Dark Hero

College

     "Honey, your going to love living there." Grammy Viviani said as I got into the car. "You have your own freedom, and your own room, and you can make new friends." Her honey-brown eyes shined with excitement.

     She kept on talking, but I just shut her out by putting my ear buds in and tapping the play button on my iPod touch.

     For the last two months, she and Grandpa Benzio had been going on and on about me finally getting accepted into the University and moving out. Sure I was starting school in the middle of the semester, but they were so happy. I wondered if they were really excited for me or for me not having to live with them anymore.

     I mean, it was just us for the last 15 years. They were probably tired of my presence by now.

     Not that I hate them or anything, and I'm pretty sure they don't hate me. I just guessed that when you thought you were finally rid of your kids, and they all had their own happy little lives, you wouldn't want that responsibility again. Then suddenly having to take care of your orphaned grandchild, I thought you would have some resentment towards that kid.

     But Grammy and Grandpa never showed any signs, so they were either happy or really good at acting. Yet, they still put up with me.

     I looked out the car window and watched as raindrops fell from dark clouds. I got to sit in the passenger seat of my grandparent's Explorer, all because Grandpa had been called in about an hour ago and called saying he couldn't come see me off. We still hugged and he cried right before he left for the hospital. Being a brain surgeon sucks...

      Right as I sighed, Grammy tapped me on the leg and motioned for me to take my ear buds out. I turned off my music and did as she wanted.

     "Look honey, " She said, "It's okay to be nervous."

     "I'm not nervous." I said, giving her the 'I'll be alright' look.

     "Yes you are." She smiled, but didn't take her eyes off the road.

     "What makes you say that?" I asked.

     "Well... You're quiet." As if that was the only reason that would prove her right... and it was.

     On a normal day, you couldn't shut me up. I was home-schooled all my life, so I'm shy around people. Plus, I've never been with people my own age, so college in going to be interesting.

     "Okay. So I'm a little quiet, maybe my throat hurts..." I said giving her a smile.

     "And you're also so depressing over there." She added. Her eyes glanced at me with the most pitiful look in them.

     Oh, shit. I forgot to put on my mask. Not that it mattered. My acting fooled everyone... except my Grammy.

     Even in the worst of times, I usually put up an optimistic front. This is just so other people won't worry about me. But, like everything else, Grammy saw right through it.

     "Fine, I have butterflies in my stomach, am I not allowed to be nervous?"

     "You're allowed to be nervous, I remember my ride to college with my parents. I felt like I wasn't even their little baby anymore. Like as if my protective walls had all crumbled and anything could attack me." She braced herself for a bump. "But then I got there and met your grandfather, then I made my life and you will too."

     I opened my mouth to say something, but she immediately stopped the car. My head went flying into the dashboard with a loud THUD. I'm pretty sure I have a concussion now... and pretty lucky the airbag didn't deploy.