Dealing with more #wattys2019

22. Blind date

^Asking Alexandria Not The American Average

I woke up in a vacant bed. It was the first time in a while that I slept in Michael's room. It was uncanny to see a half-empty room. I knew that just a week ago, Michael had been here and probably writing out the letter to Brett. I lay down in the bed wondering where Michael was now and how he and Rachel were.

I slept an hour here and there but couldn't quite stop thinking. Everything was just too stressful for me and I ended up at 8 am giving up and deciding to get a head start on the day.

I quickly threw on some foundation and blasted some Lady Gaga in my headphones as I started my project. Looking at the prompt again made me want to laugh.

"What's it like to be 17?"

"You are born into life to endure the early years of your life at home with your parents and at school before being thrust into the world on your own so that you can repeat the cycle. I am 17 and am right in between those two realities at such an early part of my life. Stress doesn't begin to cover exactly how it feels to be 17. The age 17, is that prime age that you decide whether your grades even matter, if you're going to college, and what you want to do with the rest of your life. Age 17 is that age you have to decide what you are going to be stuck doing the rest of your lives. Adults often call teenagers overdramatic people when in all reality, we are being thrown into realization that life is just a lineup for death and that we are never going to truly enjoy our existence. Yes, I might admit that was quite a drastic thing to say, but it's the truth. The meaning of life will never be revealed but in those later teen years, we are desperately seeking out the truth to remove this unfathomable weight from our shoulders. Consequently, we find life unfair for putting us in a place where all the eyes are on you and the next generation relies so heavily on you."

My phone buzzed and I sighed in relief to be distracted from this stupid essay. I knew I was writing this whole thing wrong, but I just needed a second to just pour my thoughts out. This method I had used for years rather than graphic organizers or web diagrams. After all, I was 17, I didn't need direction.

Trish- I'm at Hy-Vee from 7-2 today so it'd be nice if you'd drop by to save me from my boredom.

Now here was the real question, was I going to write this stupid paper or was I going to come to my friend's rescue?

30 minutes later, I had thrown on some black sweats and grey tank along with some light makeup that I could darken later for the party. I grabbed my phone and wallet before heading out the door, careful not to disturb Brett.

I was walking into the building around 10 and found her rather quickly due to the fact she was acting as cashier today. Her face instantly lit up once seeing me and she ushered me towards her.

"Has my hero came to save the day and take the shift over for me?" She tried.

"I actually just came to get some gum." I joked while I leaned over the register. "I'm assuming your boss isn't here?"

"She doesn't bother to come in Saturday mornings," Trish said wiggling her eyebrows. "No one comes in Saturday it seems. Kyla got her days switched to tomorrow so now I'm totally and utterly alone." I raised an eyebrow at Trish looking at the other people gathered in a circle at the front of the store talking and laughing. Trish just rolled her eyes, "They are all bitches."

I scoffed at her bluntness but didn't dwell on the topic. "Is Tyler taking a job?"

"No. He's taking his time to bond with his family again which is perfectly fine by me. He's working on an application here though." Trish's excitement seemed to radiate.