Senioritis 3

Back To You

"MJ, you've done enough studying today." Ally sighed, frowning a little.

MJ was sat cross-legged on the couch, her laptop on her legs, and a fat biology textbook by her side. She was wearing that really oversized T-shirt she bought in Junior year from Drake and Travis Scott's merch and some grey cycling shorts. It was a hot July day in Chicago, and it was pushing a hundred degrees outside.

Ally was sat at the dining table, a Vogue magazine open in front of her, and a margarita in one hand. There were two standing AC's in the corner of the living room, blowing ice cool air in MJ's direction, which she loved, because she was always hot nowadays and couldn't work in the heat.

MJ ignored her Mom, grabbing her scrunchie off her wrist and wrapping her hair into an extremely messy bun. Nothing was going to get in the way of the plan she had for the next few years of her life.

She was going to study her ass off to get into an Ivy League university - or any good college on the east coast so she could be close to home. Or maybe even on the west coast as an absolute last resort, but she hadn't figured out the logistics of any of that yet. Early decision preferably. Because the baby was due early December. Then she could chill a little in the spring semester of her senior year, knowing she had a secure place.

She was going to defer her spot for a year though. Stay home for a little. Be a Mom. The thought of it actually took her breath away. Like panic attack level breathtaking. Sometimes she felt scared about it, and other times she felt sick. Sometimes, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

And for it all to go to plan, the next step was to get all the college applications and essays out of the way this summer. And get ahead for all the AP classes she was taking in senior year. On top of this, she was volunteering at a women's shelter three days a week, writing a column on a new topic in her local newspaper as often as she could, and doing yoga every morning outside in the garden - just to name a few things.

Why not? She thought. Things were about to get a whole lot harder.

She'd insisted on going back to her new school after the Easter break and powered through all her classes. She didn't complain about the nausea and the dining hall food that made her want to gag at times. She'd made one or two friends and joined a few clubs and societies to pad her college apps, but that was it. Her number one focus was always just being the best version of herself. And actually treating her body nicely.

She'd already prepared herself to take classes online in the fall. And that's why she needed to study now, because she knew there would come a time when all she wanted to do was sleep, eat and feel sorry for herself.

She was extremely ambitious. She wanted to do anything and everything, and she knew it worried Ally and Oliver to their very core, but none of them had the balls to tell her to not do what she put her mind to.

"Honey?" Ally said, standing up now.

MJ heard her Mom's footsteps from behind her. She smelt Ally's perfume as she put her hands on MJ's shoulders, before reaching out to close the laptop in front of her.

"Go outside, MJ." Ally said, kissing MJ's cheek.

Ally was wearing a short, white summer dress. It was like the older she got, the younger she dressed. She'd even cut her blonde hair into a bob more recently. She could seriously pass as a twenty one year old, MJ thought.

MJ sighed, reaching to put her laptop on the table in front of her.

"Where do you want this?" She heard Oliver say, who was coming down the stairs. He was carrying her giant mirror from her room.