"Here we are!" My mother squeals as we drive through the stone gate and into the campus.
The campus looks just as great in person as it did in the brochures and online, I'm impressed. The buildings are old and elegant. Hundreds of people, parents hugging and kissing their children goodbye, clusters of freshman, dressed head to toe in Washington State University gear, and a few stragglers, lost and confused, fill the area. The size of the campus intimidating but hopefully after a few weeks I will feel at home. The orientation is short and I sit alone, my usual forte. A seemingly nice middle aged woman gives me my dorm room key and sends me on my way. I already feel more freedom than I have in the last 18 years.
"I want to see your dorm room before I go honey. I just can't believe you are in college! My only daughter, a college student, living on her own. I just can't believe it." She wines and wipes her eyes, careful to not mess up her makeup. Matt follows us, carrying my bags as we navigate through the corridor.
"Now, just be sure you remember everything I told you, you don't want to do anything to ruin your future," she checks the time on her watch, a watch that she certainly couldn't afford but purchased anyway.
"It's B22.. we are in C hall," I tell them. Luckily, I see a large B painted on the wall. "Down here," I instruct and they follow. I'm thankful that I only brought a few clothes, a blanket, and some of my favorite books with me, giving Matt less to carry.
"B22," my mother huffs. Her heels are outrageously high for the amount of walking we have just endured. I slid the key into the old wooden door, it creaks open and my mother gasps. The room is small, with two tiny beds and two desks. My eyes travel to the reason why my mother's surprise. One side of the room is covered in music posters, mostly bands I've never heard of before, the faces on the are covered with tattoos and piercings. The girl laying across the bed has brown hair, eye liner on and has tattoos on her arm.
"Hey," the stranger says, offering a smile. Her smile is quite intriguing, much to my surprise. "I'm Katherine," she says and sits up on her elbow.
"h..hey.. I'm Elena," I choke, all of my manners fly out the door.
"Welcome to WSU, where the dorms are tiny and the parties are huge," the brown haired girl grins. Her head falls back into a fit of laughter. My mothers jaw is resting, wide open on the carpet, and Matt shifts uncomfortably. Katherine walks over, closing the gap between us and wraps her thin arms around me. I am taken back by her affection but I return her kind gesture. A knock sounds at the door as Matt drops a bag onto the floor and I can't help but hope that this is some sort of sick joke.
"Come in!" My new roommate yells, the door opens and two boys walk inside before she could finish greeting.
Boys inside the female dorms on the first day? Maybe Washington State was a bad decision. I assume by the painted expression covering my moms face, she is thinking the same. The poor woman looks like she may pass out any moment. I wouldn't blame her.
"Hey, you Katherine's roomie?" The black haired boy asks. He doesn't have as many tattoos, but he has them.
"Um..yea. My name is Elena," I manage to say.
"I'm Tyler. Don't look so nervous, it throws people off." He says with a smile, reaching out to touch my shoulder. "You'll love it here," his smile is warm and inviting despite his harsh appearance.
"I'm ready guys," Katherine says, grabbing her thick, black bag from the bed. My eyes shift to the tall brown haired boy leaning against the wall. His hair is a mop of waves on his head, pushed back off of his forehead. My eyes travel down his black t-shirt to his arms and he had a rose tattoo on his shoulder. I expect him to introduce himself but he doesn't, instead he rolls his eyes in annoyance and pulls a cellphone from the pocket of his black jeans. He doesn't seem as friendly as his black haired friend.
"See you around Elena," Tyler says and the three of them exit the room. I let out a long breath. To say that was uncomfortable would be an understatement.
"You are getting a new dorm!" My mother yells as soon as the door clicks shut.
"No, I can't." I sigh, it's fine mother," I do my best to hide my nerves. I don't know have well this will work out either but the last thing I want is my overbearing mother causing a scene on my first day of college. "I'm sure she won't be around anyway," I try to convince her, along with myself.
"Absolutely not, we are going to switch now," her brown hair is flipped to one shoulder, "you will not be in a room with someone who allows males into her room, those punks at that." She shrieks.
"Mother.. please," I look into her green eyes then to Matt, "let's just see how it goes. Please," I beg. She looks around the room again, taking in the decor covering Katherine's side and huffs dramatically.
"Fine." She spits, much to my surprise.
