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Resolutions (Part 12)

December: Plans and Actions

By Al Song

December 31st, 2015

This past Thanksgiving break would earn the title of 'Mixed Reviews' from not just me but probably also others staying at my house. After Nathan and I returned to the dinner table for the rest of dessert my mom pretty much forced my Uncle Will to apologize to the wolf and me. He did say that he was sorry and we changed the topic to sports, which excluded my dad, cousin, and me so we listened quietly and then the subject went to literature, which allowed a contribution from everyone.

My mom then asked what my plans were for after graduation, and that caused me to choke on a large piece of pie crust. I told everyone at the table that I applied to UPNw, two schools in New York City, one in Italy, and a couple in France. My GRE scores were pretty good and Nathan got a near perfect score in each section. He also was able to get a reduced cost on the test and the applications. The thing in my gut that worried me was that Nathan and I only applied to the same programs in France at UPNw. He was also thinking about volunteering around the world too, which showed how much compassion there was in his heart, but honestly it bothered me that there was the possibility of the two of us not getting into the same schools and Nathan possibly not going to grad school. The schools he applied to were near Los Angeles and various places along the east coast.

Black Friday shopping consisted of the family heading to the mall in the afternoon so that the crowds would dissipate to less severe degree. Nathan bought a cream sweater and a charcoal gray coat. I hit up the electronics stores and I bought a few books that were on sale at the discount book store. My parents mostly got practical things for their apartment in New York. My uncle bought some weight sets and a couple games for my cousin. Nathan and I did homework and read a little together in my bedroom after the shopping trip.

The rest of the weekend was used for more homework and bonding time with my family. It was hard saying my farewells to my parents and it did dishearten me when they told me that they wouldn't be able to be back during winter vacation since they would have to do a good amount of work in New York for my mom's new store. I had hugged them and told them that I would miss them both dearly. They said the same to me and hugged me tightly.

Nathan and my roommates surprised me with an amazing birthday gift a few days before New Year's Eve. It was later in the afternoon when they decided to blindfold me and drag me into Geo's car. They refused to answer me when I asked them where we were going and questions pertaining to why. When we finally parked the car Nathan pulled the blindfold off in one quick swoop and a restaurant stood in front of the windshield. They managed to get a reservation at the restaurant we went to on Valentine's Day called "Amici" and I had a really pleasant time. The server from that day gave us the same cupcakes for dessert and we took a group picture with her.

I knew doing all this wouldn't actually be cheap so I really appreciated it. I knew my friends and my boyfriend lived to embarrass me but they were also some of the nicest people I had ever gotten to know.

I also received a glitter ink covered package in the mail from my parents. I opened it and there was a lime green hoodie that matched the hat my mom got me during mother's day. When I put it on I saw that on the inside of the chest there was a little note that was embroidered to the fabric that said, 'We love you.' It warmed my chest but it also made me miss my parents even more and I wished that could have seen them during the winter break.

A few hours before the New Year arrived I was rushing around our kitchen making sure pizzas were in the oven along with cupcakes and cookies being frosted and decorated correctly as Arvin and Geo ran to the corner market to pick up some more ingredients and snacks. Apparently we didn't have enough milk and sugar, and he wanted to pick up some gluten free treats just in case but I wondered if the store would be a crowded, stressful battlefield at this time of night on new year's eve. They were brave and courteous enough to go through all that even though we already had a lot of food, and everyone was already snacking so it didn't seem like anyone had a gluten allergy or was on a gluten free diet but it's definitely better to be safe than sorry.

I then felt a gentle hug from behind as black fur appeared in my peripheral vision and I felt a big wolf nuzzle against me.

"Wes, go mingle and have fun. I'll take care of all this. Go on," Nathan said as he started to walk to the sink to wash his paws.

"Sure," I replied and gave him a kiss while standing on the edges of my toes at the sink. "Thank you."

"No prob," he said as he lathered his paws.

I hopped out of the kitchen and into the living room which was ablaze with chatter and tasteless pop music along with the delightful smell of salt and carbs emanating from the snacks laid out on display atop the tables.

"What's up Wes?" Gina, a tall gazelle with a red snapback, denim overalls, plaid shirt, and long boots asked as she gave me a high-five, and then clasped my paw in hers and pulled me into a hug.

"I'm good. I've been asked to relax at the request of my boyfriend," I replied to her. I had a few literature and French classes with her while I was at the university. I didn't actually talk to her and get to know her until spring quarter of last year.

"Speaking of your boyfriend, you two are the cutest couple I've ever seen," Beth, Gina's girlfriend said. She was a short weasel in a simple, gray, flowing sweater and black jeans. She also wore thick black glasses and a necklace with clear, plastic pearls.

"Hey, you guys make a great pair too," I said smiling at them.

"I'll admit we're awesome, but you guys are the cutest and I will destroy anyone who tries to call me cute," Gina said and then crushed a cheese cracker between her teeth.

"Duly noted," I replied.

"How were your finals?" Beth asked seemingly trying to cushion Gina's statement, even though I knew her girlfriend was kidding.

"They went well. I breezed through the tests but writing out the essays took longer than I expected. How were they for you?"

"I just had a big project for each of my classes," she said. It made sense since she had told me that she was majoring in architecture and minoring in art. I preferred tests to projects myself since they always seemed less time consuming.

"That goes the same for me except I had tests too," Gina said.

"Do you have any plans for after graduation?" Beth asked as my brain went into a numb, frozen place and into panic mode at the same time.

I clenched my teeth together and fiddled with my fingers.

"Well," I said and took a breath. "I've applied to schools but I haven't heard anything from them yet."

"Gina and I were planning on traveling for a few years before going back to school."

"Ah..." I replied and stared for a while as I breathed sharply. "I'm sorry I just need a second." I then rushed awkwardly outside into the hallway and the chilly night air welcomed me onto the dark landing. I put my back against the apartment exterior and then I slunk downwards and hugged my knees to my chest.

A couple seconds later Nathan popped from out of the door.

"Hey hon, do you want to talk?" he asked as I turned to him.

"Uh," I said weakly then I let out a defeated sigh. "Sure?"

"What's wrong? Did someone say something to you?" he asked and sat next to me.

"No, it's just that I was talking to Gina and Beth, and then our conversation got to a topic that I didn't really like," as I turned my gaze back at my knees.

"What did you guys talk about?"

"Graduation," I said glumly.

"What's so terrible about graduating?" he said as he started to rub my shoulder gently.

"I don't know what'll happen to us," I said as I sunk lower.

"Well, we've applied to some of the same schools and programs so there's a chance for us to physically still be together after graduation."

"And if that doesn't happen and we're at completely different schools?"

"We'll still have ways of communication. I'll make an account for all the social media sites in the whole wide internet and I'll keep you updated with everything and we'll try to talk every day and we can visit each other on the holidays," he said with a gentle smile.

"But it won't be the same without you."

"I know it won't but it'll be just a few years and we still have the rest of our lives afterwards. We also have the rest of the school year and the rest of the summer break to be together. We still have at least another eight months. That's a long time."

"I guess it's longer than the amount of time that we've been dating, but I'm still really going to miss you," I said and I heard my voice crack.

"I'll miss you too but we'll first have to see what the acceptance letters say."

"I hate that our futures are determined by pieces of paper with ink on them. It's like the world's just full of malicious fortune cookies," I said and gritted my teeth.

"Good fortunes turn up too and acceptance letters seem to be a much better guide than cookies with generalized statements."

"True."

With that we kissed and hugged for a few minutes. We took in each other's warm and we breathed each other's scents. We then walked back into the apartment and rejoined the party.

Gina and Beth apologized to me if they said anything wrong and I explained to them that they didn't have to and I told them about my current freak out. They both then hugged me and were trying to be as supportive as possible, which I really appreciated.

I talked with a couple other friends from classes and I was trying to put the worries in the back of my mind as I tried to live in the moment and enjoy the food and company.

Nathan and I stepped out onto my balcony a few minutes before midnight struck the chilly, dark night.

We held each other for extra warmth and his closeness threatened to melt my heart into a viscously, sweet syrup.

I nuzzled into his strong chest and gave him a quick kiss before Arvin opened the glass door and held up an old alarm clock, and said, "Alright, I've got the time on this synced up to my computer's clock."

"We could have just used our phones, Arvin," I said.

"Glass houses hips-otter boy," he retorted pointed at me with an accusatory finger. He knew the combination of 'hipster' and 'otter' killed me a little on the inside and he seemed to not care whatsoever.

Geo then popped out of the living room and gave Arvin a hug and said to the buck, "Let's be nice, deer."

"I don't mean to be roo-d," he said back to the tall kangaroo and they both laughed.

The others walked onto the balcony and joined us as the clocked ticked closer to midnight. We saw our neighbors also standing on their balconies along with their friends and relatives in the chill of the night.

When the countdown arrived we all softly chanted from around thirty so we could all sync up and shout in unison by the time we had ten seconds left.

"Ten," we all yelled. I remembered how sad and difficult las New Year's was.

"Nine!"

I then became friends with Nathan.

"Eight!"

He helped me out with so much this year.

"Seven!"

I became reacquainted with my family again.

"Six!"

My friends were there for me.

"Five!"

I had amazing adventures.

"Four!"

I celebrated a victory for marriage, love, and freedom.

"Three!"

I made new and incredible friends.

"Two!"

I learned to appreciate both little and big things in life.

"One!"

I fell in love.

"Happy new year!" everyone shouted. The alarm clock rang as bright fireworks blazed the stark, black night sky and Nathan pulled me into a deep kiss.

-To be continued...