𝙾𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎

I look in front of me at the back of Seraphina's head. She's cut her hair so it sits at armpit length and besides the subtle cheesy highlights at its tips, it's been dyed to the colour of her roots – brown. What's no longer brown is her skin. Nonetheless, Seraphina has worn her regular foundation; now several shades darker than her neck. The sun glints in through the windows, the weather approaching warmer. But it must be cold in my mind; the fog has cast over. Of course, I'm meant to be in the zone; bent over and furiously scribbling upon the pages. But I view my exam as a race already lost. Despite the infinity spent sitting at my desk, I don't know the content. My biology exam isn't finished. I've dabbled words here and there. Oh well.

༄ ❀ ༄

Mum types at her computer with one hand and pulls a lolly snake out of her stationary drawer with the other. I stand in the doorway, one hand holding the other hand's finger. A rarity – Mum leaving her home office door ajar.

With each knock on the door, I move it a little further open.

Mum slams shut the stationary drawer. "Come in," she says, evidently her mouth trying to squish and swallow the snake.

I begin, "School's hosting a parent, teacher and student breakfast for the graduates —"

"I won't be going, I'm working," Mum replies, continuing to type.

"That's okay, I thought as much," I say, then go on, "And in the evening, they're doing the graduation ceremony at a winery. The school's hiring a catering service so it's $50 per guest to attend."

With fingers clicking and words clipped, Mum responds, "I'm not paying money to attend a graduation."

Lingering a small moment in the doorway, I reply, "I wasn't planning on going anyway."

I walk away.