Rooming With Ash

Rooming With Ash: Chapter 4

The drive to the house was only about fifteen minutes, but it was enough of a sight to last us all lifetimes. It was strange to think that Hawaii was a part of the same country as Baltimore when they had such vastly different cultures and geographical landscapes. Being in Hawaii was like being on a whole nother planet, a whole new world.

Riley could have taken enough photos to fill up a sizeable portfolio from just that one drive.

I knew that she wanted to pursue photography in college, and that's what made her not being able to come all the more tragic. Hawaii would have been the perfect place for her to further the gift she had with photography, and I didn't know when next (if ever) she'd get a chance to be in a place like it.

Life really was a cruel bitch.

"Keira, hey!"

Asia sat down in the empty seat beside me, her teeth shining as she grinned widely at me. I couldn't help but return the smile as she leaned in for a hug.

"Hey Asia, how are you?"

She shrugged. "I'm okay, I guess." And then with a chuckle, said, "Tired from that long ass flight, that's for sure, but I'm ready to start this vacation. I need it."

I nodded, raising my eyebrows in agreement. "You and me both," I said. "I was really starting to think I would never step foot out of state again."

Asia laughed, a contagious, melodic laugh that always managed to infect everyone who heard it with its joy. And I noticed just how pleasant being around her in that moment was. I could definitely do two months of that.

"I bet you're sad Riley couldn't come though," Asia said. "I know she and you are like sisters."

"Yeah." I nodded. "I didn't find out until like two weeks ago. And yes, it sucks, but we're here now, so I guess there's really no point dwelling on it," I said with a shrug.

Asia's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at me with an expression that told me she knew there was more to the situation than I was telling her.

Ugh, what was up with everyone and being so damn attentive all the time?

It was good to know that she noticed things like that, but it was annoying to constantly keep learning that I wasn't at all good at hiding my emotions. I guess that wasn't really the biggest of my problems though. I knew I would need people around me that could pick up on the things I didn't say anyway since I often tended to gloss over my problems in attempt not to burden others with them. Most people never noticed my masking and just took it as me honestly being fine, but all that ever ended up doing was make my problems much harder for me to carry. I needed people who could see past my words and make me tell them what was going on in my life. I needed people who actually cared enough to notice.

"We should hang out more," Asia said, her voice more authoritative than suggestive. I didn't have a problem with it though.

I smiled. "We should! Do you know what room you're staying in? Maybe we're living together."

With a laugh, Asia shook her head. "Nah, I'm living with Phoebe," she said. "Room five."

Wow. Everyone except me really came into this trip with a buddy.

"Damn, I'm in room two," I told her. "Do you know who did all the organizing for the rooms?"

"Yeah, it was Phoebe," Asia said with a laugh. "That's how I know all that – she asked me if I wanted to live together."

Phoebe was one of the only other people on the trip that I was acquaintances with. She and I had had a few classes together, and had been partners for our final Econ project junior year. We'd never hung out one-on-one apart from that time, but we said hi whenever we saw each other, which was honestly good enough for me. Even though I knew everyone on the trip, I hadn't spoken to about half of them in the past six months. And we weren't all exactly on the friendliest of terms.