Counting Down Sarah Winters, 2020 Aika looked at her watch. Seventeen minutes left.
It had been months since she put her application in, and she was dying to find out whether or not she got accepted. Her entire day was spent watching the seconds go by; they seemed to progress more slowly than usual. Each class in school dragged on, but each minute was a small step towards her destination.
Fourteen minutes left now. Aika knew she should stop stressing. She knew that no matter what, she’d be accepted somewhere eventually, and there were plenty of wonderful schools that provided the education she needed. She could even transfer in a year if necessary. But she had spent eighteen years dreaming of this particular university. Aika’s four years of high school were dedicated to her getting into her dream college. And those four years in college would determine her future friends, her future family, her future career. Years and years were influenced by this seemingly tiny acceptance or denial. Nine minutes. Earlier, Aika had tried to be productive, but it was no use. She tried to read a book to make the time go by faster. Whatever happened to time flies when you’re having fun? No activity she tried 38
