Major

“Meet me at 7 x” the text said. I had 45 minutes to finish that essay and I was going to go. Meet her. She was so beautiful. But I had to do my assignment. I had to make it good. Better than everyone else’s. 45 minutes of hard non-stop work passed and the only place I wanted to be was top of the class. I turned my clock around as to not get distracted. She’d understand!
I think I knew she wouldn’t understand.
Today I stood in front of her feeling confused and outraged. She was cross because I wanted to do well! I turned my back on her and walked away towards the library. My sanctuary. Those books gave me knowledge that could and would lead me to wealth and fortune.
Success.
I had an email of my mum from two weeks ago inviting me over for my little sisters 9th birthday, which obviously was important to her and I let her know I would try my hardest to go because she is my little sister after all; but I had forgotten. My deadline was the same day and I just seemed to forget the email. I promised her, and myself that it would never happen again.
When I am rich then I’ll send her the biggest birthday present ever. Then she’d be happy.
The guys from my class came up to me after a lecture. They asked me out for a drink to get to know them a bit better. I later found out that the lad that asked me was called Ben. He had some of the highest scoring grades on the course.
I didn’t go out for a drink. Instead, I read up on famous lawyers. My name would be on those websites, not his. He was out drinking and I was studying. Who’s the highflier now?
The next week, I didn’t really acknowledge the people at uni.They weren't really worth my time. Ben and another boy called Tom now sit at the back with their friends. I sit alone. It’s better that way. Less distraction.
As the pressure from our tutors was piled on, people dropped out. Ben didn’t.
Neither did I.
We got our first year results back that week. I went in to see my professor. He said “you will make a brilliant famous lawyer one day…you’ll be rich”
Some people would have got some satisfaction from that comment. It just made me feel low that I wasn’t there yet. I didn’t want it to be one day. I wanted it to be now.
I texted her. Apologising for all the times I stood her up. She didn’t reply.
Mum’s calls got less frequent as I kept forgetting to return her calls.
I wanted to ask a favour of the lads from my course, they walked away.

Work’s more important anyway.