18 to Life (CA)

Tom Bellow
Cautious. A guy's guy. Likes life over-easy.

The quintessential Everyboy, Tom's the kind of guy who can chat up a jock and an emo-boy with equal aplomb. While he likes to think this is a sign of his well-rounded personality, the truth is Tom likes to be liked. Conflict doesn't sit well with him, so he's always done what it takes to please. Tom likes things straight, simple, and easy. For him, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and that's exactly what he walks.

Of course, such a journey can get a little dull. That's where Jessie comes in. See, Jessie taught Tom to see things differently. For her, it's not the destination that counts, it's the ride. Adventurous, driven, and unafraid to offend, Jessie pulled Tom to places he'd never been. At six, she dared him to eat a rotten egg. At fifteen, she dared him to ask the unattainable Becky White out. And while the egg thing didn't work out too well, snagging Becky was one of the most intensely satisfying moments of Tom's life.

With all their history, Tom never believed he'd think of Jessie like that. Yet one day after school they found themselves chatting about everything from the death of his pet gerbil to the origin of the universe, and something happened. And while Tom was surprised by the sudden passionate kiss, he was even more surprised how much he liked it. Being with Jessie felt so wrong and so right at the same time. The secrecy of their fling only intensified his feelings, and gave him an adrenaline high that never left. Soon Tom found himself taking risks he'd never taken before. So when Jessie challenged him to propose during a game of truth-or-dare, he didn't back down.

Though Tom fancies himself an incurable romantic, deep down he's plagued with doubt about the marriage. Maybe it's because in spite of having other girlfriends, Jessie's the first he went all the way with. Or maybe it's because the marriage is so impulsive, so spontaneous, so counter to his conservative Jewish upbringing. You see, Tom is his mother's son, and a part of him can't help but weigh every decision carefully. So maybe the real reason he married Jessie was to rebel. Or maybe it was the unlimited sex.

Tom's not sure university's for him, which is another way of saying he's got no clue where he's going. What's important for him right now is independence, which is why he'll take a series of jobs, including a doomed stint at Jessie's mom's NGO. The jobs are a necessary means of buying independence, but they will force Tom to make a difficult choice and drop out of university. Or was it an easy choice?