Ch. I received a video 13 I received a video 13

Chapter 13 Above the Clouds 

My mother turned the transcript over to make sure there was nothing on the back, then flipped it over again and read it from the beginning one more time. 

Then, she took off her glasses and wiped them clean. She folded the transcript, walked into the bedroom she shared with my father, opened the top drawer of the nightstand, and tucked it all the way in the back. 

That drawer held every important exam record I had ever brought home, from elementary school math competitions to my SATS. 

I stood in the doorway and watched her put it away before she gently closed the drawer. 

The three of us sat around the table during dinner. We ate quietly, and the only sound we made was the soft clink of dishes. 

Halfway through the meal, my mother suddenly said, “Silas’ family moved away.” 

I kept reaching for the food without even flinching. 

“His mom came to say goodbye last month. She said he repeated his senior year, got into an average state university, and left for school in another state.” 

She paused and added a slice of cucumber to her plate. “She cried when she left. She said she owed our family an apology.” 

I swallowed the food in my mouth, took a sip of my soup, and said nothing. 

My mother did not say anything else after that. 

After dinner, I went back to my room. 

When I was searching through the drawer for an old notebook, my fingers brushed against a piece of cardboard at the very bottom. 

I pulled it out and found that photograph looking back at me. It was that picture of us flying a kite when we were 

six. 

I turned it over. My childish and crooked handwriting was still there. 

The pencil marks had faded until they were almost invisible, but I could still make out my wonky letters as I held the photo up to the light from the window. 

“Silas and Sonia will be best friends forever.” 

I stared at it for a long time. Then, I put the photo back in the drawer 

As I closed it, I heard my mother’s voice come from the doorway. “You’re not throwing it away?” 

I turned around. 

I found her leaning against the doorframe, still wearing her apron as she held a mug of water in her hands. 

There was a faint smile on her lips as she continued, “I picked it back up the day you threw it away. You should keep it if you don’t want to look at it. But don’t throw it away.