Heck, We Are Young

Restoring Faith In Humanity; Jack Style

"Toby. You know I love you I do, but if you call Adventure Time stupid once more, god help me, I'll kill ya." I say and he snorts, looking at the T.V screen with an amused expression, "It's a little kids show."

"It has hidden subliminal messages. These messages you can't ever dream of knowing." I elbow him in the side as he laughs, "Fine, enjoy your weird show, I'm on Facebook anyway."

He gestured to his phone and it was my turn to snort, "Peasant."

I watched for another ten minutes before Nan appeared, with a concerned frown on her face.

"Juliet. I need to speak with you. It's important. Toby, would you excuse us please?" She said in a very serious tone that had shivers of fear running up my spine, it reminded me of Mom's pissed tone and although I couldn't care less if Mom was angry at me, but Nan was a totally different story.

I tried to think of anything I could have done wrong as Toby shot me a puzzled expression but left quickly, she walked over and sat down.

We stared at each other in silence, I paused the T.V slowly. I gulped at her frown as she stated, "Juliet. I just got off the phone with your mother."

I stiffened completely and sighed, "Crap. You want me to pack my bags right? Get lost and all that... Just give me some time to-"

"No! Sweetheart, I'm not kicking you out!" She grabbed my hands tightly, looking at me with those big eyes. I blinked a few times before asking, "Your not?"

"Of course not! Juliet, I've come to think of you as a daughter and I'd like to think you know me well enough to know that I am not the type of woman that kicks there daughters out." Her tone went cold as I gulped once more, whispering, "Like my Mom."

"Yes. Like Shirley."

We both went silent again before she stated, "Juliet. I know your failing half your classes." I looked at her with a shocked expression as she nodded calmly, "Your mother believes you are cutting class, doing the worst things but I don't. So I'm going to give you one opportunity, to tell me the absolute truth."

I want to lie, I want to say nothings wrong or I am cutting class. I don't want her to know what's really going on but I trust Nan and it's about time I told someone.

"I'm not cutting class Nan. I go to every class and leave at the correct time." I said truthfully as she smiled softly at me, not saying anything.

I brace myself and flinch before finally releasing the secret I've hold onto for weeks, "I don't know if I want to finish school." The silence that takes us again is full of tension and I wait for the explosion, it never comes though, she just gazed at me and her mind processes.

"You don't know?"

I nodded once, and try to explain with a quick breaking voice, "I know there's only ten months to go and I should want too. But I just feel like there's this weight collapsing on me every time somebody mentions graduation, passing the exams and all that."

"This sounds like nerves dear, if you are scared that you won't pass, we can get you a tutor-"

"Nan. It's not nerves. I know I could pass it but I don't think I want too. It's just everyone... Knows what they want to do after school, they have a reason to finish. I don't."

"You could be anything you want to be dear, your very talented." She telled me and tears sting my eyes, "But I don't what I want to do. All I know is... I don't see the point in finishing school if I'm just going to be stuck." I murmured.