mary. [ BILLY HARGROVE ]

xxii. CHAPTER NINETEEN

~*~

     Going back to school was always dreadful. Christmas time had came and went. The Henderson family went to New York and California just like their mom said they would. Mary had a very difficult decision to make. She didn't know which schools she wanted to go to. She had always been okay with the cold, but the way Billy talks up California makes her want to live there. 

     It was the New Year, 1985, which meant Mary had to choose a school soon. She was considering all the aspects of both schools, but still couldn't decide which one to go to. She was currently sitting in her lunch period with Steve as they had drawn up a pro's and cons list for each school. 

     "Okay, pro's for Juilliard. Pro's: closer to home, you like the campus more, the people seem nice, oh, we wrote that it's closer to home twice," Steve said, squinting his eyes at the paper. 

     "Keep going, I need to decide soon," Mary pressured him, taking a drink of her water. 

    "Okay, rest of pro's are: you don't mind the cold, there's a lot of cool places to go in New York, and you feel like you could get a good education and start there," Steve listed off. 

     "Cons?" Mary asked. 

     "Cons: the snow is worse up there, New York is terrifying, you don't think you'll be able to afford housing," Steve said, then looked up at Mary. "Okay, now San Francisco. Pro's: it will be very nice, you can afford housing, people are nicer than New York, which I find odd." 

     "Steve!" Mary complained. 

     "Okay! Okay, uh... Oh, Billy might be moving there. You really think he's going back to California?" 

     "He said that's where he wants to go after school ends. But he's going to stay here for the summer and just move there with me if I go to San Francisco," Mary explained to him. 

     "Are you going to live together?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

     "No, they are going to make me live on the campus, he'd have to get his own apartment and job," Mary answered, crossing her arms. 

     "But eventually..." Steve trailed off, hoping Mary got the memo. 

     "I don't know, Steve," Mary sighed out, leaning back in her chair. "It's a lot to think about right now. Do the cons." 

     "Okay. Cons: farther from home, campus isn't as nice, not as many hangouts as New York - which probably isn't true, and it might be difficult to live there in the summer," Steve listed off. 

     "Okay," Mary nodded slowly. She picked up the two pieces of paper, comparing the pros and cons next to each other. She knew deep down she would ultimately decide San Francisco. She did love New York, but San Francisco felt more like a home. Which sounds weird, but she did like the city a lot more. 

     "Look, your mom gave you two weeks to decide. Let's do this," Steve sat up, Mary looking to him. "I've been learning this in my psychology elective." 

     "The one you didn't want to take?" Mary asked. 

     "Yeah, that one," Steve answered. "Okay, close your eyes. I'll give you two choices, and you'll choose between them, got it?" 

     "Yup," Mary nodded, shutting her eyes. 

     "Okay. Right or left?" 

     "Right." 

     "Blue or red?"

     "Red." 

     "Water or tea?"