The Mimosa Tree by Antonella Preto Page A

different at school. I just did what they told me to do.’ I shuffle through some more papers, my head swimming in information and deadlines for activities I don’t even understand the basics of.
    â€˜It takes a while to get used to things here,’ she says.
    â€˜I’m not really sure I want to.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’ she says looking up from her writing.
    I sit down at the table and brush some hair from my eyes. ‘Do you want to be a lawyer?’ I ask her, and just by the widening in her eyes I can already tell what the answer is going to be.
    â€˜I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.’
    â€˜Then you’re lucky.’
    â€˜You don’t want to be a teacher?’
    â€˜I’ve never really thought about it.’
    She puts her pen down to give me her full attention. ‘Via told me you’ve wanted to be a teacher since you were little.’
    â€˜Via says a lot of things. Most of them should be ignored.’
    â€˜So you never wanted to be a teacher?’
    â€˜Not really.’
    â€˜What about art? Do you like that?’
    â€˜I suppose. But what good is that?’ I take the papers from her hands and begin to shove everything back into my bag. ‘This is stupid. I’ll just have to get by without doing the readings.’
    â€˜Oh come on, Mira,’ she says patting my hand. ‘It’s not that bad. You probably just have to spend the weekend reading.’ But she doesn’t try and stop me. ‘If you don’t like what you’re studying, why don’t you just quit? Take some time to think about what you really want to do?’
    â€˜Yeah right!’ I laugh. ‘Have you met my family?’
    â€˜You don’t think they would understand?’
    â€˜I’m the first person in this blood line to make it to high school let alone university. I’d be safer telling them I’d killed the Pope.’
    â€˜But if you really explained it to them, surely they wouldwant you to do something you loved?’
    â€˜Felicia, I don’t know what planet your parents are from, but on my parents’ planet, what I want is the least important thing in the world.’
    I pick up my bag, walk towards the elevator and she follows silently. Once inside, she leans back against the wall and looks at me. ‘What would you do? If it was up to you and not your parents?’ she says.
    She is looking at me hopefully, like she is sure there is an answer to this question. I let my fingers trace over an anti-nukes symbol carved into the elevator wall. What am I supposed to say? Ms Optimism is never going to appreciate the view that it’s just too painful to want or need anything from a future I don’t believe exists.
    â€˜I think that’s the problem,’ I say, picking my words carefully. ‘I don’t really see the point in doing anything.’
    She lets this go without comment, and we walk silently out of the elevator and out the library doors. The sounds and sights of the real world are an assault to my deadened senses and I blink tiredly against the sun.
    Felicia touches me lightly on the shoulder. ‘It’s not hopeless, Mira.’
    I shuffle my feet on the pavement. ‘Yeah, whatever. I’ll catch up somehow.’
    â€˜I mean the world. There’s a lot of good things happening, a lot of reasons to believe that there is something to look forward to.’ She smiles. ‘You’ll find something you like to do.’
    â€˜Sure,’ I say forcing myself to smile back. ‘I think it’s time for my next class.’
    â€˜Of course. I’ll meet you at the car. Three o’clock?’
    â€˜Thanks.’ And she gives me a final encouraging squeeze before turning and walking away.
    I watch her click her way down the steps. When she is out of sight, I pick up my bag and start to head back down the main pathway towards the education building. Our talk is