Seasons

34: Azariah

I'm twenty but I still feel like I'm fifteen - calgary

A Z A R I A H    D' A M O R E

"Welcome to the last year of college," The professor says. "And welcome to my class for the first time and last time, I hope you'll enjoy this class as much as I do. Welcome to Sports Management."

Senior year. End of the Fall semester going into Winter.

It's been a year. And oh how time has changed.

I've definitely grown and I am loving every second of it.

I'm obviously still friends with Hayden and Liam. And I'm surprisingly loving New Jersey but — that doesn't mean I'm moving here for good — I'm a Cali boy at heart.

But I am considering staying here for another year after I graduate. I've already talked to my parents about it and they said they'd miss me but want me to explore over here.

It's the first time I've really adventured away from home.

"Azzyyyy boy," Hayden whispers, sitting next to me. "I missed ya."

I raise an eyebrow. "You saw me this morning Hay," my eyes return to the professor introducing himself. "How can you miss me already?"

He slouches back in his seat. "Just because," he hums, crossing his feet over each other. "You know, no reason."

I look at him again. "You're acting suspicious."

"Am not!" He points a finger at me. "This is how I act every day..."

"You so are," I copy his body language and cross my arms over my chest. "I'll find out sooner or later."

"Or you won't," he turns away. "I can be a shitty little dude but I never let secrets go." He waves a finger in my face and I reach up and slap it away.

"I have no secret man..." He adds.

*****

"She ain't my baby, she ain't my girlllll," Hayden sings as we walk back to the dorms. "Now she's in the magazines on TV. making a scene..." Hayden sways side to side as we walk into his and Liam's room. "MARIAAAAAA."

"Oh my god," I peek out into the hallway making sure no one heard him. And shut the door. "Dude shut up!" I smack his back. "You're embarrassing me," I say.

"AZARIAHHHHHHHHH," he replaces Maria with my name, oh my god. "That ain't my baby!"

I drop my backpack and go behind him, covering his mouth with my hand. We basically tango as he struggles to get out of my hold.

"Shut up," I grunt out. "Hayden!"

The door slams open and Hayden and I are in a tango as Liam stands in the doorway. His face is in shock as he starts to smile slowly.

Hayden uses my moment of weakness as a way to break free.

"LIAMMM I'M TALKING TO YOU-UU," he sings, again.

"Can you shut him up?" I drop myself onto Liam's bed.

"Hayden if you don't shut up within the next two seconds," Liam pauses, closing the door. "I'm posting that video."

Hayden's eyes go wide. "No," he whispers, covering his mouth. "You wouldn't..."

"I would," Liam replies opening his mini fridge. "You know I would."

"I know you would," Hayden repeats, in defeat. He turns around and faces me, bringing a finger to his throat and pretending to slit it. "I swear, Azzy." He whispers.