Something More? ✔️

1

It was funny how college move in was on such a sunny day. Penny thought rainy skies and gloomy clouds would have been more fitting.

"How do you expect to make any friends with that kind of expression! Just look at yourself," her mother exclaimed again, while continuously dragging forward her bags. Penny was well aware how she looked — limp brown hair, clothes that looked too new, and most importantly — spots and pits all over her face. She was well aware. Penny knew anything she said would be used as ammunition for her mother's rant, and so she chose wisely to stay quiet.

After another ten minutes of kicking and pulling, she began to see a crowd of people decked in school merch, and the sway of balloons in the horizon. Her stomach began to tighten and she sucked in a big breath, reminding herself that college was the time to reinvent and make friends.

"Hi there! Do you two need any help finding your room?" a blonde girl with a Colgate grin asked, clipboard in hand.

Before Penny's mom could say anything, Penny shook her head and continued lugging her bags forward, eyes fixed ahead.

"What's wrong with you? How do you expect we'll find the room?" her mother grumbled.

"I studied the school map yesterday," Penny said gently.

When they finally found it, mother and daughter was drenched in sweat, and the bags were soggy. To Penny's dismay, on the other side of that door was her roommate and her family. Just by the first glance, Penny could tell she was the opposite of her — outgoing. She had wavy brown hair, golden skin, and the right outfit.

"Hi there! Nice to meet you, I'm Chloe," she said with a little wave.

"Hi. I'm Penny and this is my mom," Penny smiled, but it came out wrong. Her cheeks felt stiff.

And so for the next fifteen minutes, the two freshman continued to unpack as their family enthusiastically exchanged contact information, and life stories. Finally, when the sky turned a deep orange and virtually every possible thing was laid out on each girl's desk, the families turned to their kids. Penny's mom had a rueful smile on her face, and as a woman with few words, simply offered a hug and glided out the room. Penny wasn't too surprised, she never was her mother's favorite. If only she was a bit more naturally charismatic, perhaps she could have earned that spot. She watched as Chloe hugged her parents and waved them out the door, dreading what was to come. Chloe with her perfect face and body probably after today, would find a clan of equally beautiful people to befriend. There were a few beats of awkward silence before Chloe smiled and plopped onto her own bed.

"I was talking to some people earlier, and apparently there is a party later. Wanna come?"

Penny knew the right answer was yes, but she was scared. Scared that the party, or more specifically, college, was going to be just another re-run of high school. She forced herself to spit out an affirmation.

"Great! I was scared to go alone to be honest," Chloe said sheepishly. Penny nodded, and felt grateful that at least for now, Chloe seemed alright. Another few beats of awkward silence drifted in, this time just a bit less uncomfortable than the last. Both girls slowly picked up their phones and refreshed the same page (hoping to look busy).