Jace may be a softy, but he's also amazing with arguments which is why he wants to go into law. I didn't know until last night when he explained the Marbury vs Madison case to me in a rather explicit manner. I remember calling him a nerd and changing the subject when he asked what I wanted to do. He was polite and didn't push; instead, he delved into the first 20 amendments, explaining those in the same manner as before. I listened with pretend interest because hearing him talk about something with so much passion erupted a feeling inside that was unexplainable to me.

"What would you like for lunch today?" My mother asked an hour later when we left the shop.

We were waiting at a red light but my eyes kept drifting over to the obvious marijuana smokers on the bus stop and the shifty looking gas station with the sign that was two seconds from falling onto an unsuspecting person's vehicle when they stopped at the convenience store for a pack of cigs. The nail salon isn't in the best location, but they do an excellent job. I look away to inspect my immaculate fingers painted in a sunny yellow in response to the amazing weather we've been having.

"You can pick," I answer back. I've never been good at making decisions, we would be here all day if I decided where we would go. She doesn't respond as the light turns green and she hooks a right turn.