Firsts & Lasts

First Days.

Novalee
July

I was finally in California. Bye-bye Louisiana! Don't get me wrong, I love my home state, but I could not stand the thought of being cooped up there anymore. I want to live my own life now and see the world. From California that is. Oak Hill was only about two hours out from Los Angeles which was a huge pro to this school.

My major was drama meaning, I am going to be a professional actor one day. I've done a couple of small commercials and background acting already. I know I'm good at what I do, but I didn't have that many opportunities in New Orleans. I needed this move to be one step closer to my dream. Which is soon approaching.

I want to star in something huge by the time I'm a senior.

Which means I have a year to make it happen.

My agent and I have been talking to a few people now, but there's not many roles that seem to fit. Despite wanting to work, I am very picky in what I work in. I shouldn't be, but damn it, if I can't love a character, I cannot play them. Period.

I carried the last box from my car up to my dorm. I closed the door and stared at the mess in front of me. Luckily, my parents had decided to let me pay for a dorm for myself. That meant no roommate. I had lived with my parents when I went to school in New Orleans, so we had some money saved up.

I took my phone out of my pocket as I heard it buzz. 'Freeman Hall meeting tonight @ 7:30, room 216! Mandatory if on campus.' Great. I threw my phone onto the bed and began unpacking.

8:10pm

The meeting was finally over. The girl who was hosting it was named Maddy. Turns out she'd been living in Freeman Hall since her freshman year. The meeting was just about rules and such, nothing over the top. We also introduced ourselves. The girls seemed nice, but I didn't know if I was going to see them much.

Besides in the community bathrooms we shared. Cringe.

"Hey, wait up!" I turn my head and see Maddy jogging up behind me before I can leave her room. I stop. "Novalee, right? Maddy." She pulls out her hand and I shake it, nodding my head. "I've never seen you around campus, are you a freshman?"

I chuckle. "God, no. I am new though, I just transferred from Tulane in New Orleans." Maddy smiles her twinkling, white teeth at me. "I'll consider you my angel sent from heaven." She says as she walks over to sit on the edge of her bed. I furrow my brows and walk closer to her.

"Why?"

"I've gone to this school for years with those pretty little blondes. I know who they are and who they get along with and it's not girls like me." She shrugs her shoulders lightly and takes a sip from her canned Coke. She had set out a few party favors, which were half gone.

"Girls like you?" I ask curiously. She wasn't a petite blonde like the rest of the girls in our hall, but was that what she meant? I couldn't tell. "Hate to judge, but they're the girls who cheer the football team on because they're hot, not because they have any knowledge of what's actually going on. Basically, preppy girls who everyone's in love with because they're mean and hot."

I nod my head. "So, stereotypical mean girls?" I question, pointing a finger at her. "Exactly that." she chuckles. "I'm more low-key. I have my fun with boys and I do like to party every now and then, but people aren't saying 'hi' to me every five seconds when I'm walking the halls of Oak Hill."

It is my first day on campus, so one friend wouldn't hurt. Plus, Maddy had made an effort to actually talk to me. "I'll say 'hi' to you in the halls." I say with a teasing smile. She laughs and nods her head slightly at me. "Deal."