DEALING WITH THE STALKER

FINAL YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, PREPARATION FOR UNIVERSITY....

She bit in her pen and took a deep breath. This is going to be a tough but to crack. She glanced a second time at the career slip in her hands.

"Sh*t." She muttered wearily. "Can I really pull this off? " She muttered.

" Pull what off? " Her mom said as she came to view with a jar of lemon juice in her hand. " Have you finally chosen a career yet?"

Rise sighed. Why does this woman have to be watching her every move? "I.. I.... I..."

Evelyn squinted her eyes suspiciously at her daughter. " What are you up to?"

Rose bit her lip. "I need more time to think about this."

Evelyn scoffed. "More time for what? It's easy. Just pick the goddamn chemical engineering. That's a very wide, vast, profitable course. It will fetch us millions if you major in it and come out good. "

Rise looked at her mom one sided as she ranted in about the advantages of being a chemical engineer. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I still need more time to think about this." She muttered and dropped the paper back into her backpack..

Evelyn frowned at her. " You've had the opportunity of three weeks Rose. What the hell are you still waiting for? Don't tell me you are still thinking of music."

Rise scoffed. " This is my life mom. It's mine not yours. You have no right to dictate this for me. I need more time..... "

" You have had more than enough time to think about this Rose. It's either chemical engineering or nothing else. What do you know? We as your parents are doing our best to tell you what's best for your life and future, yet you keep aiming at joblessness. You wanna join those gangs that pierce rings all over their faces and paint their skins?"

" Jeez mom, I never said I was gonna do that..... "

" It's final Rose. Chemical engineering or nothing else. In fact, wait till your dad returns room work. I think we both have given you enough time. This issue has to be sorted out before things get out of hand. " She said and stormed out of her study.

Rose watched her leave and sighed. She tapped her pen thoughtfully on the study table. "This is frustrating." She muttered and laid her head on the table. "How the hell I'm I supposed to give up on this?" She muttered.

★★★★★

Afternoon turned to evening and evening turned to night. Rose sat in her study snoring slightly against her table.

Evelyn walked in and spotted her. She sighed and shook her slightly. Rose jerked and looked around.

"Get up sleepyhead. Your dad's back. He requests to meet with you." Evelyn said and left.

Rose groaned and stretched. "What now?" She mumbled and later left the study walking straight to the sitting room where the stern, frightening man in his forties sat typing speedily into a laptop on his lap.

"Good evening dad." Rose said and he nodded with his attention on the laptop. "Rose bit her lip and fiddled with her fingers. She didn't know if she should sit or stand.

You see, that has been the issue between her and her father. She never seemed to understand him and he never seemed to understand her. He's a stern man who had spent 80% of his life living it the hard way and they had psychologically affected the way he does and perceives things around him.

For about complete fifteen minutes, her father, Richard paid no single attention to her but on his laptop. Rose knew better not to leave if she didn't want to incur his wrath. Although, dje was already beginning to get really impatient. She gritted her teeth.

Evelyn sat in a separate sofa not even bothering a single dine about whatever was going on between them.

After what seemed like a millennial to Rose, her dad finally yook his attention from his laptop and adjusted his spectacles peering at her with deep scrutinization. It gave Rose the creeps.

"I got news that you are still having a hard time choosing a career after three weeks if receiving the career slip. Is that true?" He began.

Rose scoffed and chuckled. If course. Her mom spilled the beans. She sighed and nodded.

He sighed. "Well. I really don't see any confusion in that. Since you are having a hard time deciding that, I think it's high time I stepped in. I don't want to talk about this too much. I think I've given you enough time. Just pick the best available option set before you."

Rose gulped. " Which is?" She asked.

" Chemical engineering....."

Rose scoffed and looked away before he could complete his sentence. He glanced at her. "Do you have any other course in mind? You've seemed confused about that."

Rose's heart thumped hard. She knew what was coming next if she dared speak her mind. She took a deep breath. "I'll handle the situation dad. It's not like I have limited time to make my decision. I've got all the time in the world. I'll handle this....."

" That wasn't the question I asked you. I asked what other course you have in mind." Richard stated giving her a stern look.

Rose shivered. She wasn't ready at all at the moment for his violent outbursts. "I have nothing in mind yet dad. I'm taking my time to proceed this. This is all about my life. I don't want to make mistakes."

" Chemical engineering is never a mistake Rose!!" He thundered.

" Yes dad. I totally agree with you. It's not and can never be a mistake but it might not be what's right for me."

Richard glared at her. " What vile nonsense are you spitting out of that filthy mouth of yours? What do you mean it might not be what's good for you?"

Rose gulped. She's messed it up. " I'm sorry to say that dad. I didn't mean to say that. All I was saying was....."

" You have nothing reasonable to say Rose. My decision is final. You have no other course to study except chemical engineering. Take it or leave it. You don't have the slightest inkling of the advantage you have yo have parents to guide you in the right track in life. Most of your colleagues don't have this opportunity. They are praying for it. Yet you act like some crazily misguided fellow. My decision had been made. You are definitely going to NYU to study chemical engineering. Failure to comply with that, I never knew you as my daughter." He thundered and and left the sitting room with his laptop.

Rose broke down and slumped back into the nearest sofa. That is her life going shipwreck few seconds ago. She wept and Evelyn glanced at her with a scoff. She got up after left.

Rose wept the more. These was all too tiring for her. Why would they even want to have the authority to decide her future for her? None of them understands her. They don't just get it.

She didn't just want to study for studying sake. She wanted to study to live off her passion, her gift. That which she had loved ever since she was in the kindergarten. That which took away her worries and...

She angrily stomped towards her room band began tossing things around. She picked up her lyrics notebook and furiously tore it to shreds. Why is life just being so unfair to her? Why are both he parents being so unfair to her?

THREE YEARS LATER, THIRD YEAR IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

ROSE'S POV

I glanced at the last assignment I had to do and yawned. The warm, tender, seductive arms of slumber were fast calling for my attention but I wasn't ready to give up. Not just yet. I yawned for what seemed like the hundredth time and squeezed hard against my pen.

This is just so hard. I widened my eyes and rubbed it frantically frustratedly. It's fruitless. I picked up my phone name checked the time. It was just few minutes past seven. Why he hell do I feel so sleepy at early hours nowadays?

U sighed and was about dropping my phone when a message notification popped up on the screen. I furrowed my eyebrows and tapped it. It was a message from my friend and course mate, Brittany. Well, that seemed to do a great job if wiping if every single ounce of fatigue from my eyes.

I settled down and read her message.

BRITTANY TO ROSE: Hello dear workaholic. Do you re