underwater
Thread Topic: underwater
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(2/3)
In light of the tragic incident that unfolded at the high school, students have been granted a chance to retake the SATs, scheduled for May 29th, just two days before graduation. June, determined to reclaim her sense of normalcy, fills out her registration with a mix of hope and anxiety, yearning to prove herself and move past all this. Yet, as the test date approaches, she discovers that overcoming her emotional turmoil is far more challenging than she anticipated.
Unwelcome memories of her classmates' faces invade her thoughts at the most unexpected moments, whether she’s strolling down the street or drifting off to sleep. The relentless media coverage surrounding the event fuels a whirlwind of rumors within the school, and June can almost feel the weight of her peers' judgment, despite her innocence in the matter. Mustering every ounce of mental fortitude, she struggles to even show up for the retake. Avoiding eye contact with her classmates, June feels as though she has already been cast out.
June usually exudes confidence during tests, but today her mind spirals into chaos, turning the questions into a jumbled mess of words. Feeling overwhelmed, she hastily scribbles through the remaining questions, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the classroom. As she approaches the teacher's desk to submit her test, her eyes remain fixed ahead, avoiding any direct contact with her peers. "Thank you. You may go." the teacher says, and she offers a faint nod in response. Without wasting another moment, she exits the building in a hurried half-walk, half-jog. She rushes to her aging station wagon, starting it with a sputter and speeding out of the parking lot, leaving a thick plume of exhaust in her wake. All that's left to do now is get through graduation, and wait.
June's memories of her graduation ceremony are hazy, as if she had spaced out during the event. The only vivid recollections she holds onto are the resounding applause that erupted for each student who took the stage, contrasted sharply by the heavy silence that enveloped her when it was her turn. In that moment, her brother stood out, cheering for her with unrestrained enthusiasm, a beacon of support amidst the quiet. Under the glaring lights, she felt her skin flush as she shook hands with her teachers, her expression blank and devoid of the pride she expected to feel. Oddly, she felt no surge of pride or achievement as she stepped down from the platform, merely a sense of relief.
As she walked toward her brother, Julian greeted her with a warm smile and an embrace. "I'm proud of you," he said, his voice filled with genuine affection. "Thanks. Let's get out of here," June replied, her eyes narrowing playfully at him, prompting a laugh from Julian. "God, itching to get out, huh? I'm right there with you." As a sophomore, he was navigating his own social landscape, and a pang of guilt washed over June, making her worry that her own problems might have cast a shadow on his reputation. She silently wished for his success in finding his own place among peers. -
(3/4!! sorry i didn't think i'd add another part, but i'm gonna use the last post to wrap this all up nicely into a lil bow)
June's heart plummets as she stares at her SAT score, her fingers nervously crumpling the paper in her grip. A score of 1400 stares back at her, a mere 10 points shy of the threshold for Boston University. A wave of anxiety washes over her, yet she clings to the reassurance of her perfect 4.0 GPA, hoping that perhaps the admissions committee might overlook that small gap. After a week of restless anticipation, her brother Julian arrives with a plain envelope from Boston University, its weight far lighter than the acceptance package she had envisioned. Eager to witness the moment, Julian watches as June opens the letter, but soon realizes he has made a mistake as her composure shatters, giving way to tears. The news is devastating: she has been rejected.
"My life is over." June sobs.
"No it's not, dummy. Unless Boston is the only place in the whole world you applied to."
"No, of course not.. I'd never be that stupid," The girl wipes her tears. "But Boston was the one I truly wanted. Boston was supposed to be our one-way ticket out of this place. I just don't know what I'm gonna do now."
"Maybe it's good you don't put all your eggs in one basket. Here, there's more for you." Julian hands her a second letter, and a third. Northeastern University, and Salem State University.
One of these schools was June's back-up, and the other a last resort. The young woman tears open the letter from Northeastern University, only for deja-vu to occur and Julian comforting his sister from the rejection once more. Finally, she anxiously bites her lip as she holds the mail from Salem State. This one has considerably more weight to it. She opens it, truly with no expectations at this point. They might as well reject her too. She's surprised to find she's been accepted.
"Well there you go," Julian says encouragingly. "Looks like you'll be Salem State University's next biggest star. Look out, marine biology department!" He playfully makes a gesture with his hand to resemble a shooting star. June's eyes are still damp, but she chuckles as she punches him in the arm. He smiles, getting up from the bed. "You probably have a lot to think about now. You should do that," Julian pulls his chunky headphones back over his head, heading towards his room. "Are you sure you don't just wanna go back to playing video games?" His sister sticks her tongue out, waving him off. As soon as he leaves though, her expression falls. Nothing is going according to plan. She's incredibly disappointed with this outcome. -
(4/4)
After dedicating four - no, twelve - grueling years to her studies and striving tirelessly to secure a spot at a prestigious university, June feels that settling for Salem State is akin to a slap in the face. Being a public university with a high acceptance rate of 93 percent, she hesitates to claim superiority over the many students who attend, yet the situation undeniably feels somewhat humiliating. Nevertheless, she has resolved to accept their offer for a campus tour, hoping to explore the environment and gain a better understanding of what the university has to offer. Known for its rich history, she is eager to discover the charming old architecture that has always captivated her interest, perhaps finding a silver lining in this unexpected turn of events.
The young woman’s white blouse hangs crumpled and unpressed, while her once jet-black dress pants have dulled to a lackluster grey. Her dress shoes, once polished for special occasions, show clear signs of wear, their shine long gone. She's also appeared to have outgrown them, the size creating an uncomfortable embrace on her toes. With a frustrated sigh, she gathers her hair into a haphazard bun, avoiding her own reflection as if it were a stranger. As she heads to her station wagon, hoping for a smooth departure, the engine emits a loud, distressing squeal, belching out thick black smoke and stubbornly refusing to start. In a surge of panic, June yanks the keys from the ignition and retreats back into the house, feeling the weight of the day’s disappointments pressing down on her.
"Juuuules." June whines, forcing his door open.
"Hello, privacy?" Julian stands in front of his dresser, interrupted from preparing to change his clothes. "You're lucky my ass isn't out right now. What do you want?"
"Your metro card."
"What for?"
"My car freaking broke down, Jules. I need to go, now."
Julian's eyes narrow mischievously, his tongue rolling on the inside of his cheek. "I thought you were too good to ride the subway."
"Shut up. Just give it to me, okay? I don't have time for this." June throws her hands up, letting them slap against her thighs with a thud.
"Okay, subway princess." Julian laughs, turning towards his nightstand. He shuffles around the disorganized contents of the drawer before pulling out the metro card. "Your access pass, m'lady." As he hands it to June, she notices it's sticky. What is that? Her upper lip curls up in disgust as she shoves it into her pocket.
"Thanks. I'll be back." She says as she leaves.
After a long struggle, June finally finds the right subway line just in time and settles into her seat. She leans against the train window, slipping her earbuds in, and exhales deeply as the music envelops her. Occasionally, she glances at the overhead sign that lists the upcoming stops, her mind drifting with the rhythm of the music. When her stop finally arrives, she is met with a bustling crowd at the station, reminiscent of her high school days when she would navigate through throngs of students to reach her next class.
However, the moment her thoughts turn to those school memories, they are overshadowed by the haunting recollection of a tragic shooting. The atmosphere in the station suddenly feels oppressive, and she battles against the onslaught of flashbacks, pushing her way through the sea of commuters in a frantic search for the exit. At last, she bursts out of the station, gasping for the fresh air outside, desperate to escape the weight of her memories. Her messy bun appears even more messy now, her desperate attempts to calm the wild baby hairs futile. She sighs, making another futile attempt to smooth the wrinkles in her shirt before proceeding, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
After walking a few streets in silence, trying to mentally prepare herself for the upcoming social interaction, June finally arrives at Salem State University's campus. It is indeed beautiful. She stops in the middle of the front entrance, taking it all in. -
"New school, new me," Elliot said with a soft sigh as he slowed to a stop by the school's entrance, hopping off his skateboard. He was finally out of high school and finally moved away from his hometown, excited to finally get to re-invent himself. He wasn't going to be the same, gifted burn out who missed out on having any fun, he was going to be carefree. Not give a s--- about what people thing. Well, he was sure gonna try, at least. He picked up his board and looked around, admiring the view of the campus. He watched as students came and left, taking in the scenery for a moment with a small smile on his face.
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(i'm so sorry mine's so short, idk why but i just couldn't come up with smth to put- i swear i can do better lmaoo)
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June stood for a moment, taking in the beauty of the front entrance, her heart swelling with a mix of sudden excitement and nerves. With a soft sigh, she glanced down at her phone to check the time, the screen illuminating with a familiar image - a slightly blurry selfie of her and Julian, grinning widely at her graduation. The clock read 12:20, a reminder that it was already past noon. Just then, a notification chimed, and she almost laughed at the perfect timing as she saw it was a message from Julian.
"Let me know when you get there. Bub"
The anxiety within her quells for just a moment, long enough for her to reply:
"I'm already here. The campus is a lot more beautiful than I imagined, but I haven't seen all of it yet. I'm about to go on a group campus tour. TTYL"
She then hits send, shoving her phone into her back pocket and proceeding on the main path towards the heart of campus.
In the heart of a sunlit clearing, a small fountain bubbled quietly as a handful of people gathered around it. The air was filled with a mixture of laughter, chatter, and the rhythmic sounds of skaters gliding across nearby paths, but amidst this lively backdrop, June could distinctly hear the enthusiastic voice of a tour guide narrating the rich history of the campus. Some prospective students listened intently, nodding in agreement while others appeared disinterested, their gazes wandering. Suddenly, a second guide interrupted the flow, calling for a headcount, momentarily shifting the group's focus.
It was then that June's eyes locked onto a familiar face - the girl who had huddled with her beneath a table during the harrowing school shooting. Their brief moment of eye contact sparked a wave of surprise and joy on the girl's face, prompting her to wave energetically from a distance. Caught off guard, June felt a rush of emotions and instinctively turned on her heel, hastily making her way in the opposite direction, her heart racing as she navigated the crowd.
The young woman had abandoned her earlier plan to join the campus tour, her mind now a whirlwind of anxiety as she nervously rubbed her biceps, a futile attempt to calm her racing heart. The air was mild, yet an involuntary shiver coursed through her as she quickened her pace, squeezing her eyes shut in a desperate bid for composure. Just as she thought she might find some solace in the open air, she collided with something unexpectedly solid, a towering presence that felt like a wall. The impact sent her tumbling to the ground, her eyes snapping open in shock as she landed ungracefully on her backside.
Looking up, she instantly felt hot with embarrassment after realizing she'd crashed into another person. Determined not to let tears spill over this time, she fought against the stinging sensation that threatened to break through. "Sorry." June said curtly to Elliot through gritted teeth. She hissed in pain, rubbing her back. -
Elliot yelped in surprise as a girl bumped into her, stumbling back and off his board. "s---- I'm so sorry, are you okay?" He said as he quickly grabbed his board, rushing over to the girl. "Totally my fault, I wasn't looking- are you alright?" He asked as he held a hand out, a nervous look on his face.
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