Senior Year

1st ch. of Part II "Memory"

 

“So where are you planning on going to school?”

“I’m thinking NYU or Columbia.”

“Who’s gonna pay for it?”

“My mom probably, if not I guess student loans and scholarships will.”

“It’s May, girl you still don’t know?”

“First of all I know I got into NYU, and second of all, you’re not even going to a real college.”

“So now St Joseph’s is a fake college.”

“Well it’s like the 13^th grade.”

“You know what Rhea, your mom’s gonna have a b***h-fit and you’re gonna end up in 13^th grade.”

“Hell no! I’m the love child, the middle child; that means a safe zone, and definitely no thirteenth grade for me.”

“Well just remember, I told you so; you know how crazy your mama is!”

Lorena and I were on our way to our final track meet as high school athletes. We were both up for the MVP Award for the varsity track team. We never did a race together, so neither knew who the better athlete was. While entering the locker room, coach called me into his office to talk; Lorena went to her locker and began to change into her track gear. As she opened the locker, a 14 X 18 manila bubble envelope fell from the top rack. In big black letters a message on it read “No matter what happens you’re the MVP to me and we’ll be best friends forever.” She smiled. I beat her to it again. She opened the envelope to see what was inside. It was a scrap book, school colors of course, red, white and black. She opened the book to find a picture of the five of us. Dana, Beth, Lucie, Lorena, and I were huddled under the MTV building at Time’s Square grinning from ear to ear. As she leafed through the scrap book, Lore realized I had collected our memories from sophomore year until just days before. She’d forgotten how much fun we’d had in Barcelona. And the picture of us stuffing hot dogs down during the hot dog eating contest the summer before was amazing. Neither of us won, she puked after eating more than twenty hot dogs. She finally got to the photograph of us; it was four days after our track meet against Ward Melville. We won every event we participated. I had a record for the high jump, and she’d beaten her 100-meter dash record less than 8 seconds. We were both drenched in sweat, but the smiles on our faces glowed as we held the team trophy. She couldn’t believe we made it through their senior year of high school, with less than three weeks left. Her eyes began to well up with tears when I came in with a silly grin. “What are you crying about Lore, don’t worry you’re not gonna lose, I’m pretty sure so don’t cry.” Just then I noticed the open scrap book on the bench, and I knew. “Oh my God why are you freaking crying? It’s totally nothing. We’re best friends Lore. Don’t get all teary eyed on me, you jerk.” Lorena punched me in the arm and grinned. The tear stains were still on her cheek.

“Rhea, how the hell did you find the time to make this crap? You’re the jerk, making the s**t fall out of the locker like that. You couldn’t just give it to me like normal friends do?”

“Well I guess you finally get the hint that I’m not normal now! And by the way I am going to thirteenth grade with you. My mom just called, that’s why I had to see coach.”

“What? Why? You’re the smartest person I know Rhea.”

“You know my mom. That’s how she is, I’m sure I’ll get the token explanation later so you’ll know shortly thereafter. Okay let’s not talk about it anymore. Did you like your present?”

“Hell freaking yea! I’m pumped, we’re gonna win! Did you give one to all the girls.”

“Uh, no freaking way, this s**t was hard girl. You’re lucky I finished it for you.”

We chuckled and finished changing into our gear, grabbed our water bottles and raced to the track. It was a sight to see. Both of us held back in an effort to let the other win, but it was a tie. We won every event that night. I still held the high jump record, while Lorena added a shot-put record to her stats. They named us both MVP that night for the entire season, but Lorena insisted that I take it home. That’s how we knew we were best friends forever. Seven years—puberty, boys, standardized tests, Regents’ exams, AP, and endless loop-holes to gain more credit than we actually spent time in class for, and the trophy housing decision helped us realize how great our friendship was. Both of us were interviewed by the local paper, and we both insisted on how great the other was. We would’ve gone out to celebrate but mom picked me up after our meet. Lore and I hugged then I hopped into the new Jaguar X-type mother had bought less than two weeks before. Mom was about forty-eight, but she still looked like she was in her mid-30s. I knew it was only a matter of seconds until her mother explained what the NYU problem was.

“I just want you to know I put a lot of thought into this NYU decision—“

“—What after you sent in the security deposit a month ago? Come on mom, jeez!”

“Look Rhea, I can’t trust you to go to New York City and live in dorms in this high-priced college with little or no supervision and expect you to avoid being distracted, so I think I’m making the right--”

“Oh my God, are you freaking serious? Where are you getting this crap from mom? I’ve never lied to you, not even once partly because I’m the worst liar anyway. And I’ve never done anything to lose your trust, so where is this coming from? It’s two weeks before graduation for Christ’s sake!”

Normally the strongest of the pack, I began to cry. I’d waited my entire life to go away to school. Everything I needed to do to succeed was done. I was a straight A student. The athletic resume was incredible. And I was the president of three clubs including the National Honor Society. I wasted the last four years of my life. What was the point, if I wasn’t going to my choice school? NYU gave me an $18,000 per year scholarship. Why was it going a problem after all the planning. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at mom, who spitefully refused to make eye contact.

“You just bought a $50000 car mom. And you’re telling me I can’t go to school because why? Can you tell me why?”

“Rhea, I know it’s hard for you to understand but I need to take care of your younger sister. You’re gonna be fine. Just do your two years at St Joseph’s, you might even get it done in one year since you’re so smart, and I’m positive you’ll get yourself a full scholarship.”

“What? You just spent $50000 on a new car that we don’t need and you’re saying that I can’t go to NYU because you need to take care of Leigh. Leigh is five, mom. You don’t have to think about college for her until thirteen years from now.”

“I can’t afford to send you to NYU, so you’re going to have to do what you can afford.”

I couldn’t even speak anymore, instead I became excruciatingly silent. We were the closest we’d ever been since I moved in with mom, and now she was pushing me away. Mom spoke.

“I know you’re going to hate me for a while because of this, but you’ll understand one day. One day when you have kids of your own Rhea, you’ll get it.”

I continued to cry until mother dearest pulled into our driveway. The year before we’d moved into one of the wealthiest neighborhoods on Long island. I used to drive from their new house in Wading River to high school in the Patchogue-Medford district, because I wanted to finish out my Senior Year of high school with people I’d taken the journey with. Mom couldn’t possibly understand the importance of my high school career or my need to go the school I was meant to go to. I got out of the car, closed the door gently and let myself into the house. Leigh darted across the living room to the vestibule of our home to greet me. She was the sweetest little kid when she chose to be. She saw the sad look in my eyes and hugged my knee.

“I missed you Rhea. I missed you!”

I smiled, picked her up and kissed her on the cheek, set her down and rushed to my room. The phone rang; it was Lorena.

“Hey girl!”

“Rhea, what happened with your mom when you left?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Some bullshit. We can’t afford it. The end!”

“Didn’t your mom just buy a freaking Jaguar? You guys are rich!”

“Apparently not, you know she has to take care of Leigh.”

“Rhea, you want me to pick you up, we can just go for a drive or a walk on your PRIVATE BEACH!”

We burst with laughter. Mom was so ridiculous. How do you move to a wealthy neighborhood, buy a new car, and refuse to pay your daughter’s tuition? That’s the question I wanted to ask my mom, but instead I imploded and cried.

“Lore at least we’ll go to school together for the next two years too.”

“Yea, Dana’s coming too. We should take all the same classes together. Oh wait no, I can’t take that Organic Chemistry bull-s**t.”

“You’re stupid Lore. I’m going to bed. We’ll talk about it when it comes up, okay girl. Good Night.”

“Good Night, cry-baby. I didn’t even know you had tears like that, so you could cry and s**t!”

“Shut up, Lore. I’m going to bed.”

I felt better after talking to Lorena. Everything was going to be fine. I would breeze through St Joseph’s and then transfer to NYU. Sounded like a good enough Plan B.

The last two weeks of senior year zipped by. Lorena and I won a few athletic and scholar awards. It was one of our better two weeks. Prom night came. None of the crew had dates. So we rented a pearl white Cadillac Limousine with white leather upholstery and t looked like five divas as we strutted into the hall. I had beautiful white gown with wild colored roses printed along the left side of the dress. Lorena had a navy blue spaghetti strap gown, with her ample cleavage exposed. Dana was decked out in a silver sequin halter dress that accentuated her curves. Lucie wore a red strapless ball gown that was so exquisite people complimented her the entire night on how beautiful she looked. Beth wore a lavender strapless gown with a matching shawl. All five of us looked like we’d be on prom court that night, because were representing the crème de la crème among our peers. I made prom court. People voted from every clique in the graduating class. I was supported by the skaters, the jocks, the geeks, the ROTC kids, the popular kids, the stoners, the rockers, the theater kids and of course her friends from each group. I was surprised; prom court was the last thing I expected to be on during high school, and it actually happened. It didn’t even matter to me that I wasn’t crowned prom queen. People thought I was radical enough to be a part of the court. After that night, we lost track of each other that summer and re-united at community college.

Author's Note

the chapters are heavier in this part...and they get beefier as you go on...