Me, Myself, and I

i meet counselor jake

Brooke was waiting outside in her mom's minivan. I gave my car a parting glance, felt my insides churn like milk at the sight of the chipped green paint. Delcoph Community College was only a couple miles out, well within walking distance, and I wasn't about to pay five hundred dollars for a parking spot. Still, as I slipped into the backseat of Ms. Eada's car, I felt my own steering wheel tugging at me. Was praying about a car a bit too tedious? What did I want anyway? She'd be here when I came back. And, like it or not, I'd be back.

"That's all you're bringing?" Brooke yelled from the passenger seat. "You're not bailing out on me, are you?"

I stared at the black bag hugged to my chest and shook my head. I watched the woman behind the steering wheel, nearly identical to Brooke: moppy blonde hair, peach skin, enormous lips and eyelashes. "Thank you for the ride, Ms. Eada."

"Sweetie, please call me Georgie."

A laugh beside me. Paige, Brooke's younger sister, popped her gum. She had one earbud in, yet I could still hear the drumbeats off my window side. She smirked. "You mind turning the air up, Georgie?"

Brooke wheeled around. "She wasn't talking to you, Dullard."

"Wow." She applauded. "You use fancy words like that in your college essays? No wonder they all said no."

"Paige!" Ms. Eada jerked the wheel into a small parking lot. Half of it was unfinished, and a giant apple tree stood half unrooted on the lawn beside it. I imagined our car ramming right into it, putting the poor thing out of its misery. "We're here. I don't want another word out of you." She pulled out the key. "Go get Brooke's bags."

Paige's pale blue eyes hung on Brooke before she swished her head around. Flat streaks of blonde flew behind her.

Brooke huffed. "Mom, no offense, but what did you bring her along for?"

"She wanted to come."

"Right."

I held my breath as I slipped from the car, watched Paige dramatically drop three of Brooke's bags to the ground. I hugged mine tighter and spun in a slow circle, trying not to look at the apple tree. College facts decided to join my longterm memory as I watched each second-story window reflect the grey sky above.

Delcoph Community College's apartment complex had two rows, ten single rooms with two beds, one public bathroom. A stellar thirty-percent graduation rate. I imagined a class of two in robes. One-to-thirty faculty ratio. A professor holding up a pyramid of students.

I shook off the stupid picture book. Brooke's family had emptied the trunk. I offered my free hand.

We started for the sidewalk, Paige holding the rear, as Brooke had given her four large garbage bags. When we at last reached the entryway, Paige ran ahead, jammed her foot on the handicap button.

Nothing happened.

I opened the door for her, and she marched in, already ranting. "What a five-star. Dimwit. I'll be the one laughing when, ugh. Let's call up Dad and tell him the great news..."

Two large hands cupped over my eyes, soft with the faint scent of almonds. Before he could say guess who, I turned around and kissed him, dropping one of Brooke's garbage bags to my feet. This had been the majority of our interactions as of late. He had this elatedness around his face that was almost contagious (almost). He was helium, a small force that attempted to carry us through.

I pulled away, smiling for the first time that day. Alex grinned, picking up the bags, following us to the end of the hall. The handle of the dorm room creaked when Brooke grabbed it, but swung open without a budge.