The Age Of Seventeen

Chapter 17

F A R K L E

"Here goes nothing," I say to Maya as I hold the door for the cafe open so Maya can step in first.

We scan around the tiny, cozy cafe and spot Smackle blowing into her favorite latte (pumpkin spice, 2 extra creams, 3 extra sugars). When we used to date we would always stop by here on our way back home at the end of the school day. We'd sit here and chat for an hour or so, planning out our individual lives, and somehow we winded up talking about a future together. I smiled to myself as I reminisced.

"Farkle," Maya nudges me. "You okay?"

"Yes," I give her shoulders a light reassuring squeeze.

"Farkle you go ahead, I've got to use the restroom." Maya says in a rush and next thing I know I see her sprinting to the nearest bathroom. I take a moment to realize Maya said 'restroom' where she would usually say 'bathroom'. She'd tease me for saying restroom and now since we've grown closer I guess my dialect is sticking to her.

"Hey," I say first, and Smackle turns around to face me.

She smiles a friendly smile. "Hello, Farkle."

I walk over to the seat across from her. My legs feel like they'll give out on me just by taking these few steps. My hands were even trembling as I drew the chair back.

"Farkle, are you feeling okay?" Smackle narrows her eyes at my hands, and then looks up at me with knotted eyebrows.

"Y-yes." I clear my throat after pathetically croaking that single word out. I prayed Maya would come soon so we could get this over and done with. I've worked myself up so much over this at this point I just wanted it to be over with!

"I've got something to tell you," She says. Her hand fold nicely in front of her, and her smile grows bigger by the second.

"What?" I chuckle. "What is it?"

"Guess!" Smackle exclaims a bit too excitedly. For a moment is like old Smackle was back. Like everything was normal. Except nothing is. This is just my mind reminding me that I don't have her. It's torture my brain places upon itself.

"Um...you got a new um...cat?" Except Smackle hates cats. She's extremely allergic.

"No..." she laughs. "I hate cats."

I pitch in a nervous laugh, as I scanned the room for Maya.

"Are you expecting someone?" Smackle asks. I turn my gaze back to her and shake my head as my hands shake more and more by the second with the thought of Maya bailing out on me.

"I'll tell you!" Smackle slaps an envelope down in between us. I look at the white paper looking up at me and notice it is from Harvard.

"Open it!" Smackle encourages, a nervous smile hung on her face. "I got it in today, and I wanted to open it with you. I was supposed to go over to my grandma's where my family is having lunch as we speak but I couldn't contain myself especially since you asked me out— well, not out out, just to hang—"

"Breathe," I remind her, something I'd grown used to since when she gets really excited she tends to overdue it with the talking—

"Farkle, open it!" Her hands come up to her mouth and she smiles nervously. I take the envelope in my hand, try to see it of the corner of my eye if Maya is in sight, but when she isn't I just begin to open the envelope.

I hear Smackle squeal once I take the folded piece of paper the envelope contained. I unfold it, and read the letter to myself before I drop it out of shock.