"Looking good Averie"
"Thanks Shanice"
Shanice has been my best friend since 2nd grade when I first moved to Texas from California and to think we are so close to graduating High School.
"You know Mr. Hilton is going to talk about senior projects today , did you chose yours yet ?"
I haven't thought much about senior projects with graduation being exactly a month away , me having to decide what college I'm going to , and prom being this weekend.
"Not yet Shanice , still deciding," I said in a monotone voice.
"I'm not even really excited about this project to be completely honest with you, it determines our grade in health , an we need health to graduate. This project is 60% of our final grade and right now I'm sitting at a C- in the class. "
Shanice laughed "well maybe if you hadn't been so worried about Kevin and y'alls perfect relationship , you'd have higher than a C- little miss wifey."
Kevin and I have been dating for 4 years and things haven't exactly been so easy, with Kevin getting accepted into Gates University on a full ride basketball scholarship and the school of
my dreams being on the other side of the country , we just seem to be growing apart.
"Today seniors , you guys will be deciding what your senior project will be about, make sure it's creative , brilliant , and if it's not brilliant , make sure it's worth you not graduating." Mr. Hilton was a very tough grader so I know I had to come up with something fantastic , but what , what would be an amazing senior project that would turn this C- into at least a B. "Email me your topics by 11:59pm, if I don't have your topics , I will either A pick one or B fail you, just depends on my mood," Mr. Hilton laughed hysterically, but nobody in the class found it funny.
As class went on I couldn't help but to think about the project and my grade. If I failed my health class that means I wont be able to graduate and not only that , but I wont be able to attend Lambert University. Attending Lambert means the world to me , I would be a first generation college student , my mother dropped out of school in 10th grade when she had my older brother Carlos , shortly after getting her GED my mother became pregnant again with my sister Nadia. Carlos nor Nadia had aspirations to attend college , Carlos was kicked out of public schools in 8th grade for gang violence and has been a thug in the street ever since , as for Nadia , she graduated high school , but college wasn't really her thing , instead she got married to Frankie who's in the Army and had my nieces Chloe and Rose. Everyday my family pushes me to keep my mind focus on school , I cant mess up this late in the game. So many people in my family are counting on me to attend college including my little brothers Santana and Marco.
" So Averie whatcha gonna do for the project"
" Shanice , I don't know , I haven't thought that far ahead into life,"
" Whatever you do , better be good , Lambert's waiting on that final transcript , and you need this."
I hate to admit it , as much as Shanice irks my nerves , she's right , I do need this. Not only for myself but for my family too.
That night at dinner I paced around back and forth trying to decide on a project , " pudding calm down I'm sure you'll think of something," my mother said as she washed dishes. I'm usually quick on project ideas or anything for school but not this time, I'm struggling , I'm stressed. " Averie why don't you do a research project on HIV/AIDS" Carlos suggested. It didn't sound like a bad idea , especially being the fact that's how my father died , but it didn't seem passing health class worthy. "I'll pass Los , but thanks anyways." By 11:30 I was on the edge of my bed with my head dangling, " I hope you fall," my little brother Santana said as he came limping into my room, " what happened to you ," I asked in a nonchalant way , Santana was my little brother and I loved him to pieces , but he was always in some sort of trouble, " running from Mr. Parker at the corner store , I tripped over Levi's bike and fell , no biggie," he laughed. I looked at Santana's leg , "you're banged up pretty bad go take a shower and I'll clean it and wrap you up when you get out." Santana smiled at me " Averie you'd make a fantastic mother some day," I laughed " Chloe , Rose , you , and Marco are enough to drive me crazy, I don't need kids. Just then it hit me , my senior project , the most brilliant idea , and it would damn sure get me anything higher than a C- in Hilton's class, id pretend to be pregnant.
