Too Young to Fall in Love

Chapter 1: Acceptance Letters, Arguments, and Flashbacks

June 14, 1987:

"Janey, dinner!". I heard my mom call from downstairs.

I ran downstairs to find my mom at the stove finishing up the macaroni.

"Janey, can you set the table for me please honey?" She asked.

"Sure mom". I grabbed the plates and the utensils from the cabinet as my mom put the food down on the table.

"I'm really proud of you, graduated at the top of your class, with straight A's, both of your brothers passed through the skin of their teeth." She said as she rolled her eyes.

"Indiana State University is going to love you, and the best thing is you'll only live an hour away from me, and you'll be able to come home every night." She said with joy.

This was the conversation I was dreading because I know my mom, and this was going to end up with us in a screaming match, my mom crying and trying to guilt trip me, or both.

"Mom, I need to tell you something."

"What is it sweetie?" She asked, oblivious to what I was about to say.

"I'm not going to ISU." I looked up to see confusion in her face.

"What do you mean you're not going, ISU is the only school that you were accepted to."

That wasn't true, for the past few weeks, I've been sneaking to the mailbox waiting for a certain letter to come. When it finally did, I opened it up to read:

Jane Isbell

We are happy to inform you that you have been accepted to UCLA. We have reviewed your application and transcripts with careful consideration and we really think you could thrive at our University. We hope to see you at our campus this upcoming semester.

Sincerely

Amanda Taylor

Dean of UCLA

Suddenly I was pulled out of my thoughts by my mom snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Janey, answer me, what do you mean? Are you not going to college?

I took a deep breath. "It's now or never." I thought to myself.

"I applied to UCLA, and I got accepted."

My mom laughed in disbelief. Then she looked at my face and saw that I was serious.

"Well I'm glad that you were accepted to more than one college, but you aren't actually going all the way to California are you?"

I didn't say anything.

"I can't believe it, you're going to leave me." She said, her voice wavering.

"Mom, it's not like tha.."

"Why, why Janey!?, what's so bad about living here with me, RENT FREE that you have to go to college half way across the country. Do you hate me that much?!" My mom screamed at me while sobbing.

"Mom, I DO NOT hate you." I said firmly trying to get through to her.

"What about me, what am I supposed to do?" She exclaimed.

"MOM IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!" I yelled out.

I took a deep breath before I started again.

"Mom, I love you, but this is about my future, what's best for me, and UCLA is one of the best schools and one of the hardest to get into, so the fact that I was accepted means so much to me, and it can do wonders for my career and future ." I calmly explained.