The Lonely Hour

Chapter 1: Senior Year

Here we were, the University of Chicago. I still couldn't believe that this would be my last year here as my father pulled the truck into a parking spot in front of my dorm.

"I hate this time of year" my mother mumbles under her breath as we get out of the car and begin to pull boxes out of the trunk.

"It's been the same thing for four years now mom" I roll my eyes at her. This was my last year, my senior year. After this school year I would be returning to my home town of Springfield Illinois

My parents and I spent a good hour bringing boxes in and out of my dorm. Luckily for me,because it was my senior year, I got a dorm all to myself. (not like it was any roomier than the previous dorms I had shared)

"Maybe one day I'll understand why you dorm instead of getting an apartment, Ella" Mother persisted, much like she had done junior year.

"Julia, we've been over this before, there's no point if she's coming back for the summer every year" My father reminded her as he finished placing the last box down.

"I know, I know. Do you need anything else honey?" My mother questioned.

"No I'm good" I smile as I lean back on the bunk bed that was on the left side of the dorm room (underneath was a desk).

"Alright, we'll call later tonight" My dad says in a soft tone as he cups my face and places a kiss on my head.

"Drive safe" I say as I walk them back out to the black truck that they had drove me here in. I watch as the pull out of the parking lot and wave until there out of sight down the road.

It was pretty late but I spent the rest of the night unpacking boxes and cramming my hockey gear into my tiny closet while stuffing clothes in a small dresser. I honestly didn't know how I did this every year, the small confined space from September till June.

It's funny though because I didn't have to come to Chicago for school or hockey. Springfield had a wonderful collage and plenty of hockey teams for me. But the thing with Springfield was it was ordinary, it was boring. Nothing new happened ever, same old boring faces same old boring town. The blandness of the town was finally getting to me junior year of high school, especially when I had the opportunity to go to Italy for a week. The people you met there will all so full of life and there was excitement at every corner your turned. After experiencing all that I knew I needed out of Springfield and the closest place for me to do that was Chicago. I figured that living in the city would be better than my hometown, which it is but it's not everything I've dreamt it to be. Half of the time I'm crammed in my tiny dorm cramming information in my head and the other half I was at the rink.

There was no time to fully experience Chicago but I knew that, my academics and hockey were my top priority. The thing that caused me pain is after this year I would be moving back to Springfield. Back to my ordinary life just without all the studying. Per my hockey career, I didn't know where I was taking it. I didn't know what I wanted to do with it. I played now just to play.