Behind the Cherry Tree, A Not-So-Short Story

10. Smiley Faces

Dear Michael,

It is our great pleasure to inform you have been selected to recieve a University Excellence Scholarship. Each year students whom have distinguished themselves through outstanding acdemic acheivement and personal excellence are chosen from the entering class to receive this honor.

This scholarship entitles you to receive a tuition scholarship of $5,000 each year of undergraduate study.

The Excellence Scholarship can be combined with other University tuition awards not to exceed the amount of tuition for each year. Students who receive full tuition funding from sources other than the Excellence Scholarship are recognised as Excellence Scholars without additional funding.

Please note, that students receiving this scholarship must be enrolled full-time and maintain a cumulative 2.5 grade point average (g.p.a.) to continue to receive their scholarship. Transfer students have two semesters to attain the 2.5 cumulative g.p.a.

Please accept our sincere congratulations on your selection for this great honor. We genuinely look forward to your joining the University community.

Sincerely,

The Excellence Scholarship Board

I smile a lot now. I smile all the time. Constantly. Thrilled. Just completely thrilled for Mike. He got the scholarship. One of a select few to go far away to a magical place called University where he can become the man he wants to be. Where he can follow his dreams.

I always smile.

I will smile forever.

Whenever Mike and I hang out we can't stop laughing and smiling and being generally happy. There's a gleam in his eye now. He's mischevious and free spirited. Thankfully his parents had swallowed this news relatively well.

So we had the world at our feet. Our smiles powered the people around us. They'd see us and smile back and walk off shaking their heads at our giddy joy.

Mike had been accepted for a scholarship to a university of his choice! Of course that came with a few rules, he had to be eligable for the undergratuate in the first place, had to have the subjects needed. He did obviously, but it's never a bad thing to check up and ensure.

Within weeks of getting the letter his life changed dramatically. His friends looked up to him and their gazes held a new respect for him. They were proud of him. I am proud of him. He's done what few before him has done- gotten the hell out of this town.

Back at my place I'd bought two presents for the the letter. One was a lighter. One was a beautiful frame. The frame that he has on his desk back home. It will be bubble wrapped when he leaves.

I smile so much for Mike that my face hurts sometimes, but the smile never wavers or falls from my face. Why would it? He's on cloud nine he's so happy. I'm happy because he's happy. He's oh so happy.

Whenever Will and the guys and hanging in the park we joke about the excited look Mike wears now, as if for once in his life he has something that no-one could take from him. Then we'll move on and talk about the latest sports game on the telly. When you hang with predominantly guys you find yourself very up to date with the scores of the football, cricket, basketball, and tennis. The cover of 'Elle' not so much. 

Mike, of course, was often too busy busting his ass over finals and other studies to hang with us. I'm glad that he was so focused. When he does hang with us my heart skips a beat because he is more alive than I've ever known him to be. He smiles at me like the heavens have just opened. How could I not smile back? I grin like I've discovered the gold at the end of the rainbow.