I Can't Get Up

Chapter One: Not-So Secret Secrets

Chapter One: Not-So-Secret Secrets

"Dirt looks like poop," Dove looks out or tiny window at the wet dirt on the ground. It's been raining for the whole first week of university. I don't think that's a good sign for the rest of the year.

I squish beside her and gently put my chin on the windowsill, "More like diarrhea."

Even if I am not looking at her, I can tell that her face is molded together in a disgusted little kid face; a face I used to make when my parents showed PDA, "Yuck, Celeste. I feel so bad for the soccer players that are practicing in the diarrhea." She giggles at her own joke.

Dove, let's say, is not normal. When I came into our dorm for the first time, she was calmly waiting for me on her side of the room, but as soon as I said hi, she jumped onto me to give me a 'giant hug of friendship' because we are destined to be best friends. During the freshmen assembly, she kept on shrieking quietly and gripping my wrist after every sentence the professor uttered out. I'm not sure how she stays put for three hours of class when she can't sit still for a thirty second commercial.

"Funny, " I tell her with a wide smile, "Let's stop looking at the diarrhea please."

She crawls onto her bed which is directly beside the window, so is mines. That kind of shows you how small our room is. As much as I want to crawl under the covers and call it a night, I have no energy to get on the bed and pull the covers over my body. Oh, so much work! With the millions of assignments, I'm not sure how I'll survive the next four years of my life.

Dove suddenly sits straight up, "Oh right! When I was checking the mail today, I actually found a letter! The first letter mailed to our dorm! So exciting right?"

Right.

She reaches under her pillow and pulls out a white envelope. Her hand turn it around and waves it in the air, before she reads the front.

"Who is it for? Must be one of our parents wishing us good luck with our studies and reminding us that the future of their businesses rests solely on our shoulders." I lean against the soft mattress and duvet of my bed, trying not to sound like I'm only half awake, which I am, considering that it's nearly midnight.

Her eyebrows scrunch together and she cocks her head to the side, letting her blonde hair fall on her shoulder, "Well, it's for you! I didn't know your father's name is Drew! Mines is name Stephan-" I grab the envelope out of her hand and hug it close to my chest. She didn't even get to finish her sentence.

Why would Drew write a letter when he could've used something less expensive and more efficient: a telephone? Drew is my boyfriend from back in high school; you can say that I fell hard for the opposite. A week ago, we were still together, hand-in-hand, smiling as we walked down trail near my house. Now, a week later, we are separated by thousands upon thousandths of miles. That is the sacrifice you must make to be your parents' puppet. In my case, my parents are business people who demand that their daughter become one too.

Celeste Graham,

This is Drew writing from Hawaii. Yes, you read right; Hawaii. You remember the day dad came home; it was the day before you had to leave. On the day you left, I was really unhappy and I was making Savannah unhappy too, so mom and dad surprised us with the news of our trip. We literally left the day after and that's how I am here. I would've called, but the fee for long distance here is huge.

I hope that you are having fun being in university. I think about you everyday and night. Distance may be our separation, but it's not a reason to stop loving. Call me as soon as you get this letter because I should be back by then. I can't wait to hear your voice again.

I can't thank you enough for bringing my family back together and I cannot express the amount of love I feel towards you.

Love,

Drew Everett

Tears brim my eyes as I finish the last few sentences of the letter. I want to pick up my phone and call Dew right now, but I don't think he'll be too pleased that I interrupted his beauty sleep. I never even though that Drew could write such thought through letters without breaking a joke.

"Why are you crying?" Dove reaches down to pull the letter back for a better vision of my face. I quickly wipe my tears and suck in so that I don't sound weak, "No, I'm okay."

She frowns and lies back down on her bed, "So, what did your dad have to tell you that is so important that he couldn't have used a phone?" I laughed because it was funny that I know that she's not joking. She is just that clueless.

"It's not my dad, it's my boyfriend silly," I reach up to tap her nose. Her eyes go crossed when she attempts to look at my finger on her nose.

Her eyes look too big for her head, "You have a boyfriend? Can I meet him? Is it a secret boyfriend? I have a secret too! Guess what? My eyes are different colours. Grey and brown!"

Wow, someone is way too excited...

I give a quick look at her eyes, which both, at first sight are grey, but if you look closer into the right one, you can see brown specks. "Cool eyes."

"Can I meet your boyfriend? Please? Please!" she begins bouncing up and down on the bed with a huge smile.

I try to not be creeped out and smile, "I guess whenever Drew comes over you guys have to meet. "

Dove shoots up and practically flies over to give me a bear hug. I try to hug her back, but that girl has some strong grip.

After getting the slightest bit of sleep that night, I wake up for the day. Right after breakfast I call Drew.

"Hello?" he sounds like he just woke up.

His voice puts a huge smile on my face, "Drew! It's Celeste, you have no idea how many times I've tried to call you this last couple of days!"

He chuckles, "Well, I am fabulous, aren't I? Bo doubt about that, is there?"

I really need a hug from him right now before I burst into tears.

"So, when are you coming over?" I try to not sound to eager. Being clingy is not what a good girlfriend should do.

"Hopefully this weekend if all goes accordingly," he says with even more excitement than I used, "I should be able to stay for five days too."

People are looking at me like I'm crazy because I am jumping up and down in the middle of the busiest hallway on campus. While jumping, I also manage to step on some feet.

"Drew!" the squeaky voice could only be the one of Drew's younger sister, Savannah, "Mommy says that if you don't come down for breakfast, we'll starve you!"

I hear Drew groan, "Savannah, you don't even know what starve means. Celeste, sorry. I have to go eat or else I'll starve. See you this weekend. Love you."

He hangs up before I get a chance to say it back.