Life is beautiful, that's what mom repeats to me when sadness invades me, as if it were a spell to restore my joy, over time I learned to interpret the phrase, especially when I saw the movie at school, that of 1997, entitled La vita è bella. It's funny how a film that is about tragedy also leaves you with something beautiful: the possibility of finding beauty even in the worst circumstances.
That's why I always try to live my life to the best of my ability, volunteering at the nursing home, helping my peers with low grades, and striving to make others feel good.
In two months, I will start college, when I decided to study medicine, my parents were excited, I imagine it is because I will continue the family tradition, as owners of Sapphire Grove Hospital, they hope that one day I will be able to manage it, although there is a long way to go.
That's it, this ends my cycle of writing in the diary, I don't think I'll have time once I start studying.
"Lindsay, come down to dinner.
"I'm coming, mom.
The table was impeccably set, with fine porcelain plates and shiny cutlery under the warm light of the pendant lamp. The aroma of homemade stew filled the air, mixed with the unmistakable smell of freshly baked bread. I went downstairs adjusting my ponytail, while Mom, dressed in an apron embroidered with the hospital's logo, served the portions.
"Just in time," Dad said, looking up from the newspaper. He always has an imposing presence, even in the most relaxed moments, with his deep voice and serene gaze.
"It smells delicious, Mom," I commented as I sat down and took the napkin.
"Thank you, my dear. Hope you like it, it's a new recipe. Now tell me, are you done organizing everything for college yet?
I nodded, albeit with a hint of uncertainty. "I think so, we just need to confirm if they have already sent the papers." Didn't you, Dad?
"Of course," he replied, with a gesture of assurance. I checked that everything was in order before sending them. There is nothing to worry about.
"That's a relief," I said, taking a sip of water.
Mom smiled, putting the ladle down in the pot.
"And when you're done, you can work at Sapphire Grove, if that's what you want," Dad added with a note of pride. Although, honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you decided to make your way elsewhere sooner.
"Well, I want to learn as much as I can first," I replied.
"That's the important thing," Mom said, pouring herself a glass of wine. But also remember to enjoy this time. University is a stage that passes quickly.
"I will," I promised with a smile. Deep down, I knew that they always wanted the best for me, even if I sometimes felt the pressure of their expectations.
The rest of the dinner was spent with lighter conversations about the weather, local news and anecdotes from the hospital, although I had heard several of them before, I enjoyed it.
----------------------------------------
Shopping center, Friday afternoon.
At first, I didn't want to buy new clothes, but mom insisted, according to her I needed clothes that make me look more mature, I don't know what's wrong with my Hello Kitty clothes, it's not that the print is big, in fact, it's a special edition of Adidas, anyway, I'm already here.
I think I'll buy a new pair of sneakers first.
I walked into the Adidas store and started looking at the shelves. There were too many options and I felt a little overwhelmed. As I looked at a pair of white sneakers with gold accents, a male voice sounded behind me.
"Can I help you with anything or are you going to stare all day?"
I turned, somewhat surprised. The boy who spoke to me had black hair tousled, as if he had just gotten out of bed, and blue eyes so intense that they seemed to look right through me. His expression was one of utter apathy, and his tone distinctly disrespectful.
"I'm seeing," I replied, trying to sound calm, though his attitude bothered me a little.
"Of course, like everyone else," he replied, crossing his arms. His store uniform hardly seemed to matter to him; He wore his shirt half unbuttoned and the sneakers he wore were not part of the catalog. For a second, I thought if I would be here as punishment. "Sack, attend or I'll take your salary," I think I heard when I entered the store.
"Do you work here or do you just stop to make customers uncomfortable?" I blurted out, raising an eyebrow.
He smiled, a lopsided smile that he didn't know if it was mockery or fun. "I work here, but I'm not a fan of empty talk. Which ones are you looking for?
I sighed and pointed to the white sneakers. "I want to try on these in size seven.
He nodded without saying anything and turned around to look for my size. As I waited, I couldn't help but think that his attitude deserved a manual: "How to be apathetic in three steps," but then, there I was, still staring at his disheveled hair and those eyes that looked like they came out of a commercial.
He came back with the box in his hand and left it on the bench in front of me. "Here you go." If you need anything else, I'll be around," he said, pointing vaguely to the back of the tent before walking away without waiting for an answer. And by "being out there" he meant leaning on a counter as if he had been hired to model tiredness.
I sat down to try on my sneakers, trying to ignore the strange effect this boy, as rude as he was attractive, had had on me.
After walking around the store with my sneakers on, I decided to buy them. I approached the cash register and, to my surprise, the boy was still there, this time looking at his cell phone with a bored expression.
"Are you going to attend to me or do you need to finish your game?" I said with a touch of sarcasm.
Sack looked up with an arched eyebrow. "Don't worry, princess. Give me that," he said, pointing to the box. He scanned the barcode with the same energy with which someone folds socks.
As I processed my payment, he left his cell phone next to the cash register, the screen on. My treacherous eyes drifted to her. An email was open, and although I tried not to notice, the words "Admission Confirmed - Faculty of Medicine" and the name of my future university jumped out at me.
I froze for a second. Was he going to study medicine at the same university as me? I couldn't imagine him with his half-hearted attitude trying to save lives. But I didn't say anything, I just handed him my card.
"Here you go," he said, handing me the receipt along with the box, showing no interest in further interaction.
"Thank you..." "Sack," I replied, reading his name on the uniform label. I left the store with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity.
After leaving, I noticed that the mall didn't seem that crowded, so I decided to finish shopping for the clothes that Mom insisted so much I needed. After browsing a few stores and trying on several options, I managed to find a couple of outfits that the saleswomen said were "perfect for a rising college student." I'm not sure if they really were, but they met the condition of making me look more "mature" according to mom.
Back home, I sat in my room and put the bags aside. As he looked at the new sneakers, he couldn't stop thinking about Sack and that email on his phone. How had someone with so little motivation managed to get into medicine? Maybe there was something else about him that wasn't so obvious, or maybe he was just really good at feigning disinterest.
I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away. There were other things I needed to focus on. After all, my own college adventure was about to begin, and I was determined to seize every moment.