The Tale of Tommy

Part 3 - 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝔼𝕡𝕚𝕡𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕖𝕤

I had a fitful sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about how, come tomorrow morning, Lucas would leave. I kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking I slept through the entire day and didn't get to say goodbye. By the time my mom came into my room to open the blinds I'd only accumulated a few hours of sleep.

"Wakey wakey, Allie," she sung. I knew her upbeat mood is a cover for the sadness that everyone in my family seems to share right now. But I guess putting on a fake smile is better than spiraling, like my dad. I heard him get up several times throughout the night and pace around the kitchen, eventually going back to bed or going for a drive. I knew that both of my parents would get emotional when it came time for their son, their first child, to leave for college. But I had no idea it would make them this emotional.

The only reason I get out of bed is because I need to say goodbye to my brother. I muster up enough strength to change clothes and brush my teeth before I head downstairs. I know the moment he leaves, I'll break down.

Lucas is sitting on the couch when I finally head downstairs. He's not a morning person, so he doesn't have to leave for the airport until noon. The clock says it's eleven-thirty. I feel a pang in my heart knowing he'll only be here for the next half hour.

I must make a noise coming down the stairs, because he turns around and sees me walking down. I can see the sorrow in his eyes, but little bits of excitement are also there.

"Ah, Allison," he says, encapsulating me in a hug. He's the only person to use my full name. When I was born, I was called Allison, not Allie. But as I grew I developed the nickname Allie, which stuck with everyone else but him. "I'll miss you, little sis."

I blink back tears. "I'll miss you, too."

We spend a moment just leaning on one another. I relay fifteen--almost sixteen--years of memories where he's always been there. He's always been my big brother. My friend. My video game buddy. And he'll still be all of that, just thousands of miles away playing lacrosse in Connecticut.

He probably won't even be able to come back for my birthday in August.

By the time we let go of each other I've stained his shirt with tears. His eyes are red and puffy, and I can tell he's doing all he can to try not to let a tear fall. But now it's time for him to go.

My mom and dad says their goodbye's. Dad looks tired and his eyes are red. He and Lucas have a father-son moment before they hug. Mom's eyes are fountains while she clings onto her son before she has to let him go.

"I love you," I say, giving him one last hug.

"I love you, too."

And with that, he leaves.

* * *

"You know," Kayla says, "that'll be us in a few years."

A moment of silence goes by on the FaceTime before Kayla speaks again.

"I barely even know what I want to do in life yet."

Shortly after Lucas left, I found myself feeling lost. I wandered around for a few hours before holing up in my room. They only thing I could think of doing was calling Bailey and one of my other friends, Kayla. I tried to keep my mind off of the fact that my brother had just left, but somehow I let that slip and our conversation has taken on the topic of college.

"I think I want to be a doctor," Kayla announces. She's always had an interest in helping people. "But that means, like, ten years of medical school or something crazy like that."

Bailey laughs. "You see, my plan is to find a career where college isn't necessary."

"And how are you gonna do that?" I ask.

"Oh, it's quite simple," she says, clearing her throat. "I'll become an YouTuber."

I nearly burst out laughing, and Kayla has to mute herself as she visibly dies from laughter.

"My goodness, Bailey!" she snorts.

"What- hey!" Bailey shoots back, also laughing a little bit. "It's a good idea, that is if it works. And I'd say I should at least try. I already have a few subscribers just from posting short Minecraft videos." She sounds satisfied with herself, and knowing her, she has her whole future banking on her success as an influencer.

And then an idea pops into my head.

With Lucas being my only sibling, we had to find a way to connect. And because he was older that meant I was often forced to comply with whatever he wanted to do. Which meant I would have no other choice but to hop on the family computer and play online games with him if I wanted to connect. And, as I discovered, I enjoyed it. Playing video games together became our thing, and I actually became quite good at most games, too. So much so that both of us had, over the years, saved up money from birthdays, Christmases, anything we could to buy a PC for each of us. And so, sitting on a little desk in my room is a PC that I thought would go untouched now that he's left.

But maybe I don't have to stop playing.

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Goodbye, Lucas! But it looks like his departure has given Allie an idea... but will she follow through? Vote!