39. Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Alex
If there was a way to stay in Oceanside forever with Margot, I would’ve done it. Unfortunately, we had a semester to finish and one more podcast to film before she submits her final project to the New York Times internship contest so rushing back to campus was a necessity. Dropping Margot off at her apartment, I gave her a lingering kiss before she slid out the door with a promise to see me tomorrow in class. Who knew that public speaking would become my most anticipated class of the year.
General noise of frat brothers settling back after a long weekend hit my ears as I walked into the house. A beer comes flying toward my head and I catch it with my non-bag holding hand.
“It’s not even cold,” I remark to Devon who laughs as he meets me in the entryway. He grabs my bag, throwing it toward the stairs.
“Don’t whine. That’s fresh from the Narragansett brewery, as requested.”
I nod in thanks, opening the room temperature beer and taking a sip. Even warm, my favorite beer always hits. “Good break?” I ask as we walk into the living room. Two juniors vacate the couch as we enter and we take their empty spots.
“Not bad. My little sister is a real dick,” Devon remarks, taking a sip of his own beer.
I choke out a laugh. “Dude, she’s like six.”
“Yeah, a six year-old dick.”
I shake my head, grabbing for the remote but it’s swiped from my hand before I can reach it. Keith gives me a shit-eating grin as he holds the remote above my head.
“Hey, fuckers,” he says, pushing us to the side to sit between us. Him and Devon wrestle for control of the space and I look around for his brother. With everything going on, I haven’t really had a chance to sit down with Kai and help him through his troubles. I hope that being home helped a little bit.
“Where’s your brother?” I ask as the room remains empty besides us.
Keith only shrugs his shoulders like he has no idea but also doesn’t give one crap. I place the beer on the table and head upstairs, grabbing my bag on the way up. Kai has been my best friend for too long for me to let this trouble bring him down. He needs to know that I’m still here for him, new relationship or not.
After tossing my bag in my room, I shut the door and head toward Kai’s, hearing the sounds of ACDC flooding down the hall. I enter without knocking, not that he would’ve been able to hear me anyway. Kai startles when he sees me walk in but then he sighs, as if he knows he’s in for a long conversation.
Kai uses a remote to lower the music and then it’s just him and I and this big obstacle between us.
“How was your break?” I ask, starting slow.
Kai nods. “Yeah, it was good. Yours?”
I nod. “Good. good.”
Kai nods again. “Good. Cool.”
Sighing, I plop down on the foot of his bed. “Have you been able to sort out this whole paying-for-school issue?”
Kai’s quiet for a minute. “I’ll get the money. It’ll be fine.”
“How? How are you gonna get the money? Because I swear, Kai, clearly this gambling shit is what got you in this mess in the first place. It’s not going to be the thing that gets you out.”
“Fuck,” Kai mummers. “You think I don’t know that?”
“I think you’re a fucking idiot.”
Kai stands, ready to defend himself and his honor but he doesn’t make it two steps before he admits defeat. Running both hands through his thick black hair, he looks up at the ceiling for far too long.
“You don’t have to do this alone. I can help you. Any of the guys in this house would help. Hell, does your own brother even know what the hell is going on?”
“He knows,” Kai says quietly. He walks toward the window and I follow him. We look down at the street, watching a girl walk by with her dog. “For the record, he also thinks I’m a fucking idiot.”
I huff out a laugh. “Well he knows you best. And so do I. Get your head out of your ass and let us help. There’s a world of opportunity out there for you. You gotta use the advantages you’re given.”
It comes to me in an instant. A real way for me to help him get the hell out of this situation. Set him up good and proper for the future. It would take a little convincing but I could probably manage it.
I clap Kai on the back and he jumps, not expecting the contact.
“I have an idea and a couple calls to make but let me sort it out and get back to you.” Turning to leave, I hear Kai call my name and I shift back.
“Thanks, man,” he says, reaching out to shake my hand. I take the hand and pull him in for a hug, too.
“That’s what brothers are for.”
Margot jumps in her seat as I plant a kiss on her cheek.
“Geez, every time,” she mutters, handing me a pen.
I laugh. “You know I’m coming and yet you always jump.” She levels me with a look but can’t retort as Professor Walker calls the class to attention. Since the professor mixed up the names this time, Margot and I are both presenting today. I’d like to say I’m not nervous but for some reason, I really am. Not about talking in front of a group of people, I could do that in my sleep.
For some reason, this speech feels even more personal than the first one and that speech mentioned a topic I’ve only told a handful of people. There’s something about talking about the future I want versus the future I have to look forward to. It’s daunting in both regards.
Two freshmen go before me and Margot squeezes my hand when the professor eventually calls my name. I grab my note cards from my backpack and head down to the stage. With a deep breath, I begin.
“There are two questions that should have similar if not the same answers. Those questions are ‘What are your goals and aspirations’ and ‘What are you going to do after college’. If you had asked me those questions at the beginning of this semester, the answer would have been the same. But ever since an influence entered my life and threw it completely off its axis, those answers are not even in the same category.”
I flip my card over and then stuff it inside my pocket, realizing I’m not even looking at them. No, there’s a pair of deep blue eyes I can’t take mine off of.
“When I leave college, there’s an office waiting for me in the headquarters of Prescott Cars. An office with wall to ceiling windows, a desk with nothing more than a computer and a sad plant. An office that will suffocate me slowly for the next fifty years of my life.”
Margot nods.
“That might be someone’s goals and aspirations but it’s certainly not mine. No, my goal is to be happy. My aspiration to be fulfilled. I’m no psychic but I can see far enough into my future to know that neither of those things will happen if I sit behind that desk at Prescott Cars.
“If I could have it my way, I’d be a personal trainer when I left this place. But, how often do people get to have their way?” With that, I give a final nod and then exit the stage, reclaiming my seat next to my beautiful girlfriend.
“Well done,” she says with a nudge on my elbow.
“Thanks,” I grin before turning my attention back to the other presenters.