A Friend to Keep

Veronica Hsu

World Lit H

Bennet

24 April 2015

A Friend to Keep

“Here.” She snaps back to reality. Looking up at her classmate, she freezes her gaze. Oh...it’s you. “Take it!” He now rattles his arm, waving a thin packet into her face as if she couldn’t understand his commands.

“Oh..ahem. Thank you.” She couldn’t hide her strong Asian accent even with these simple words. Quickly, she takes the papers and he leaves. After gazing out the window for the past half an hour of class, the chaotic chatter finally resonates in her ears, and she realizes that the professor is no longer in the room. No surprise there. All the students are scattered in seats, or on the desks. While scanning the room, she spots J, the guy passing out the packets and she is reminded to look down at her own. Oh no...Not this project. No, my grade is the last thing I want. Her throat tightens at the remembrance of the project that had haunted her for the past month. This project only managed to accomplish one thing: expose her greatest vulnerability. She couldn’t help but suddenly feel isolated from her classmates on the left, while feeling engulfed by the redbrick buildings to her right. Here, she was being swallowed alive.

She finally takes a deep breath and opens her packet to the first page. Right there, in a bright bleeding red, barks a C-. Eyes widening, she throws the packet on her desk face down and her eyes meet the ground. She stands up, holding in the sharp pain like a stab up her throat just long enough for her to pack her bags and race out of the room. She rushes across the lawn with her bag on the cliff of her right shoulder, while balancing her binder on her forearm. Only upon reaching her car, does she unleash her wave of tears and allow her emotions to flow. Sitting in the driver’s seat, she rests her head on the steering wheel and the memories flash back.

“Are you going to say something? You’ve been quiet the whole time,” J had questioned.

“Um...I think it’s...good idea”

“Okay…?”

Silence.

“Whatever. Nevermind.” He gave up. There was that hint of impatience and annoyance that pinched at her heart. She had been listening to her group members’ discussion for the project the past four hours, but the words were an incomprehensible babble. Even after two years of rigorous study, there was no way her English was close to the native fluency of these college classmates. She wished she had never been sent 7000 miles to such a foreign nation. This would have never happened if she were back home; there, she would have been at the top of her class.

None of her team members could empathize her struggle just simply trying to keep up with the discussion. None could relate to how frustrating it is to try to learn a completely new language on your own. No one knew how much work and pain she has been through, and no one knew how much she misses home. They couldn’t understand how desperately she wished she could help and contribute; but she just simply could not. Here, she was an annoyance. She was a slacker, and she was a burden. She was so helpless. She was so defeated. She was so alone. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

Knock. Knock. The passenger door opens; making her heart jump and her scream catches in her throat. The pain that consumed her heart is now numbed by the surprise.

“Are you okay?” The familiar voice sends a wave of comfort through her body. Her cousin. She stares back up helplessly at his face ducked under the roof of the car, and she finally gives in.

“No. I’m not okay.” She shakes her head and buries it in her hands as another wave of tears pour down her face. It feels so good to be able to say it out loud.

“Talk to me,” he sits down in the passenger seat and closes the door, shutting out the rest of the world. She could feel the sincerity in his gaze, and the strong empathy in his presence. He has also left home for college to experience the new world on his own. He would understand her pain only too well. Here, is the only person she could trust and relate to.

She wipes her tears and closes her eyes. After deep breaths to recollect herself, she turns to her cousin, and looks him in the eye. The pain has diminished, replaced by a strong sense of reassurance.

She catches a grin on her face, comforted by the presence of someone who cares and understand. “Horrible day,” she starts. The rest of the story begins flowing out of her mouth. She knows the pain will not disappear, but now there is someone that understands, and shares her pain. Now, she is not alone; and that is all she needs.