Page 80 of Through Quick and Quinn
“Yes, I am, Mom! Just because I don’t want to do what you want me to do doesn’t mean I am not focused!” I shouted back at her without considering my words or my tone. She went completely quiet, and I had to replay the moment to figure out why she stepped back and was now looking at me with wispy eyes of disbelief.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I shouldn’t have yelled at—”
“Are you saying that you don’t want to go to college? Is that what you are telling me right now?” Her whispers came out quivering, clearly illustrating the mixture of fear, disappointment, and seething fury.
I took a deep breath. And then another. I wanted to keep an even, cool tone. “I didn’t say that, Mom. I just don’t know yet exactly what I want to do. There are other options, you know? Other than college. There are so many things I could do that don’t require that.”
“Like what, Quinn? Like what?” I could tell she was trying to calm herself as well. “College will open so many doors for you. It will give you the opportunities you deserve.”
“Yeah, and it will give me a crap ton of debt. And for what, Mom? So I can be indoctrinated with narratives funded by who-knows-what? I’m not interested in all that. That’s not how I want to start my adult life.” I didn’t even realize that I felt that way until I said it out loud, but once I heard my voice, I knew that was how I felt in my core.
“Indoctrination? Funding by what? What kind of nonsense? Where did you even hear that? Through Quick?”
And that was it. I lost it. I don’t know what angered me more, that she mentioned Quick in a derogatory manner again, or that my mother didn’t think I was capable of having my own thoughts.
“Through Quick? No, Mom! Through Quinn!”
I turned on my heels and stormed out.
***
Quinn / 9:09 a.m.
Hi.
Quick / 9:11 a.m.
hey happy anniversary
don’t you have an english quiz right now
9:11 a.m.
I finished.
Quick, I want to meditate at lunch today.
9:11 a.m.
ok of course
are you ok
9:17 a.m.
I’m okay, I am just super irked right now.
9:17 a.m.
about what
9:18 a.m.
My mother.
9:18 a.m.
oof I’m sorry
