A Coincidence
1228 Words
Graduation came and went, the most boring day in the history of boring days I have experienced. Mom bought me a peach dress that was terrible for my complexion, making my freckles stand out too much. When Dad pointed it out, she got mad at him and it resulted in another fight, ruining the start of my day.
I only took pictures with them and my favourite teacher, Mrs Pat Maroney. After the official ceremony, I avoided everyone else, hiding in the alcoves in the room.
My eighteenth birthday was worse than the graduation ceremony. Nobody had responded to the invitation Mom had made me post on my class social group. I had celebrated my birthday with a melted cake, disappointed parents and no guests.
Fast-forward to today, I am leaving home for UC Blue Ash and my Dad is almost in tears. I could not understand the reason for the tears, given that I had spent the first eighteen years of my life with him.
“Sure you don’t need anything else from your room? Like, your novels and scrapbooks?” Dad asks, stalling by the door.
He is in no haste to drive me to the airport, which had been my mother’s idea. She does not trust Dad’s ability to get me to Cincy in one piece.
Hmm. As if aeroplanes don’t crash too.
Don’t think about crashing, I warn myself. Or the fact that the plane will be many heights above the ground.
If there is anything I was scared of, it is of heights. Maybe that's why I am so short; my body is probably scared of growing taller.
“Yes, Dad. I packed up overnight, and I have everything I need. I’m going to school, not moving out of the country.” I love being organized, so I made a list of the things I would need for my new room at college. I packed according to the list and needed just two suitcases.
“Okay.” He twists the front door key twice in the hole and pulls it out. “Let’s go for a ride.”
He loads my suitcases in the boot of his truck while I take the front seat. I stare at the steering wheel, wishing I had my own car and could drive. Then, Dad would not have to worry about driving me to the airport.
I promise myself right there in the front seat to save up and buy my own car before convocation. It didn’t have to be brand new, just good mileage and the colour had to be business black. A used Camry SE or Lexus ES300 would do.
He gets behind the wheel eventually, and I take out my phone to go on the college’s virtual tour again.
I can feel his eyes on me occasionally, but I pretend not to notice. I worry about him and what would happen between Mom and him once I am no longer around to keep them from killing each other.
Oh well, they are adults. They can sort out their issues.
***
“Promise me you will call me every day, so I can know you are happy and safe,” Dad adds when I roll my eyes. The plane is calling passengers to come onboard already, but he is still holding on to my arm.
A call every day? Even he knows it is not possible. I hate my voice on the phone and I never know what to say.
“How about at least once a week?” I would be so busy with settling in and choosing classes that I wouldn’t have the time to call every single day.
Besides, I haven’t even decided what course I want to major in. I will have to see the academic counsellor for that.
“Fine, once a week and call your mother too, or she’ll think I told you not to call her. Anyway, I love you, Mer, and I want you to have the best of everything. I’m going to miss you like crazy so don’t be a stranger, okay?”
I do not reply. I walk into his arms and give him a very warm hug. He is squeezing the breath out of me but I let him have his moment. Just before I turn blue, the air hostess announces my flight again and we break up the hug.
“Take care of yourself, Mer,” he says to me finally, backing away.
“Take care of yourself too, Dad,” I whisper and he does not hear me. Mum is going to destroy him in my absence and I would miss him too. He alone gets me and he substitutes as my Dad and my best friend.
I go into the plane with mixed feelings, a lot on my mind. Mom got me a first class ticket, her farewell gift to me. An air hostess directs me to the first class section and shows me to my seat. Seat number 13 beside me took my lucky number. Damn it!
He is huddled over a laptop, a black hoodie hiding his face from view. The air hostess taps him to get his attention and he takes out his earpods.
“The plane is about to take off. Please, make use of your seatbelts and set your devices in flight mode. Thank you,” she rounds off her speech and moves to the next section.
I turn off my phone and reach for my seat belt when a hand captures mine by the wrist.
“Let me,” he offers and goes ahead to secure the seatbelt snugly around me. “How’s that?”
His hoodie falls backward and I am utterly blown away by how stunning his eyes are. They are golden but then, he blinks and they assume the colour blue!
“Your. . .your eyes. . .they. . . changed,” I stutter, pointing at his face. He puts down my finger, bringing his face close to mine.
“Must be the lighting in here. Do they look anything but blue right now?”
I don’t speak because I suddenly can’t breathe. Boys don’t come so close to me in high school unless they want to pull a prank on unsuspecting me. My glasses slide down my sweaty nose, prompting me to push them up.
He chuckles and moves away, leaning into his seat. I exhale in gratitude and close my eyes briefly.
“Did I scare you?” he asks, playing with the sleeve of my oversized white sweater. Gosh, he is too touchy, but acting very unlike me, I don’t stiffen from his touch. I sit there, letting him trace the black zigzags up to my shoulder.
“No,” I decide, imagining how soft his dark hair would be.
What is wrong with me?
The pilot makes the last announcement and the plane takes off. It would only take an hour to get to Covington so I go through the college flyer sent to me through the mail.
His hand on my sweater pauses when he sees the flyer.
“No way. You are going to UC Blue Ash?”
“Yes,” I nod, watching his eyes linger on the flyer.
“What a coincidence. I happen to be going to UC Blue Ash College too.”
- Writer
