Starboy

Chapter 2: Good News

Benji's school starts ten minutes later than mine, which meant I still had time to catch him at his favourite breakfast place. He was secretly in love with a small cafe called Jams, which would surprise you if you knew Benji's family. 

Jams was a very local, fast cafe that served cheap but delicious coffee and pastries. Benji's parents wanted him only to eat whatever their maids have prepared, but Benji was determined to disobey his parents at any and every expense.  

Sadly, Benji and I went to separate schools, which makes sense because we live on opposite sides of the town. He lived in a multi-million penthouse in the Upper East Side and I lived in a small townhouse.

We met in elementary school, a school right in the middle of where we both lived. After middle school, we inevitably went our separate ways for high school.

Benji was destined to be a rich, frat boy businessman, and I was destined to be a middle-class table busser, living in the same house my whole life. That's kind of why we became friends: we didn't want to live the way everyone expected us to.

That's why I've worked so hard to go to college, it's something no one in my family has ever done. I have no idea what Benji wants to do, but I know it isn't business. I also know the only reason he wants to go to college is for the booze and girls.   

It's almost an unexpected friendship, Benji and I. We grew up so differently but we were so similar. Well, mostly similar. Unlike Benji, I wasn't a huge party animal or player. At parties, I barely touch my drink, and Benji on the other hand was drunk and passed out before I could even find him. When we became friends, we both had one thing in common: our love for skateboarding.  

When my mom died, skateboarding was my way of escaping my pain. For Benji, it was his way of rebelling against his parents because he knew skateboarding was something they would never approve of. I still skateboard every day, but after a few years, Benji lost most interest in it and developed many new hobbies. 

He was a genius at every new thing he tried, except school. At least that's what he told people. I really think he could do it if he applied himself, but he never did. Again, it was just to annoy his parents.  

My train arrived later than I expected and I ended up arriving at Jams too late and missed Benji. I pulled out my flip phone and texted him:

Hey, Benji. After school--your house? I have some good news :) 

- Brands

I went to Jams anyway and ordered an iced vanilla coffee to go. I realized my trip to Jams was a waste considering it was another train ride to school. I only and always go to see Benji before school and I was disappointed when he wasn't there. I was so thrilled to tell him about NYU, he was one of the only people who knew how much it meant to me. 

I hopped on my skateboard and went back to the subway. It took a while until I finally arrived at school. My whole perspective on high school changed instantly after I was accepted into college. I realized that everything that worried me would soon forever disappear, and so would all of my friends.

My best friend at school, Hellen, didn't apply to any colleges and never intended to for as long as I've known her. Everyone else I knew was either not going to college and would start working right away, or they were simply going to different schools, some even across the country.

I only have two months left of school and I need to make it count. Before I know it, so many of my traditions are going to end--like meeting at the skatepark right after school, and meeting Benji at Jams before school on most mornings. I'm so excited about NYU that I haven't even thought about all of the high school things I'm going to miss.