Not For Love

Chapter 2

I switch off my phone and shove it in my purse. I will not let Ryan ruin my life, again.

The events of the last semester play in my mind on a loop.

I was a freshman. New to New YorkUniversity. I had gotten in at my own credibility; I was offered a scholarship. Excited with my hard work paying off I had a sense of pride that girls my age often lack.

My mother had driven me to campus on my first day. The campus was buzzing - students, parents and more students. Some yelling, some talking and some silent — just like me.

The campus looked just as great in reality as it did in the brochures and online, I was impressed. The buildings were old and elegant, yet they looked new.

My mother and I were making our way to my assigned dorm when we bumped into an overexcited girl peculiarly dressed in really short blue shorts and an NYU sweatshirt.

I say 'peculiar' because that is what came out of my mother's big mouth when she saw her.

This girl also happened to have the same dorm as me. Coincidence much? That's what I had thought. I had no idea that this blonde, Jessica Wright, would befriend me. I had no idea that I would be best friends with her. I had no idea that she would introduce me to Ryan Samuels and my life would turn upside down.

"Earth to Hanna," Jessica waves her hand in front of my face to bring me back from my journey to the past.

"So I was thinking we should go to the party at the Jerkins Frat House tonight, you know there will be a lot of new people and you, my friend, need to socialize," Jessica swats my arm in a playful way.

"You know Jess, with all that happened last time I need to stay away from parties for a long long time. Besides, I have to prepare for my classes tonight and look for a job early tomorrow morning. So, it's going to be a no show for me," I say quite politely.

"C'mon Han, all you did this summer was read and re-read the books you've already read. You need to meet people, actual people and not characters from your lit collection. Please come, it'll be fun. Please, please, please..." Jess begs and I give in.

"Okay, but only for an hour. I want to be back before nine."

"Aye, aye captain. Tonight is going to be so much fun! NYU here we come," Jessica says in the most fake American accent.

I've always envied Jess for her beautiful British accent. Jessica Wright grew up in England. Belonging to one of the wealthiest families, her upbringing was different from mine. Big cars, big parties, big dresses were part of her daily life. But she grew tired of always being treated like she was made out of glass, like she was a princess. Therefore, she set out to make a future of her own. When she was accepted at NYU, she was beyond ecstatic. It was her ticket to freedom. After lots of persuasion, she was finally allowed to come to USA on her own.

I remember her story so clearly, because Jess has told me this over a hundred times — how she, belonging to such royalty found happiness in small things like going out to the movies on a train or wearing shorts and not dresses to college.

She tells her story to me all the time because she knows I stress a lot, like really a lot. I always have to be the first in everything, even if that's finishing your lunch in junior high.

I guess I'm competitive because my parents were not.

I was born in Stoneybrook, Connecticut and lived there for the first ten years of my life. My mother and father both worked at a publishing house, and that's where I get my love for literature from. But when recession came preying on people's lives, the publishing house shut down and my parents lost their jobs.

They were forced to move to New York for better job opportunities. Sadly, there wasn't any.

My mother worked as a part time teacher at a small school down our block. Her pay was so low that it hardly covered our bills. And my dad? Well he did nothing. Absolutely nothing.

While my mother worked her ass off to feed us, my dad spent our little savings on drinking and gambling. Real gambling. He lost thousands of dollars, money that we did not even have and soon, we were plunged into debts. Huge debts.

Seeing, that my drunkard father was doing no good to us, my mother took the reins of our family in her hands. She did what she had to do.

On the eve of my thirteenth birthday, a few people came and took away my father. I tried to stop them but my mother told me to let him go.

That was the only day that I saw my mother cry. Ever since then she has been this strong-poised women, always aware of her surroundings; always knowing what to do and when to do.

The car comes to a halt and I take in the scent of the NYU campus. The clouds have cleared out and I realise my prayers have been answered.

Jessica and I take out our luggage and head to the dormitory. The building basks in the faint glow of the sun and this feels...like home. I've missed this feeling for the past 3 months and I'm glad I'm back. It's time to start anew.

After almost 15 minutes of persuading and using her British accent, Jessica finally manages to get us the same dorm room. The warden gives us our keys, one for each of us and we head to our destination.

"Oh! I've missed this...I love this tiny bed," Jess says dropping her bags midway and plopping on the bed.

I arrange my bags on my side of the room and pull off the curtains veiling the windows. I am not surprised to find it drizzling even though the sun is up in the sky.

The sun kissed rain brings back many memories - memories I don't want to cherish.

There is a loud knock on the door and I'm sure it is the warden. Jess must have forgotten to sign the register.

I head to the door and I'm up for a surprise when I find a delivery boy with a bouquet.

" Miss Hanna Brooke?" the red head boy in his teens says.

" ..um ,yeah," I reply quite unsure of what else to say.

"There's a delivery for you. Could you sign here please?" he hands out a pad and a paper.

I sign it with my initials.

"Thanks...uh, Jonah." I say reading his name tag.

"Have a nice day Miss Brooke."

I shut the door behind me.

Flowers? For me?

As far as my memory goes, the happenings of the last semester took away even the few so-called friends I had. Jess was my only friend now and she was...well sleeping on her tiny bed.

Placing the bouquet on my table I look for a note or maybe a card and I sure find one.

The white paper bears words in red: "Miss me much? —Ryan"

_________________________________________________

Those who are reading this story, a BIG thank you to you all. If you like it please don't forget to vote ;)

If there's any typos or errors, feel free to point them out. I'm open to all suggestions.

Who do you guys imagine as Hanna and Jessica?

xo