24 Hours

It was the day before college, i woke up with my stomach filled with butterflies, i was so excited to leave this crazy house. I went downstairs and my mum had made me my favourite breakfast, pancakes with lots of syrup. My good mood however was quickly shattered when my twin brothers started loudly discussing their plans for my room now i was close to moving to college. I guess i had no reason to be upset since i wasn't going to be using it for the next few years but it made me so upset somehow. 

I had made plans with my best friend Carly that day since we were planning to go to difference college's i wouldn't see her every day. So i scoffed my breakfast and quickly got dressed and headed for the door, i yelled out bye to my mother and walked towards the door, i knew if she knew i was planning to spend the day with my friend she would try to stop me and smother me with affection so i sped out the door and headed towards the cafe on the corner of my road where me and Carly usually meet for coffee. 

I grabbed my coffee and sat our usual booth, she came 10 minutes later and sat beside me apologising as usual for being late. "I can not believe we're going to be starting college tomorrow?!" Carly shouted. "Quiet down, we're in public you know" I replied but i couldn't help but laugh because it's all starting to seem much more real now. "I can't wait" I said even though i knew deep down i wasn't completely ready, Carly then started to list all of the reasons college is going to be amazing, meeting new people, parties and finally getting away from our crazy families. I agreed but i knew none of those things were going to be good for me, i'm not really a party girl and i loved my crazy family and meeting new people never felt like an option for me, it took me long enough to feel comfortable with this weirdo, I thought as i looked at Carly. 

We had plans to go to the movies then we were going to get dinner and drinks after. After the movie she was so excited to drink that it dawned on me just how different we were, i told her i had a migraine to get out of it, she was upset for a second but she soon called another friend and soon enough they were here. We hugged and laughed and said our goodbyes and promised we would still see each other all the time. I realised that evening that all i wanted was my mum and my family before i wouldn't see them again for a while. I hurried home and as soon as i opened the door i heard them shout "Surprise!" my whole family were stood around the kitchen table and my brothers were holding a cake that said 'Go get em', I was happy that they cared about me so much but right then all i could bring myself to do was cry, i fell to my knee's as i couldn't stop the tears. My parents sent my brothers upstairs and took me outside to get some air. 

Five minutes later i was sat on the porch swing between my mum and dad, i felt like a child again but maybe that's what i wanted to feel like right now, it felt like my last day to feel like a kid again. "What's wrong" my mum asked but i didn't even know how to begin to explain how scared i was of leaving everything i have ever known. "My chest feels tight, i don't want new friends and what if i fail?" I asked worriedly. "Just take a breath and work hard like you usually do, if you fail you fail, as long as you do your best" my mum said as she smiled while rubbing my back, she threw a look at my dad and he kissed my forehead before heading back inside and closing the door. "Look...Whatever you do, we'll always be proud of you and there will always be a home for you here, you'll make friends in no time" She continued. What if i don't though, i thought. I knew she was right but it was still so scary to me, i kept crying as i leaned into my mother and i thought to myself the reason i wanted to go to college so far away was the same reason i wanted to stay right now. 

I woke up the next morning with a little less worry and more peace of mind knowing my mum will miss me just as much as i miss her. My brothers were messing around the whole car ride to the airport but it didn't seem to annoy me as much as usual, my mother was egging me on the whole journey and my dad even started crying. There was a sad goodbye in the airport, i borded the plane and took a deep breath like my mother repeatedly kept telling me to, it didn't really work but it helped me distract myself, as others took their seats a woman sat next to me wearing my universities logo on her hoodie, i asked her if she had been to the university i was about to start going to and she started talking about all of the fun she had there, and it wasn't all about parties. I spent the whole jorney talking to her and listening to her stories about her old college life and seeing how much a non party girl enjoyed college so much gave me so much more hope for my future. I got off the plane before her as she seemed to be collecting a lot more bags than me, i was hailing a cab when the same woman walked up behind me with another young girl wearing the same hoodie, she asked me to take care of her daughter who was attending the same college as me. "Of course!" i said happily but nervously as i got in the cab after her. It turned out we had a lot in common, we shared a college room for 2 years and quickly became the best of friends.