I wish I was there...

The sun was high above in the afternoon sky shining down on the large asphalt parking lot. The asphalt shimmered in the summer heat. Julia looked out her dorm window and onto the parking lot below towards the students parking their cars. One student shielded herself from the sun’s glare and held the book in her hand over her head. It was too hot today as Julia thought to herself.

Julia was in her senior year in university. For the past 6 months Julia was sending out resumes to different companies with no luck. Not until last week did she manage to get an interview with an international marketing firm downtown. She was still waiting for a response but she was hopeful. She was happy she did well during the interview. Julia’s focus went back to her homework. She was studying for a Communications midterm on mass media next week. Potential topics of question that might be on the exam included, what are the major media and cultural industries, what are the principle areas they market in, what are their positioning and branding, and who are their major competitors? Julia let out a sigh as her eyes glazed over all the different topics, her pages, and highlighted notes. From the sixth floor Julia looked out the window and above the trees. She could just see the water and the city in the far distance down below. She could make out the small boat-shaped logs floating on the water that were container ships.

It was almost 5pm. Julia had a video date with her boyfriend Jacob. Julia closed her books and opened up her notebook, and turned on her webcam. She typed a message to Jacob.

One minute, almost ready

Julie left her desk and went to the bathroom to get ready. Soon after Jacob appeared on Julia’s messaging app. He smiled once he saw Julia appear on the screen. “Hey babe, nice seeing you again. Almost made it on time this time,” said Jacob with a big smile.

“Jacob! At least I remembered this time, right?” replied Julia. She paused for a second, smiled and continued. “So do you come here often?”

“Ha ha. Well I was there last month. So how are things?”

“Good. Got all of my work done for today. Studied for my Communications midterm next week. It’s going to be brutal I hear.”

“I’m sure you’re you’ll do fine. And I’m glad to hear you got all of that done.”

“Yeah. Now I can relax for a bit. So, how are you?”

“I’m doing good. Work’s been going smooth. Seems like I may be in for a promotion. My supervisor pulled me aside and had a chat with me saying he liked what he saw in my work. I may run the operations of the factory. I just have to be patient because there’s so many machines you have to run and so many things I would have to learn to be a machine operator supervisor.”

“That sounds awesome, congrats! That’s a great opportunity. You just have to keep at it.”

“Thanks! It’s a good opportunity. I’m looking forward to it. Have you heard back from that interview?”

“No. Not yet. I’m really hoping they’ll get back to me. That’s such a nice position. They have international offices and I’d love it if I can eventually get a position overseas.”

“Yeah, definitely.” Jacob almost stopped smiling for a second, but he caught himself at the last moment and maintained his composure. “Where is that job again?”

“It’s past the city centre. I don’t think I can make the commute so I’ll have to eventually move there. Otherwise it’ll be over a 3 hour commute. I don’t think I can do that.”

Jacob changed topics immediately. “So. When’s the next time I can come and see you? I’d love to see you again. Remember our last time?”

“Ha ha. I do. It was lovely.” Julia smiled. “I’m not sure. I have my midterm next week. And I’ll be going out to the city centre again for my job interviews. I can do another video date though. When are you free again?”

“I’m free anytime. I’ll make time for you.”

“How about a few weeks from now on the 16^th?”

“Sounds good”

Julia and Jacob continued their date into the night. A summer breeze lightly blew into Julia’s dorm moving her blinds. The summer sun started to set on her dorm building and her room lit up with the gentle evening summer sun and long summer shadows. The large student parking lot that was once full was almost empty with only a few cars left.

---

Julia was now getting ready for her interview down in the city centre at 4 pm. She applied to more companies a few weeks back and some of them started to get back to her for an interview. “Okay. Got my resume, cover letters, and business cards. And I have my interview location set. I better leave soon or I’ll miss my bus,” Julia said to herself as she looked through her bag. Julia looked at her watch. It was time for her to leave as it would take at least 3 hours to get down to the city centre for her interview with a media marketing company. Julia finished packing her bag, checked herself in the bathroom mirror one last time, went to her front door, put on her flats, and rushed out the door.

Julia was on the bus on her way home from her interview. She was tired. She was preparing for this interview for the past few days, and she was glad it was finally over. She thought to herself that she nailed all her answers to the questions they asked her. She looked out the window of the bus of the passing city and traffic. It was calming to see all the people and the cityscape go by fast. Her phone got an email notification from the interview she did with the international marketing firm downtown awhile back. She opened up her inbox and read the first sentence of her email.

Dear Julia,

I hope this email finds you well. I am pleased to offer you offer

you a position as Junior Marketing Assistant.

Julia’s expression brightened. This was the best news she could hear. She was ecstatic. Another notification came up on her phone. It was her classmate Grace.

Hey, you free? Want to hang out later tonight? We’re going to the baseball game and then getting something to eat later

Julia texted back.

OMG, I got the job! Yeah! I’ll be there!

 ---

Julia was sitting in the bleachers with her friends Grace and Taylor watching the baseball game. “I can’t believe that you got the job, congrats!” said Grace.

“Yeah! Eventually, I’ll be able to apply for a position overseas. This is the best thing that could happen,” said Julia excitedly.

“Which location are you thinking of?” asked Taylor.

“There’s one in London and one in New York. I’d love either place. But I’ve always wanted to go to London,” replied Julia.

“Pack your umbrella then. Ha ha. You have to choose London. I’ll come and visit you,” said Grace.

“I can’t wait,” said Julia as she looked at the game. The pitcher threw the ball towards home plate and the batter swung. Julia watched the ball fly across the sky and out of the field. The crowd stood up and cheered.  

Julia’s front door opened. She came back from her time with her friends. She was holding a pizza box with leftovers in one hand and her phone in the other. Julia kicked off her shoes, put the pizza and her phone on her computer desk, and went to bed. She was exhausted. Julia was quickly drifting to sleep but she was also thinking about her future position. If she went with this company she could eventually land an overseas position and do the travelling she always dreamed of. This was her opportunity to see the places she always wanted to see. Her eyelids got heavier, until she fell asleep.

A notification popped up on her phone. It was Jacob.

Hey, where are you? I thought we were having our date tonight?

---

Julia woke up. She reached for her phone. She was surprised she had a bunch of messages from Jacob. She completely forgot she had a date with Jacob last night.

Julia texted Jacob.

Hey, I’m so sorry! I totally forgot. I was with my friends last night

after the interview. Can we reschedule later today?

Julia put down her phone. The summer morning sun streamed through the window. Julia sat up in her bed and looked out the window. She could see the city centre in the distance.

It was later in the day, and Julia’s messaging app opened up. Jacob started the video chat. Julia opened up her webcam.

“Hey Julia, nice seeing you,” said Jacob without any emotion

“Hey Jacob. I’m sorry. I was out and I was just so tired. So I went straight to bed when I got back,” replied Julia.

“You know we were supposed to have our date last night right?”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I had a bunch of stuff to do yesterday. I had my interview and I my friends invited me out to a game.”

There was a silence before Jacob replied. “I see. I stayed up and I was wondering where you were you. This is the third time you did that. Not to mention all those other times you were late.”

“I’m sorry Jacob. I was busy.”

Jacob let out a sigh but didn’t say anything. There was a long silence between them.

Julia broke the silence and tried to lighten the mood. “Do you want to hear something great?”

“What?”

“I got that marketing job in the city centre! I’ll get to travel with an overseas transfer.”

Jacob paused before speaking. He seemed taken back. “Oh congratulations. That’s great. Where were you thinking? ”

“London. I’ve always wanted to go”

“When do you think you’ll be going?”

“After 6 months I can request an overseas position.”

There was another pause from Jacob. “I thought you were going to move back home with me? That’s what you said last year.”

“I know,” Julia said before pausing. “But this is an opportunity to finally go and see London.”

Jacob paused for a second. “You know I’ve been taking on extra hours at my work. And with my upcoming promotion, we’ll finally be able to afford that piece of land we were always talking about.”

There was a pause, but Julia continued. “I know. That’s great… but this is my chance. I just want to leave and travel, and see different places, and meet different people you know.”

“Wait, what? Are you saying you want to see different people now? Do you want to break up?”

Julia thought about what she was going to say for a second. “It doesn’t mean I’m breaking up. I just want different experiences.”

“I don’t believe this. You know I’ve been putting a lot of effort into this relationship to make things work?” Jacob was getting visibly frustrated. “I’ve even been out there to visit you how many times now? I’m not the one forgetting our dates. ”

“What? You know how busy I’ve been. This has been really hard for me too.”

Jacob snapped back. “I’ve always tried to meet you half way, especially since you moved for school. How about you put in some effort once in a while?”

“Jacob…” Julia trailed off, paused, and continued. “I think we need to end this conversation and just have another one at a different time. We’re getting too heated. I don’t want us to say anything that will hurt each other.”

“Too late for that Julia.” Jacob ended the video chat.

Julia let out a sigh as she looked out her window. She was disappointed with her conversation with Jacob. She knew that she was partly to blame because it was true. She was focused on her school and her job search. Julia was having a wonderful time studying, making new friends, and being away from home. She felt like this was her learning and experiencing new things, which was exactly what she wanted. She spent most of her energy and focus on her life here at school, not back home. And unfortunately, that also meant not focusing on her boyfriend. Julia wasn’t thinking of leaving her life back home completely behind, but she was wondering what would happen with her relationship with Jacob. She knew that she promised that they would continue their relationship, and that Jacob was definitely thinking about a future together. But what if her future didn’t involve him at this certain point of her life, Julia wondered.  The sun went down leaving the evening sky dark.

Julia texted Jacob.

Hey Jacob. I know we didn’t have the best talk. But let’s try again

tomorrow in the early evening okay?

---

Julia turned on her messaging app and her webcam. Jacob appeared on her screen. “Hey Jacob, how are you doing?” said Julia.

“Hey, I could be better,” replied Jacob. “How are you?”

“I’m okay.”

A silence followed between them. Both of them just looked into their screens. Jacob was the first to break the silence. “You know, you hurt me when you said you wanted to go overseas all of a sudden without even talking about that with me. It honestly feels like you left me once you left for school.”

Julia paused for a second. “I know, and I’m sorry about that. It was really sudden. This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. Just going to another country and seeing what it’s like. I wish I was there with you. But I also wish I could just go.”

“You know I was planning everything out- my job, future promotion, the house…” Jacob trailed off then continued again. “…does that mean anything to you anymore?”

“It does. And I think that’s great. But it’s not something I’m thinking about right now.”

“Then what are you thinking about?”

“Seeing new places, going to London, and just living somewhere different and doing something different”

Jacob paused. “I see. How long will you be away in London?”

“I don’t know Jacob. Maybe I’ll really like it there and stay there for a while. I don’t know where life will take me.” Julia paused for a moment, then continued. “Isn’t that the point of life, to experience new things, experience the things you’ve always dreamed of? To learn, to grow?”

Jacob paused before speaking. “I didn’t think this would happen. I thought we would learn and grow together.”

“Growing together works when you’re together. But right now we’re apart. And there are so many things that I want to see and do. This is the time to grow while apart.”

Jacob was silent. Julia continued. “The point is that this is a time for me to grow and have new experiences, and it’s also a time for you to grow and have new experiences too. And that means going to new places. Does that mean we’ll still be together after all of this… I don’t know.”

“I’ve just been waiting for you to come back since the day you left. I don’t know if I’d want to keep waiting… So do you think we can work this out eventually?”

A silence fell between the two. A calm summer breeze blew into Julia’s room moving her blinds. The sun was slowly starting to go down in the late summer evening. The summer sunset was casting its long shadows across the school grounds and into her room. Julia didn’t have any words at first. She was finding the right words as the warmth of the setting sun caught her eye. Julia looked out her window, past the student parking lot, above the trees, and down towards the city centre.