Summer in my Winter

I now pronounce you.. Graduates!!!!

I don't know what's taking so long but I'm exhausted and hoping against hope that this day will be over soon. But damn it's just starting!. I look at my watch.. it's just 08:15 AM! I'm supposed to be at work by 1:00 pm for my afternoon shift, which I prefer, rather than mingling with some of this mindless idiots. Well today is my so-called college graduation. They say that's what normal people do.. its just that I don't get the concept of having a certificate to validate once education background. I mean come to think of it, there's a lot of educated people that's lack education. But I guess that's how it is.

Now im cursing Horace Mann for coming up with the idea of school and all that shits that goes with it. He should have shut up back in 1796 but hell he didn't so i have to suffer with everyday life juggling between school, work and my volunteer job. Nevertheless Im one of the brightest students. I just shrugged the idea as it doesn't appeal to me the slightest but making my parents proud.. thats what make sense and what matters the most to me.

But in between my mundane routine, It's being a volunteer is what I love the most. It's a safe place and a sacred ground for me. In this aspect I admire my adoptive parents. I guess that's whre I get my passion, because I experienced it firsthand. I owe it all to the Alcotts. They are good and loving towards me. My Mom is the ephipany of all things good She’s unselfish, kind and understanding. To me, no one can ever measure up to her! Of course Jesus is the exception! My dad is my rock, he is extremely protective of me and my Mom but also my always unwilling accomplice!

Lol! Life is good having them as my parents. I couldn’t asked for more. Because of that I never ever wanted to disappoint them or give them any type of trouble- specially at school- where unbeknownst to them, I ‘am always been bullied.

Well… I’m just thinking it’s because they are envious specially the girls... They say I ‘am atypical.. Where do you want me to start?.. hmmmm.. Long golden locks which like streaks of sunshine assembled to fit on my head. Small heart shape face with little freckles on the nose and cheeks part because hello sunshine I’m beaming highlight for you! Small pointy nose. But I hate my lips, they say it looks like a blowfish! It’s like permanently open and pout. But it is what it is. At 21, I’m almost 5’5 hmmm that’ll work. For some odd reason I look taller than that because I have a long legs, so yeah, I look like a legs with a grown body attached to it. You can call me pretty if this is your concept of pretty but to me I look all right. I don’t care anyways.

“Cootie!!” This way girl!” I heard a squeal on my back "Gosh they are here. I’m soooo dead" ! I whisper to myself

“We been looking for you everywhere!!” Oh my God this is it!!! We are graduating!! I can’t believe this day would come! Am I not the only person excited to this????”

Well, that’s Jessica, she’s a rich girl.I met at work and I don’t have the slightest idea that we are attending the same school, the same class and the same major (for Christ sake!) she talk so much! I mean way too much sometimes I think the only time she shut up is when

a. she’s asleep or

b. she’s at class.

I don’t want to be involved with her honestly because I prefer my peace and tranquility, but there’s no way to get rid of her she’s like a leech! but I found her tolerable as days go by until we became close….

I found out being bubbly and all is just her defense for being lonely in her life… her parents were divorce when she was just 12 years old. That’s also the time she was shipped to boarding school in Germany to cut it short she was able to convince her parents to continue her college education here..

To be very honest. She’s not the brightest student, and if you don’t have a lot of Uncle Sam’s money you better be a AAAAAAA+ student because the scholarship admission is ridiculously hard. So yeah she’s kind of loaded, I mean her parents are. At 21 she’s driving an Audi Q4 and has access to most exclusive and expensive collection of shoes, bags, jewelry and etc. that a girl could asked for. She even have a condo in the city and a whopping $5M property in the most exclusive area in Las Vegas all to her name.

In short she doesn’t have to work or study even. I love her dearly, she's my exact opposite.. a person I want to.. but I cannot.. she has all the guts and charisma in this world. Everything in her scream perfection so all the guys at the university tries to woo her and girls just envy her.. Who wouldnt?

“Hey Cootie??? Hello earth to Cootie??"

"What’s up with the weirdness? You know you have to tell me if there’s something on your mind because I swear to God, it’s so hard to read you!." Jess keeps on blaberring while checking her immaculate make up in the her compact mirror.

"It’s not that I’m trying to because geez I don’t do mind reading, that’s gonna be like hard you know.. I’m trying to figure out how people do their mind.. I mean how stuff work.. maybe when I’m 60 I’ll be able to figure you out!”

I can’t help a chuckle come out of me.. Even she’s irritating I for sure will miss her! It’s not the same if there’s no friend that does this thing to you.. I mean I can just sit there and listen to her all day long and yet she won’t be out of story and out of words.

“Hey and now you’re laughing at me?? Ok wuts going on there huh??”

“Hey Will a little help????

“What are you doing???” Jessica exclaimed with her exaggerated-california-girl- voice-with-a-goat-like-accent and it made me laugh harder.

“Wiilllllll!! "

Are you ignoring me??? Oh-oh you don’t!”

Jessica just brush off all other graduates blocking her way.

“Move if you don’t want to die!”

“Oh hey Boo, wake up from the wrong side of the bed again?... " You should have told me.. you know I always have something in store for that".... he devilishly smiled at Jessy

."Ok what’s going on?" Even Will seem to have been strike by the mighty Venus when he look at Jessy..

" Damn girl you lewk S-T-U-H-N-I-N. As always"... as he eyed Jess from head to toe focusing on her ample bossom then look away as if he was burned.

Will has this enigmatic way of expressing the word stunning that even a fool will believe.

He is 23 years old. His parents own an exclusive gold course and a yacht club, not to mention their chains of hotels and timeshare all over the US and some other part of the world. Well he is a man w***e. Sure he got girls from here and there but he is a good guy. He is a bright student at times… that is if he wants to..

He has this overbearing personality and pretty much narcissistic at all times. He’s rich honestly even without his parent’s cash he can survive.

Will is a business minded person, in fact at 19 he owns 3 Café, - Au Fudge located in the heart of the bustling metropolis- with organic grocery shop which is a haven for vegan and vegan wannabees. Le laitière- it’s a cheese shop that offers a wide array and varieties of cheese from different parts of the world and A genoux- a french pâtisserie shop.

You can mistake him for 26 years old.. no offense Will is all but a definition of a handsome young man, but I guess he prefers to be labelled that way. He want people to believe that he is mature for his age.

The truth is... his passion is really singing.. he is a good singer, I’m a singer myself, I met Will to one of my gig, well not mine but I’m more of a replacement when Alice our original bitchy vocalist can’t make it because of bad sore throat.

It happens to be the café I’m working with, well it was an awkward encounter when I met Will. He kind off save me from a big embarrassment! Had I know that I would have at least shampooed my hair that day! I remember that night it’s a big event for our Café and we are jam packed. It’s been few hours but Alice hasn’t show up, I started to get worried because I am the one who recommended her to my boss and had paid her in advance. She’s a budding local artist at that time, and I was naïve 16 years old. I remember how Art and Leah my boss almost crushed me with their harsh word because Alice didn’t showed up. It took me a while to pick up my courage and take over the stage, it’s a bit spacey with instruments, band and all but I felt small and suffocating that time. I guess that’s when Wilhelm saw me, He step up the stage and instructed the band what to sing and little did I know we survive through the night.

That’s when he offered me a job at his restaurant which is starting at that time, did I tell you that’s where I also met Jessica, now I don’t think of it as a co-incidence .. I think this is faith… Will as we call him… is the one that started to call me as cootie- it’s actually from my last name- Alcott.. Jessica just wanted to be called Jess, our little spoil brat, we had our own world, we are the best of friends, we did everything together, not unless Will is busy womanizing.

Sometimes I think me and Jess is his curse lol, because of how he made those girls cry.

I can’t help myself but hug them tightly.

They are my only friend. Back in grade school and high school I was always bullied because of how different I look, some says I was a high breed. Lol kids couldn’t be more cruel but I have a lot to be thankful for than to loathe how different I am. I can’t believe I met this two amazing human being.

I’m beyond grateful and blessed. This is all because of Mom and Dad. I love them so much.

“You’re right Jessy I can’t believe this day would come!"

" Gosh I’m missing you both now, I just can’t think figure how will my everyday life be, without a day hearing you both bickering with each other! "

" Or Jess complain what to wear the next day she called me the night before"

" And you Will, making me pretend like your girlfriend on the phone to bail you out from your date" Which I do by the way because I want to save the girl for future heartbreaks not because I want to ruin her moment!”

tears now running on my cheeks

Jessica turn to me slowly, and she is crying like a kid… “know right Cootie???”

" I told you I can read your mind now and this is the once in a lifetime that you say a lot of things!! Like you are now more of a 3 liner girl!!”

We can’t help but laugh, well she’s right, I don’t speak much unless I’m spoken to.

“Hey hey my girls stop that ok? Who says we are leaving?

" Do you guys have a plan yet? "

" Why don’t we travel and enjoy the day shall we?"

" or hmmmmm.. since we are the best of friends… how do friends with benefits sounds like?? Hmmm…. ?"

“Perv! Jessica exclaimed, “I can’t believe we put up with a maniac like you, you are making me cringe”

“Come on Jess!, don’t tell me you are not curious? Don’t you want to find out if the legend is true? "

“I’d die!!!, I know your caliber Will and I’ve seen it there’s nothing so special about your d**k" !

“Oh so you remember huh??”” I can’t believe you treasure that memory Jess!!."

“Oh shut up!, I felt puking again just thinking about it!!..."

“Wait what? What am I missing??... "

" Did you two?" ......... as I point my finger to the both of them and does the sign of the cross.

“Madre de Dios!..."

“Cootie, stop whatever you’re thinking ok? You got it wrong??? All wrong ok???...

I almost burst to laughter when I saw Jessica’s face as red as a tomato on its ripest.

“Jess baby, I think Cootie has a right to know"

Will said in a serious face but I can see at the corner of his mouth, a silly victorious smile. Well this i***t is really handsome… if only he knew….

How Jessica really felt, he would have stop…

“I have nothing to tell her you asshole!

"Well I’m graduating today, I don’t know for the both of you?!! But I’m heading off! "

" Cootie???? " Dont just stand there! " Come on!!

" What?? So are you on his side now??” hmmp!!!! "

" FINEEEEEE"

" Jessy!!! I calles her name loudly but the university barbie doll sprint fast and dissappear in the crowd.

" Jessicaa!!! Wait!!!!

“Lol you always make it about you until the last minute huh??? "

" You gotta earn your keep later or a hurricane is about to devastate you!”

“Don’t tell me it’s just me! you enjoyed teasing her!!

“Well she will forgive me no matter what, because we are sisters!

I hurriedly followed suit. Now this graduation makes me excited!..