Autumn

4: How to live

4: How to live

            "Have you ever thought about life after high school?" Autumn asked, handing Theodore his wrap. As promised, he bought him a late-night dinner. "Like, really thought about it?"

            "No," he answered without needing to think as he unwrapped his meal.

            "Do you think you'll go to university? Graduate with a degree and start work as soon as possible? Settle down with a girl, have a couple of kids, and pay off your mortgage?"

            "I guess." He shrugged and bit into his twister. The soft tortilla wrap accompanied by the crisp bite of the chicken and the warm mayo exploded in his mouth. "That's the plan, right?"

            "That's society's plan. What's yours?"

            Autumn was in a teaching sort of mood. Theodore admired her confidence when she challenged him. It was fresh and thought provoking, something his high school teachers could learn a thing or two about. He thought Autumn would make a fine educator. She'd be the kind that would mix up the desks in her classroom every day. The kind that would set assignments that required more than typed words and analytical thinking. The kind that would bring her students on spontaneous field trips without parental permission. Granted, she'd probably also be the kind to get fired after a semester. But she'd be the type of teacher that would make a mark.

            "I've kind of always wanted to enter a food-eating competition," he admitted. It was a pathetic response, but it was an honest one.

            "If food is your way of living, don't limit it to trivial rivalry. Appreciate the textures, the flavours, the aroma. Explore the countries, the culture, the history. Spend too much on a meal, try to recreate your own without a recipe."

            "Is that what I have to do to I live my life?" he asked, chewing slowly.

            "Not what to do. It's how to do it."

            "What's your way of living then?"

            Autumn folded her arms under her head and looked up at the sky, a distant, dreaminess to her gaze. "Exploration. Go around Europe with a backpack and a map, falling asleep on trains and waking up in different cities. Drive my car around Australia and take pictures of the scenery. Live in an apartment in the United States and kiss someone in Park Avenue. Dance to street music in Africa and discover new food."

            "Wouldn't you want to settle down one day? Have a permanent place to call home?" Theodore asked, mesmerised by the concept, but concerned about the details.

            "If I moved around that much, I wouldn't have to worry about disappointing people, about making mistakes. I could live with no regrets."

            "That's a restrictive way of living. Running away from problems doesn't guarantee freedom. It will just make you feel more isolated."

            She seemed to consider this.

            "Hm," she hummed, but said nothing more.