Teaching Mr. Graham

    "I just wanted to apologize to you on the behalf of Northwestern University," the short, blonde admissions clerk said. "We try to take appropriate measures to prevent class cancellations, but sometimes these problems are unavoidable."

    "That's okay," Tatiana responded, tucking strands of black hair behind one ear. "I was wondering, though...when one class is cancelled, exceptions can't be made to add students to other classes for the same course, even if they're full?"

    The clerk, whose name badge read: Amy, shook her head. "Unfortunately not in this case. Did you have an idea of which course you would like to replace the cancelled class with?"

    The question of the hour, Tatiana thought. She turned her head and glanced at Kenya, who looked like she was on the verge of answering the clerk's question for her. They'd spent most of the previous night talking about which class Tatiana should choose, and her future - that's when Kenya was willing to give the topic of Mr. Mysterious a break. Kenya had spent a good amount of time talking about him, and she hadn't even seen his entire face yet.

    "Excuse me? Ms. Wallace?" the clerk asked.

    "Right. Which class I'm taking..." Tatiana tapped her manicured fingernails on the admissions office counter. Her phone vibrated in her jeans pocket before she could come up with an answer. With a roll of her eyes, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and looked down at the screen. Wordlessly, she turned the phone around so Kenya could see the screen.

    "Damn," Kenya muttered, her eyes widening. "Their timing, though."

    Tatiana held up an index finger to the admissions clerk, and raised the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

    "How is my college girl doing?" her mother asked her. The sounds of clinking dishes could be heard in the background.

    "I'm good, how are you and Dad?" Tatiana asked, walking away from the counter.

    "We're good. As busy as ever, but you know how that goes. Are you all settled in?"

    "Yeah, Kenya and I unpacked most of our stuff last night," Tatiana replied.

    Kenya cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hey, Mama Wallace!"

    Tatiana's mother laughed. "Tell Kenya's crazy self that I said hello."

    "She says hi back," Tatiana told Kenya while covering up the cell phone's tiny mouthpiece.

    "Is everything going well with your classes?" her mother asked.

    Tatiana closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. She should have known that the text message she'd sent her parents the afternoon before wouldn't suffice. They would feel the need to call her and confirm that everything was as it should be. So typical of her parents. "My classes? I mean...I don't start until next week."

    "I know, but you'll want to check with admissions office, just to make sure everything is okay with your classes. There are so many things that can happen last minute. It never hurts to double-check."

    "Right," Tatiana mumbled, feeling miserable.

    "I'm so excited for you," her mother said. "Some of the best memories I have are from my college days."

    "I'm excited too," Tatiana said, although her tone contradicted the words she spoke. She talked to her mother for a few more minutes, and then they ended the call. She returned to the admissions counter. "I'm sorry about that."

    Amy, the admissions clerk, smiled pleasantly. "It sounds like your parents care about you very much."

    "A little too much," Tatiana muttered, taking a deep breath. One phone call from her mother, and she already felt like she was being smothered. It felt like she was back in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, back under her parents' thumbs. Under lock and key, being held back from truly experiencing life. Kenya's advice and Mr. Mysterious's advice circled around her head and caused a slight dizzying effect. "As for the class that I wanted to replace the cancelled one..."

    Kenya nudged her in the arm. "You know which class you should take. Don't make me say it for you."

    They're going to kill me for this, Tatiana thought. "There's a writing class with a teacher named Mr. Graham. There was a post on the bulletin board, about that class being open for enrollment and someone told me about it. I think I want to go with that one."And I think I need to seriously consider what I want written on my tombstone, since my parents are going to kill me.

    Amy typed into her computer keyboard. "Ah, I've got the class up. The class is still open, so I can add you to the class. Do you want me to add you?"

    Her heart hammered in her chest. "Do I want you to add me...uh, yes. Yes, I do. I would. Please, yes."

    "Calm down," Kenya said, standing beside her. "You only had to say 'yes' one time."

    Tatiana's palms grew clammy. A little voice at the back of her head screamed, "What are you doing?!" She ignored that voice. I only have one life. I need to live it. This is a decision that I have to make for myself, whether or not my parents would approve of it.

    After Tatiana's course change was confirmed, Kenya checked to make sure all of her classes were good to go, and then they were walking out of the admissions building. Tatiana tilted her head back and exhaled. Kenya gave her a pat on the back. "I'd be willing to bet that you won't regret the decision you made in there, no matter how pissed off your parents are," she said.

    Tatiana wasn't so sure. "I guess we'll find out."

    Kenya looped an arm around her shoulders. "Needless to say, I'm proud of you. You took a stand for something you believe in and made a move for yourself. For your future." She started to walk, with her arm still around her friend. "This is a cause for a celebration."

    A dark-haired college kid on a skateboard rolled up to them, stopped, and handed them each a flyer. "Party tonight. Cadence Hall. The last hurrah before classes start." He slid a pair of expensive Aviator sunglasses down his nose. "I hope to see both of you beautiful ladies there." He didn't wait for an answer. As quickly as he'd approached, he started rolling again, off to hand flyers to the next unsuspecting victims.

    Tatiana turned to watch his departure, her brows furrowed. Then she lowered her eyes to the colorful piece of paper in her hands.

    Kenya squealed. "I swear to God, it's like heaven is opening up and lighting the way so you can see that you made the right choice."

    "That's stretching it," Tatiana said, as she continued walking.

    "I say that you choosing the writing course is a cause to celebrate, and some random guy rolls up to us on a skateboard to hand us a party flyer?" Kenya shook her head. "That is what we call fate, my friend."

    Tatiana laughed. "I take it we're going then?"

    "Hell yeah, we're going!" Kenya exclaimed, folding up the flyer and tucking it into the pocket of her white Capri pants. She adjusted her flowy, multi-colored top over the waistband of her pants. Then she linked arms with Tatiana. "We're going, and we're going to make sure this is a night that neither of us will forget. Why?" She shouted, "Because we're college girls now, bitch!"