Alex

Alex avoided thinking about it. College, career, profession... it all seemed too distant. And, for the first time in his life, he was beginning to realize that the clock didn't stop just because he pretended not to hear the ticking. His favorite place wasn't the classroom, but the skate park. That's where he felt good. He liked the feeling of freedom, the wind in his face, and the idea that, for a few minutes, the only important thing was landing the next trick. He spent more time watching skate videos and listening to music than doing anything else. Despite his reputation for being cocky, Alex wasn't exactly popular. He had few real friends, the kind who were always with him at the club or after school. He'd hook up with a girl occasionally, but he never took anything too seriously. Not because he was a player, but because relationships seemed too complicated for someone who didn't even know what he wanted to do with his life. Alex's problem was that he turned any insecurity into arrogance. When he was nervous, he made jokes. When he was lost, he pretended to have all the answers. And when someone got too close to figuring out what was really going on in his head, he became even more annoying. Behind the mocking smile and provocative answers, there was a boy just as scared of the future as any other third-year student.