With Honors

Chapter 1

Parents weekend. Oh the joys of having your family fly in to share a day of classes with you. It was a particularly dreary day for late September, but campus was full of life with the families of both current and prospective students scurrying to first period.

Adri sighed as she took her seat near the back of the empty classroom. Ethics was enough of a bore on a regular day, but with all the teachers trying to spice up their curriculum for the day to entertain the parents, she wasn't even sure why she'd bothered being there.

She glanced out the window, eyeing a few students opening the windows of the old math building across the quad. The Walsh took pride in its rustic appearance, having changed little since its inception in the mid nineteenth century. Unfortunately that meant space was limited, and with the sudden influx of visitors the classrooms were bound to get crowded and stuffy.

The door opened, and the loud chatter of the hallway poured in alongside a stream of her classmates. A petite brunette came bounding towards her, her mother in tow.

"You're...early?" Chelle looked her up and down as if she might vanish in a puff of smoke.

"Actually about that, can I copy your worksheet?" Adri glanced nervously at the clock.

"What? Why?"

"Just... Please?"

"Adri! So good to see you!" The older woman cut in, smiling warmly at her daughter's best friend.

Adri threw a pleading look at Chelle, then turned and smiled "Hi Mrs. B, how was your trip?"

"Lovely, thank you for asking. The airline lost my luggage but don't you worry, I still brought you girls something special!"

"Mum if you had just flown in dad's jet-"

"Nonsense," she interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand, "the people in commercial travel are far too interesting."

Chelle sighed dramatically and busied herself with opening her backpack.

Mrs. Boulen reached into her bag and pulled out a small box. "Handmade chocolate truffles from my latest trip, absolutely delicious!" She lowered her voice, "I even wrapped them up to sneak them past your dorm parents" she winked.

"Mummm" Chelle groaned, "no one cares if we have chocolates anymore, it's not the fourt-ow!."

Adri had swiftly elbowed her in the ribs. "I'm sure they're wonderful, thanks so much."

The older woman nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response, before wandering off in search of a seat.

"Suck up"

"Chocolate hater"

"Mum stealer"

"Oh come on your mom's so nice"

"Hrmph." Chelle scowled and crossed her arms.

"The worksheet!" Adri hissed urgently, rapping her knuckles on the table.

"Oh! Right!" Chelle reached down to rummage through her bag again.

By now the room had filled past capacity. The students all took their seats around the large table, and the parents were assembling on benches against the walls.

"Good morning class!" Mr. Wells called out, flopping his bookbag onto the front end of the table.

Damn it, too late. Adri glared at Chelle who mouthed an insincere "Sorry" and shrugged.

"And hello parents," Mr. Wells nodded in their direction, taking a large swig of his coffee, "Good to see so many of you could make it today."

Adri looked around and couldn't help but feel a little sad. Her parents never came to these things. She knew they would if they could. Oh how her mother boasted about her daughter getting an American education, and her father's chest swelled with pride whenever he spoke of how many people she competed against for the opportunity. She missed them terribly, she realized, feeling a bit homesick. Her mother must be cooking breakfast right now, her father getting ready for work. She could picture it in her mind: her mother with the ugly orange apron on, rapping the toaster with her spoon, threatening to toss it in the compactor for not cooperating, her father sitting at the table adjusting his tie while scanning the newspaper... It was a simple life, back home, but she missed it now more than ever.