Page 71 of Something Like Summer
Ben grasped for any of theideas he’d had over the last few weeks, but all avoided hisintoxicated mind.
“Exactly,” Jacewinked.
“Oh no!” Ben said in mockhorror. “Am I going to end up a stewardess, too?”
“Ha, ha,” Jace respondedflatly. “I don’t think you have the temperament for it.”
“Seriously though, do youthink I should change it? I guess I figured it was a nice generaldegree. I could write for a newspaper, teach, edit… things. Oh man,I don’t have a clue.”
“It’s okay,” Jace saidreassuringly. “Most people have a degree that doesn’t match theireventual professions. A degree is mostly just a piece of paperproving that you’ve made it through boot camp. Your employer willglance at it and never give it a second thought, if they even askto see it.”
“I still feel like Ishould know what I want to do,” Ben sighed.
“What do you likebest?”
“Singing, but we’ve beenover that before.” The problem was, Ben didn’t see how he couldmake a career out of singing. He had no illusions of becoming a popstar. He didn’t enjoy composing or performing in a choir. What didthat leave, singing telegrams?
“It will all fall intoplace,” Jace said confidently. “You’ll see.”
* * * * *
With Jace now living inAustin, Ben was home so infrequently that Allison was threateningto get a new roommate. Eventually he invited her over to house-sitduring one of Jace’s absences, which helped appease her. Soonafterwards, academic insanity swept up both of them again.Allison’s major was in psychology, since she now planned on being acounselor. Her workload made Ben’s look light in comparison. Hebegan to spend more time at home again, helping to clean up andcooking for her since she rarely ate properly otherwise.
Ben and Jace celebratedtheir one year anniversary on Christmas Eve and recreated theirfirst date as best they could a few days later. Ben took on ateacher’s assistant position in the second semester, feeling itwould look good on his resume. After a couple of nervous lectureshe fell into the routine and began to actually enjoy it, but it wasa constant challenge, especially since the professor would oftenleave the class in Ben’s not-so-capable hands.
Spring break was once againmet with a surprise trip from Jace, this time to Berlin. UnlikeItalian, Jace didn’t speak a lick of German, which meant that theywere often lost and found themselves in embarrassing situationsthat left them clutching their stomachs with laughter.
Jace promised that thesetrips would become a yearly tradition. Ben requested Paris next,but Jace shook his head, insisting that Paris would have to be avery special occasion. The gleam in his eye promised that heintended to one day propose to Ben there. From then on, wheneverthe subject of marriage came up, they referred to it as “visitingParis.”
The following year Jacetook Ben to London. Of the three trips so far, this was Ben’sfavorite. Big Ben was haunting at night, Westminster Abbyimpressive, and Madam Tussaud’s unintentionally creepy, but theshopping really made the trip for him. They shopped everywhere,from the Portobello flea market to the stores along OxfordStreet.
All of these vacations heldanother meaning for Ben, for each one reminded him just how much hecared for Jace. With all of life’s daily distractions strippedaway, he rediscovered his love for his boyfriend with everysubsequent trip. More and more, Ben felt very certain that hewanted to “visit Paris” with him.
The return from Londonbrought a somber mood. With spring break out of the way, only asmall stretch of time was left before both Ben and Allisongraduated. Dreams of the far future gave way to the more pressingmatter of the present. The biggest question was: Wherenext?
Cut free from theuniversity, they could seek out work in any city or state theydesired. Their many choices were overwhelming. Jace was animportant part of this equation, but his work was so flexible thatit had very little influence on Ben’s decision. He almost wishedthat Jace’s job would force them to stay in one particular city sothat the choice was no longer his to make.
“I think I’ve decided,”Allison announced.
“What?” Ben snapped. Shewasn’t supposed to decide! He wasn’t ready for that yet. Theirfrequent brainstorming sessions in coffee shops weren’t meant todeliver results. They were supposed to delay the making of actualdecisions with circular conversations that never wentanywhere.
“I’ve decided,” Allisonrepeated. She sipped her cappuccino and gazed out the café windowas if she could already see her own future. “There’s nothing leftfor me in Houston. No family, obviously, and I’ve lost touch withall my high school friends except you. No, there’s no point in megoing back.”
“Yeah, fine, but thatstill doesn’t eliminate any of the other places we’ve talkedabout,” Ben said. “Not returning to Houston is one thing, but goingsomewhere new is entirely different. What about the band we’regoing to start in Seattle? Or our hippie commune in SanteFe?”
Allison rolled her eyes,trying not to smile. “Seriously though, think about it. Finding ajob and starting our careers is going to be hard enough without theadded hassle of relocating.”
Easy for her to say. Benstill didn’t know what he wanted to do after graduation. He shovedhis vanilla cappuccino away. No point in suffering the taste ofcoffee if it wasn’t going to earn him some procrastination. “Ithought we agreed that Austin is overrun with fresh graduateslooking for jobs. That’s a lot of competition.”
Allison didn’t seem to hearhim. She was staring over his shoulder. Her eyes widened andflicked back to Ben, then over his shoulder, before once againfocusing on him.
“What’s up?” Ben said,starting to turn around.
“No!” Allison saidquickly. “It’s nothing. Just-- What were you saying?”
Ben didn’t answer, choosinginstead to scrutinize his friend who was suddenly actingcrazy.
“Don’t turn around,”Allison pleaded. “You’ll regret it if you do. Oh god! Nevermind.”
