Dark Night

ACTs

Saturday morning found me waiting impatiently, slightly sweaty hands clutching several sharpened pencils (I'd had to buy some since you can't use mechanical pencils). My test ticket was in my coat pocket; I'd clipped my drivers license to it so I wouldn't have to fumble around, and I wore a watch on my wrist, a slight distraction since I usually didn't wear one. Grandpa had sent it to me for my SATs; it had belonged to Grandma and it was now my good luck token. I hoped, I still didn't know how I'd done. I couldn't bring my calculator, it was a TI-89, but Dad had an older calculator from the 90s that was permitted. I didn't technically need it, but I was worried that if I had to calculate everything by hand I'd run out of time. Or forget how to add.  John nudged me and I jumped.

"You're looking at that door like you can burn it down with your eyes," he said, amused.

"Laser focus, pal," I said, and he laughed.

The rest of my friends made a beeline over to us. "Are you guys ready?" Maya asked anxiously. She too was clutching her pencils like they were essential to her survival. But before anybody could do anything but grimace, the doors opened and we split up, each splitting up to go to our designated classrooms.

From there, test hell. I was grateful for the breaks for the bathroom and water, just to get out of the classroom. I felt vacant; the test was much harder than the SATs. Most of my friends were not taking the writing test; they were aiming for schools that didn't require it. Only John and I were taking it. They scuttled off to lunch while I returned to the classroom. On all the other sections, I'd finished a few minutes early, but I was writing up to the final second. I handed my paper in reluctantly and went outside, staring at the (for once) blue sky and trying to remember where I'd parked.

"So that sucked," John said, patting my shoulder.

""My organization was poor," I fretted. "I made a little outline, but I didn't want to spend too much time on prep. I don't really have a strong opinion about intelligent machines. They're probably smarter than I am," I said, still upset. "I don't know if I said anything worth reading after all that."

"I did not realize how much I don't know," he said, rubbing his head. "I have a headache. Want to get something to eat?" I did, and we agreed to meet at the Olive Garden.

We'd ordered and were digging into the salad and breadsticks before talking more. "I have to have gotten a decent score," I said finally. "I can't do that again."

John snorted, and for the first time since testing I saw him smile. "I'm sure you did really well. I'm the one I'm worried about. I should have taken more time away from skating." The waitress came by to refill our water glasses.

"Did you just have a college boards test?" We nodded. "I can always tell. The teenagers who looked traumatized. You'll feel better after you've had some carbs," she said, and moved on. I looked at John and grinned.

"Sounds so simple. In the interest of science, I'll have another breadstick and see."

"I gotta watch the carbs," John said a little jealously. "I've got practice in a few hours."

"I'm going to go to the library and pick up a couple of books on hold, then I'm going to stop by the park. Skateboarding therapy, use physical activity as therapy for my trauma." We both laughed at that.  "The guidance counselor told me that the SAT scores should be out next week. Right now I just want to know how I did. I can cry after."

He snorted. "Right. You crack me up. What colleges did you put down, aside from San Diego?"

"Mostly in-state, since they have in-state tuition. UCLA has a good atmospheric studies program, Pomona has a good environmental program, USC. Also University of Washington. I might be able to get a tuition waiver. What about you?"