Rumor Has It

one.

.

« rumor has it: one »

[morning of august 17th]

          It's strange. Last year, at this exact time, I pictured this moment very different from how it is turning out so far. I always pictured it as being a bright and sunny morning, birds chirping, and old school music playing from one of the dorms to get everyone excited to be there. Maybe even have one of those resident advisors who dash between rooms introducing themselves in such a perky tone that you feel exhausted after talking to them. Then you finally meet your roommate and instantly form a bond over something silly you did while setting up your room together.

          I even pictured what it would be like when my parents finally drove off without me. I would stand on the curb with a smile plastered on my face as I held back tears. The hatchback we drove here in would be empty as it drove by slowly. The windows would be rolled down as mom and dad waved and blew kisses. Of course, dad would be driving because by the time they turned the corner she would be an emotional mess. "Good luck," mom would yell out with a smile. "We love you!"

          I blame all of the sappy coming of age films I watched growing up for giving me these expectations.

          The day actually started off to be pretty horrible. Thunderstorm warnings were across the Ames area all morning. Not one bit of sunshine could be seen, and no one was happy to be hauling their kid's items into a cramped box they call a dorm. Sneakers squeaked up and down the halls as our hall began to fill with its residents. There was no music playing, just the overwhelming sound of twenty conversations going on at once. My resident advisor stuck her head in the room for a moment, saying her name, room number, and telling me to check with her whenever I needed anything; there was nothing very exciting about her. My roommate wasn't even there yet, apparently, she was moving in the next day because of how the move in time was set up.

          After we managed to get all of my things stuffed into the room, still packed in their boxes and shoved in suitcases, it was time to say goodbye. Mom offered to help unpack with me, but I reasoned with her that it would give me something to do for the rest of the day. The walk to the car was filled with our sentimental goodbyes as the rain continued to pour. I told my parents I would call or text them every day and they promised me they would learn how to facetime.

          I don't know why I even imagined my parents driving away in a hatchback because they don't even own one. My parents had to rent a minivan to haul all of my items from our town to here. I stood on the curb gripping onto an umbrella that was ready to be blown inside out by the wind. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I watched them from afar. They kept the windows rolled up as they drove past. Through the raindrop riddled window, I could make out their hands waving. Dad cracked the window and hollered out, "Love you, kiddo! Have fun!" I smiled in response and waved them goodbye. 

+

          On my way back up to my room, I shared an elevator with a girl who had also just said her goodbyes with her parents. She was an emotional one. I wanted to console her, but I didn't know how to interrupt her quiet sobs in a polite way. So instead, I slowly moved as close as I could get to the elevator buttons and repeatedly pressed the number four hoping to speed things up.

         The floor that I now lived on was still busy with students moving in. The hallways were filled with parents and various boxes that could fit into their rooms yet. I managed to weave around those as I walked down the hall to my room. My end of the hallway seemed to be clearer with only one person at the far end moving in.

          When I got to my room, I immediately felt overwhelmed with the luggage and boxes that were left to unbox. The room felt very cramped and uncomfortable as I tiptoed around the stacks of my belongings. I shoved one of the heaviest suitcases against the door to help prop it open.

          While I unpacked, there were a few people who walked past the open door and peeked in, but none stopped to chat. That didn't really bother me because I mean, who wants to talk to someone who looks like they're the world's worst hoarder? I had also been singing, horribly, to myself for some time now so that may have something to do with it as well.

          "Whoa, and I thought I brought too much," a voice teased from the hall.

          I turned to look at the boy who stood in the doorway. He was a lanky guy, but it seemed to fit him well. His eyes wandered around my room, looking at everything but me.

          "There are bringing another truck load too," I joked.

          His eyes widened. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

          I shook my head with a laugh, "I'm just kidding."

          "Good one," the boy laughed. "I'm Kurtis. I live right next door." He finished by knocking on the wall that was to his right.

          "I'm Noella," I said introducing myself for the first time since being here.

          "Noella... cute name." Kurtis was quiet for a moment before speaking up again. "That sounded really weird. I'm sorry," he laughed while his cheeks turned a bright crimson color. "I'm not hitting on you or anything."

          "Whatever," I teased.

          Kurtis rocked back and forth on his toes as he spoke, "So, do you want some help unpacking? I moved in yesterday so I don't have a lot to do right now."

          There was nothing in the world I wanted more than help right now. I was okay telling my parents to go because I thought I wanted to do this alone, but I was wrong - for the tenth time today.

          "I mean," my words trailed on, "I'm not going to say yes... but I'm also not going to say no."

          Kurtis pursed his lips together and nodded. "I got you." He and I shared a smile before he walked over to a box that had nicknacks packed inside.

          As we unpacked my belongings, Kurtis and I managed to keep the small talk going. He told me he was from Illinois; I told him I was from Minnesota. He told me he was studying film and sound engineering; I told him I was studying English. It went back and forth like that for a while as we covered the basic questions about one another.

          I looked over to Kurtis who was now struggling to pin a poster of mine up on the wall. He yelped in pain as he accidentally poked his finger with the tack. I laughed at his unintentional stupidity.

          "You know," Kurtis said as he inspected his thumb, "there's a party on fifth floor later tonight if you want to go."

          "Eh," I began to groan in response.

          Kurtis interrupted and shook his head quickly. "No. Let me rephrase. There's like ten people who plan to sit in a small dorm and get drunk with a thirty pack of Busch Light and do some stupid shit."

          I played up the fake enthusiasm in my voice, "Oh well, when you put it like that. Of course!"

          He stared at me with a smile. "Seriously?"

          I nodded with a small shrug. "Yeah, why not? I'm at college, you gotta live it up right?" I finished with waving finger guns in the air with a stupid smile on my face.

          It's strange. I always imagined this day going so much different than how it actually went. There was no fun eighties music playing to get me excited, no hyper resident advisor that talked my head off, no roommate to bond with, and definitely no hatchback driving off into the sunset. I was completely okay with that because there I stood in my dorm with a boy I just met, who I am sure is going to be one of my best friends by the end of this year, joking around like a couple of idiots.

          I don't know, I think that's a lot cooler than getting to watch your parents drive away in a hatchback as they leave you at college. 

+