Why is that when you are dreading something, the days seem to speed up? Maybe it was so that you could get it done and over with sooner. But, I needed more time. More time to prepare. I wasn’t ready to leave Jason, to leave behind my parents who I was just starting to bond with. I wasn’t ready to start my new life so far away from everything that was familiar to me.
Grabbing the picture my mother had framed for me of Jason and I at prom, I smiled as I looked down at it, placing my index finger on Jason’s face. My mother had made me a whole scrapbook from this year. She had taken a lot of secret pictures of Jason and I over the last few months. Most of them were awkward candid shots, but I loved them. You could see the love in our eyes. Nothing was forced.
Placing the picture in my book bag with the rest of my stuff, I slung it over my shoulder as I took one more look around my room. It was so barren now. Some of the posters had been taken off the wall to come with me to college, my memorabilia weren’t lining my dressers, and my bookshelves were empty. All that really remained were my trophies. I hopes to add more to them in the next four years.
I turned the light off to my room, shut the door behind me and headed downstairs. My parents were in disarray as they were hurrying to and from the car, putting the suitcases in the car. North Carolina was too far to drive, so I had been forced to book a flight. It had been tough fitting everything important to me in only a few suitcases. It had taken five suitcases to fill up everything, and my parents had put some extra money in my bank account so I could buy any furniture for the dorm that I couldn’t very well bring along.
Jason should be here any moment. He was going to accompany us to the airport to see me off. Setting my backpack by the door, I sat down at the counter. I couldn’t believe that tomorrow I’d be standing on Duke’s gym. I was one step closer to my dream. I was going to do this. I had the potential to carry me far, and I wasn’t going to let it go to waste.
“Are you sure you have everything you need packed? You can’t just come home and get anything you forgot, you know,” she reminded me as she walked into the kitchen, heading to the fridge. Opening the door, she grabbed one of our water bottles. Taking the lid off, she took a drink, setting it on the counter in front of me so that I could drink from it, too.
“Yes, I went and triple checked everything. I didn’t forget anything. And if I did, it must not be too important,” I answered, taking the water bottle. Taking a swig, I grabbed the cap and screwed it back on.
“I can’t believe my baby is going to college!” my mom exclaimed happily, rounding the counter to pull me into an embrace.
“Not just any college, Duke. I’ve been bragging about you at the station to all my buddies. You’re going to make this town proud, Eli,” my dad interjected as he came into the kitchen, too. Jason behind him.
A smile found its way to my lips as I hurried over and threw myself into Jason’s arms after I untangled myself from my mother. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I told him.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world! Are you kidding me?” he smiled down at me. “But, your dad’s right. You’re going to do so amazing at Duke. Everyone is going to be so proud of you.”
“But, mostly just us,” my mom winked at me.
I smiled at their kindness. It was a lot of pressure to place on me. I was good here, at the small town, but Duke was one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. I might be the worst one on the team. I had no illusions that it was going to be easy or that I’d even be getting much playing time as a freshman.
“Well, I suppose we need to get you to the airport, don’t want you to miss your flight,” my dad said, and we hurried out to the car, piling into it.
The car ride to the airport was the quickest car ride I had ever taken, and before I knew it, I was standing check in, already having checked in my bags, ticket in hand. It was where we would part ways. I gave each of my parents a big hug. My dad, before I pulled away, whispered in my ear, “You have always made us proud, and no matter what happens, that will never change. We love you so much.”
Tears filled my eyes at his words. “I love you, too, Dad.” I squeezed him lovingly before I pulled back and stepped to the side so that Jason and I could have a moment.
This was so much harder than I had thought it would be. “I can’t believe you’re leaving already,” Jason sighed as he pulled me into his chest. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
I have never held on so tightly to something than I did at this moment. I might have been crushing Jason under my arms, but all I cared about was that this was the last time I was going to see him until I came back for Thanksgiving break. My parents promised to come to some of my games, and they had said they’d bring Jason if his parents aloud it.
I was hoping that the school would have another holiday in there like Labor Day for me to come home. It all depended on my basketball schedule. But, I knew Jason and I were going to make this work. We had all the modern day tools at our disposal. We were going to be okay. I figured the more times I said it aloud the more I’d believe it and stop worrying.
“I’m going to miss you, too,” I replied, my voice breaking. I pulled back only slightly so that I could look into his face. “I love you so much, Jason. Never forget that.” I didn’t even give him a moment to respond because I pulled him in for a deep, passionate kiss. I held onto him tightly as I opened my mouth to him. I wouldn’t get to do this, and I wanted my fill before I left. I didn’t want to forget what it felt like to kiss him.
After what felt like five minutes, Jason pulled back, resting his forehead to mine. “I love you, too.”
My dad cleared his throat, smiling at us. “You should get going, Elijah. We’ll all see each other again real soon. We love you, too.”
I pulled away from Jason and I started walking backwards to the terminal. My parents and Jason waved as I left, and soon, I had to turn my back and walk out of sight, and that was the hardest thing I had ever had to do. I went through customs, and before I knew it, I was on the plane. Sooner than I would have thought possible, I was standing in my dorm, looking at the bed I’d now have to sleep in. It was small. Only a twin, and I had been used to a bigger bed.
My roommate, Jamaica, was one of my teammates on the basketball team, and she had already unpacked, and was welcoming me kindly, telling me all about the campus. As I set up my desk area with my books and pictures, I listened to her talk about the basketball camp starting tomorrow and all the fun we’d have.
Smiling and nodding, I pulled out my laptop. I wanted to skype Jason already, but I didn’t want to be a clingy girlfriend, so I left my computer off, and sent him a text saying I had made it safe and sound.
“Boyfriend withdrawals?” Jamaica asked. She sat on her bed, playing with her long, curly black hair.
“Am I that obvious?” I asked her, defeated. I set my phone on the desk.
She chuckled. “Only because been there done that!” she shrugged and started to pull her hair back into a French braid. “I was like that yesterday when I arrived. And, I still am today, but I’m trying to distract myself by talking incessantly to you.”
“A good distraction is just what I need,” I agreed.
“What do you have in mind?” she asked curiously, her black, perfectly sculpted eyebrows shot up.
Grabbing my basketball out of my backpack, I spun it on my index finger. “You game?” I asked her. I was already wearing athletic attire. I was ready. I wanted to see just how good my competition would be.
She smiled at me, understanding my fullest intent. Nodding, we laced up our shoes and headed down the gym for a little friendly, one on one game. If Jamaica turned out to be as awesome as what I thought she was, Duke was going to be just fine.
