Dark Night

What comes next

The next day John listened with a dropped jaw as I described my weekend. "I saw Starry at the rink yesterday when I was rehabbing the ankle, and all he said was that your parents were being jerks." He shook his head. "I don't even know where to go with that."

"That's ok, I don't either," I said as I picked at my lunch. It was a 'pizza' day and it didn't look especially tasty. I ate some vegetables instead, propping my head on my hand. I don't know why, but I always feel tired after family drama.

"I wouldn't have known anything was wrong," he said. "You seemed happy this morning in class."

"I compartmentalize my life, according to the guidance counselor," I said. "I like to think of it as quarantining the bad things so that they don't contaminate the good things." I stole a fry off his tray and smiled. "Plus, Grandpa said I can move in with him if it gets rough. I like the idea of having an escape route, but hopefully I don't have to use it."

"Why's that, General?" Paul asked, popping up and stealing a couple french fries from his brother, who scowled at him and swatted.

"Because while my grandpa is amazing, the trade off is that I'd have to check in and out more often," I said, crunching on a carrot. "One of the perks of my parents' apathy is that I pretty much come and go as I please."

Paul considered this a  moment. "That kind of freedom must be nice, but I'd rather feel like someone cared." And with that pronouncement, he shot off to his friends.

John watched me, his dark brown eyes sober. "If you want help moving at any point, let me know." I smiled at him.

"It's so stupid, it all blew up because I bought some sheets and towels for college and Grandpa bought me a comforter in China." I shook my head. And step by step, he drew out what had happened, gently. Once again his mouth was hanging open. He had nice teeth.

"Geeze, Leia, I don't know what to say." And he did look a little lost.

"You don't have to say anything. I know my family is... unconventional."

"My mom would kill for a daughter like you," he muttered. "I can't believe they haven't said anything about college to you. It's college!" He was getting worked up. "It's huge!"

I pushed my tray away, suddenly uninterested. "The acceptances from the UC system come out in just over three weeks. USC seven days later. Stanford, Pomona, and Santa Clara on April first."

John frowned. "I know. It's too soon and not soon enough. Ugh. I can't think about it, it makes me crazy." I smiled.

"Yeah. Now I can't help thinking that I was too ambitious. But Santa Clara should take me, at least. I talked to Mr Tiller about programs and how to make the most of them."

"Leia, I'm only going to say this once. You're going to be accepted by a lot of places, and no matter where you go, you are going to succeed. Cream always rises to the top, and you are definitely the cream of the crop." My eyes wanted to water.

"So the most amazing thing of the weekend seems to be that my brother seems to have decided to be a human rather than a big-headed helium balloon," I said, changing the subject. John grinned and pushed his fries closer to me.

"Really? How'd that happen?"

I looked around suspiciously and leaned toward him. He leaned in. "I think the government is experimenting with pod people and that Stan's their first major success." John burst out laughing. "I've decided to keep him, though. You laugh now, my friend, but it's crazy how nice he's being. And it actually seems sincere."

'I'm glad to hear it. My brother can be a pain in the ass, but I can't imagine not being close. Our parents are always telling us when we fight that someday we'll be depending on each other because they'll be gone." He scowled. "Emotional blackmail, and I don't like to think of that day. And hopefully we'll both have families of our own, but I get the point. There's nothing like a sibling." I nod. I'd idolized my big brother when I was little.