His and Her Confessions | Completed

Chapter Six

 I set my pencil down after completing the last of my calculus homework. My wrist hurt from my incessant note taking. So did my neck and my lower back. I leaned back in my chair just enough not to fall over. It was almost nine at night and I could hear aunt Jane and uncle Sean playing a board game with Olivia and Devin downstairs. It was friday night and apparently that's what they did. I jumped a little when I heard Devin scream for some reason followed by unisent laughter. My eyes began to feel heavy from staring at a white sheet for three hours so I decided to lay back in bed for a while. Strangely, I wasn't tired.

My phone rung. I jumped up in the bed. Quickly, I dug into the pocket of my sweatshirt and checked the caller ID. I wanted it to be Gwen. I slumped against the wall. "Hey." I said, my voice monotone.

"Hey? Is that all you have to say to your mom?" She laughed into the phone. Her voice didn't sound as tired as it usually was. Hopefully she was sleeping regularly. "How is aunt Jane and everybody?"

"Fine." I said, folding the pillow behind me to keep my neck up. "I made a friend at school."

"Oh, that's great honey. Who?"

"Gwen." For some reason I smiled as I said her name. "She's helping me in ancient history."

Mom paused. "You need help in ancient history? Oh I get it, she's cute isn't she?" I didn't like the sound of her voice. It was like that high and mighty sort of tone she took when she thought she knew something about me.

"I just fell behind a little. Anyway, how's your apartment?"

"Hmm, stuffy. It's a studio with an amazing view of a brick wall. The man below me plays his trumpet until three in the morning and the woman beside me continues to have loud sex with every girl she brings home from the bar. Other than that it's been a real hoot." She laughed. "Where are you staying in the house?"

"Right now it's Will's room, but uncle Sean wants to move me into the study."

"Oh, that's right. Will's in London right now, isn't he?" She sighed. "You should have done programs like that."

"Mom, you know we couldn't afford something like that."

"Kid, I'd find a way."

"Yeah. I know." No doubt she would have, but she'd be in the same if not worse situation than she was in already. "You're doing okay, right?"

She laughed. "Kid, mama's doing just fine. I know it's only fall, but have you decided on a college?"

"Not yet. I don't even know if I'll go."

"You have to. You're incredibly smart." She said. I heard her sigh. "If it's about money don't worry about it. You'll get a scholarship and I can help-"

"No. I'll figure out how to pay for college on my own. That much I can do." She didn't reply. Was I taking her pride away or something? Wouldn't most parents being encouraging their children to afford for college on their own? If I were a parent, I would. "Anyway, I have homework to finish up on."

"Oh, okay, goodnight sweetie."

"Night." I hung up the phone.

I didn't have any homework. In fact, I'd done more than I should have trying not to think about Gwen. Every opportunity that arose for me to think I thought and I pondered what the hell she could be talking about. All this shit happened ten years ago, how was she expecting me to remember all of this? What's more, it didn't even make sense. I was a brat growing up but I wouldn't have gone around and told everyone in our grade about George dressing up as a girl in his room. Speaking of which, did that mean I was in George's room? When?