I woke up feeling my stomach grumble in protest as I tossed and turned around in bed. I knew I had to wake up, and face what the day ahead of me contained, but my cool comforter felt so cozy against my warm skin. My alarm kept ringing, waking my subconscious every time I drifted asleep for a few minutes. I dragged myself out of bed, and into the shower wishing my eyes wouldn’t burn at the sight of the light illuminating my bathroom. I hear my Mom in the kitchen cooking something on the stove, and I walk out of the bathroom wrapped in a tan towel. My hair’s dripping water onto my back and the cold air brings shivers to my spine.
“Mom, what are you doing? I can make myself breakfast; don’t worry.” She looks at me and laughs to herself.
My mom says to me, “Don’t be ridiculous, it’s your big day!!”
I give my Mom a look and say sarcastically, “ It’s just the SAT’s. What’s the worst that’ll happen? I do really horrible and not get into college.”
She scoffs at my words, “Em, you should really start believing in yourself as much as I do.” She looks at me like she sees through my defensive charade. “Finish getting ready, and then eat this,” she looks down at the mess of burnt eggs in front of her, and then up at me, “Just kidding, I’m not trying to kill you before you get into college,” and she tosses the plate away.
I mutter under my breath, “Can you though?”
She yells from the living room, “I heard that!”
My laughter echoes through the empty kitchen as I pour myself a bowl of cereal.
I hear my Mom shout from her bedroom, “We’ll leave in five minutes!”
Five minutes have passed, when I check my phone from outside of the house waiting for my Mom to appear from the garage door.
“Five minutes? Huh, Mom?” I say sarcastically.
“You know we’re never early,” she remarks.
“Or on time,” I banter in return.
I rest my head on the window and suddenly there is a weight behind my eyes I didn’t feel this morning. I am jerked awake when my Mom sharply turns into the parking lot of the school.
I hear her call out through my stupor, “We’re here!”
I groan in protest, but reluctantly feel for the handle on the car door. I open the door, slowly feeling my nerves set in. I’m standing outside my Mom’s black Honda, and the sun reflects off of the dark metal causing me to shield my eyes. My Mom looks around the car checking if I have everything. She spots the water bottle under the front seat and slowly rolls down the passenger side window. As my Mom tosses me my water out of the car window, she stares at me for a second. I feel the cool water drip from the water bottle onto my nervous hands that I wish I could force to stop shaking.
“Emily no matter what happens in there, I swear it’ll be okay. Good luck,” she says to me in a serious voice.
A part of me falters at her words, but I shake it off quickly and reply with, “Mom, stop being dramatic. I love you, I’ll call you when I’m done.”
She waves through the window. I shift uncomfortably as I turn around, and walk towards the open doors. I think of my Mom’s words, “No matter what happens in there I swear, it’ll be okay.” My hand trembles as I open the door to the room that holds the test that’ll determine my future.