Secret Academy - Deuteronomy

Wheels of Fate

He was sitting quite still, looking outside the window as he kept his posture straight. He didn’t want his mother thinking that he had been defeated - but he was already restless. It was a dull two and a half-hour drive in total silence.

“We’re almost there. Aren’t you excited?” Mrs. McCurdy smiled as she kept on driving.

But Jasper only gave her a quick glance, before turning his attention by the roadside again. She didn’t want to, but a sad sigh escaped her pursed lips. He heard it. As much as he loved her, she had to accept that there are now other women in his life.

Jasper wanted to go to the same college as his girlfriend, Lisa. They were going to be animal doctors together – although the only real pet he ever loved was his hamster Paolo (which died five years ago).

Resting his head on his hand, he just stared out the car and into the urban landscape. They made sure the drive would kill me, he thought. Two and a half hours was certainly not his idea of travel time when visiting Lisa; but even if it takes that long, he was going to do anything. He smiled a little as he recalled Lisa’s long, thick, blonde hair around his fingers, and her beautiful hazel brown eyes that were just the same color as his.

“You’re still not talking to me…Jasper?” and there was sadness in her voice.

“You’re the one that wants this” was his hard reply.

Mrs. McCurdy made a left turn towards huge open gates and a lot of teenagers. Some of them paused as they stared after the black BMW. Annoyed, Jasper sat straight again and gazed ahead, to the huge brick building that he considered prison.

His mother parked on the open field where a few other cars were lined up. They both got out, and she stood next to her tall son and tried to look happy. But Jasper kept his eyes locked ahead.

“I hope you understand…we’re not trying to separate you two - we love Lisa. But your education…” she trailed off.

“I know what I want, Mom. I’m eighteen”

“It’ll be hard at first, dear. But your father promised you a good car so you can visit her – and we also bought you that new laptop you wanted. Oh Jasper -” she pleaded, holding his arm.

The campus was indeed large and spacious. He could see three other buildings – two modern ones to the left, and an antique-looking structure to the right, reminiscent of the Renaissance period. Must be the library, he thought. He didn’t want to feel impressed, but he did: he had heard of this school – it had a good reputation and a long list of outstanding alumnae. If he studied here, he could be anything he wanted to be: a professor, a writer, maybe an engineer. Or a lawyer. That thought made him wince; but his mother’s warm hand brought him back to reality.

He sighed loudly, slouching a little.

“You guys know I’ll be hating you forever…”

“Oh darling!” and she threw her arms over him in one big embrace.

Jasper wrapped his arms around his mother and gave her a pat or two on the back. When they parted, her eyes were wet. He stroked her cheek and gently touched the corner of her eye, wiping away a tear. At forty, his mother looked awfully young and pretty. He studied her features for a while; observing her dark curls fall on her round shoulders, and how her hazel brown eyes danced with hope. She looked a lot like him – but he knew that’s where their likeness ended.

He sighed deeply.

“How could I stand to make a girl cry?” he finally gave her a smile, one that made the girls at his school melt.

They walked inside the brick building and didn’t come out for about an hour. After which they drove again in silence, another two-and-a-half hour drive back home. As Jasper watched the sun set over the horizon - making it a palette of orange, and gold, and purple - he felt sad but excited. I’m sorry, he thought.

*

“Idiot. I can’t believe you’re leaving me” Lisa snuggled her head in Jasper’s shoulder as they lay together under the tree in her backyard.

Jasper held her tighter and had no words. He expected her to cry when she heard the news, but then again, they both knew it months before. They just didn’t think it could actually be true.

“I’ll visit you every week” he wanted to sound optimistic.

“No you won’t. You’ll see some other beautiful blonde and forget me”

“Well, let’s hope she’s a lot like you” he teased.

Lisa wasn’t emotional nor a jealous type. She wasn’t also the kind of girl that needed protection or too much romance. Their relationship over the year had been wonderful; with very few quarrels and a lot of happy memories. They continued to embrace each other in silence as stars dotted the sky.

“When will you…” she started to ask but something was caught in her throat. She didn’t like to think it could be tears.

“A week or so” he whispered sadly.

A cold wind blew, making her hair brush against his face. He stroked it gently, wanting time to stop. They both closed their eyes and memories flooded them: how they first met, their friendship, their first kiss…

Lisa’s mother poked her head outside the front door and shouted for dinner. The lovers laughed as they stood up and walked inside, hand in hand. Lisa’s mother smiled at the sight of them, and beckoned them to the table.

The house wasn’t big, but the warm laughter inside echoed through the nearly empty streets of the suburban town. It was a happy place, peaceful and inviting.

A few kids were still riding their bicycles when they noticed a black limousine slowly driving in the street. It passed by Lisa’s bungalow, where the three of them were cheerfully eating dinner. The peaceful air seemed to turn cold as gray clouds followed the car uphill, towards the large white mansion.