The Parts of a Feather

Part Four- Barb

The funny thing about finals is how fast they tend to come up and how elongated the information is with all the studying, and then, in the end, you tend to wonder where the week went or if finals was next week because they went by so fast. I swear, I studied my brain rotten because of all the exaggerated statements over failing during finals week, and then when the test was over I literally thought, That was the exam?

Anyway, that's more of a side note than anything else. In reality, I don't even know how I passed all my classes that semester with everything that's been going on since Formal. Jemila's fine, nothing bad happened and she hasn't been infected with anything as far as she knows, but the doctors are keeping her on a medication to prevent pregnancy and any sexually transmitted diseases. She stays clear away from that Jeffery jerk, and I'm happy because I won't be tempted to sock him and turn him into a woman. I still want to beat him up, but Milo keeps telling me to keep my head on and just wait. It dives me nuts, but he has a point. Finals are no excuse for anything, not even violence. Still want to punch him in the face but I'm going to restrain myself for everybody's sake.

Violence aside, my mom's been working on a series of paintings she titled as "Reminiscent." The word is a synonym for remembering, and my mom's goal for her series to to try and evoke a memory of some kind, be it generic or something deeper. Possibly even darker. They're odd, those paintings. Some of them are basic, others abstract and random, but they all seem to evoke something in me. There's this one painting that's all theses shades of blue that form a sky filled with birds and clouds that reminds me of this time I went camping with my parents at the coast a few years ago. It was cold, but when I was on the beach looking up at the sky, inhaling the air and absorbing the sounds of seagulls and that of the ocean, I felt at peace with myself. As if the world didn't matter any more and that all my troubles, worries, and pain could escape simply by looking up at the sky.

It's also reinvigorated me to go camping again, what with it being so warm down here that any weekend seems perfect for camping, especially now since there's been an occasional sprinkle past few days. In fact, my dad offered to take Milo, Jemilia and I to Topanga State Park for the three day weekend coming up in order to give my mom some air in order to work on her series. We were all in favor since none of us had anything better to do, so that's what most of our conversation has been about in and out of school for the most part. Jemilia keeps saying that Dockweiler State Beach isn't that far away and that we could probably spend a day there, and Milo says that there's a bunch of trails in Topanga Park to hike up and around. I for one say that camping was meant to be relaxing and not strenuous, but why not have a bit of an adventure this go around? I'm in a new place that I'll be living in for the next few years, so why not go out and get to know my surroundings? Besides, this will be good for all of us, plus I get to hang out with my dad some more than I usually do now a days.

Days went by as we counted down to Presidents' Day weekend, and before too long it was only a week till the big trip. Out of all of us, Milo was more enthusiastic by a long shot.

"When is the week going get itself over with?" He grumbled with impatience. "I swear time decided to add on a few hours just to annoy me."

"You're not the only one thinking like that," I said, munching on a sandwich. "I believe we all feel like that, just that your more excited about it."

"I can agree with that," Jemilia laughed, "I bet he's been packing and repacking just to make sure he hasn't forgotten anything."

Milo grumbled some more before heading over to talk with some of his friends. I watched him go through the doors to the cafeteria, an uneasy feeling forming in my gut. "Is it just me, or..." I paused mid thought. "Na, just my imagination."

"If you were about to make an observation about how off he's been the past month or so, then honey it hasn't been all the difficult to notice." Jemilia looked me in the eye. "You know anything?"