I'll Take Two

Chapter Two

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." -Amelia Earhart 

     It was late afternoon by the time we, meaning my dad me and Alice, reached MSU. The drive was long and hot in my dad's little Honda, but thank god the air conditioner still worked. As the radio played a staticy version of "Carry On," by fun, I got to thinking about the college. The dorms, where I'll be staying, are co-ed, but the rooms aren't. I think each floor in the dorms are split by gender. I hoped the girls got the second floor. As we drove, I thought about my roommate. I don't know her name, and I haven't even met her. I really hope she is cool, and not some super nerd, but also not to cool, so I can be friends with her. I guess I had a lot of hopes, but no set fact yet.

  As we pull up to the dorms, I saw some kids standing around outside, or I suppose they aren't really kids, more like 'young adults.' They seemed pretty boring, until one of them pulled out a cigarette. When me and Alex had decided to get drunk our first time together, we had also sworn not to smoke. But that was because it was bad for you, or so everyone told us. I had kinda always wanted to, simply because it looked so bad ass when you did it.

  As we got out of the car, I see the building number. "I need building 7," I say to dad and Alice, as we begin our search for the room, which contains the roommate i am destined to spend at the very least two years with (only third and fourth year students get their own rooms). Finally we find building 7, and to my happy relief, my room is marked on the second floor. I climb the steps two at a time, and find room 197. The door is opened, and I see a busy red headed girl rummaging through some boxes. She is tall, with dark eyes, but one of those faces that is pretty, but stern and kinda scary. 

  "you must be sandy, right?" The girl says, "I'm Reilly." I smile, and suddenly become nervous about everything I've just put my feet into. I manage a 'hey Reilly,'  and then kinda stand wordlessly in the door way. "Oh," Reilly says, moving her stuff to one side of the room, "I hope you don't mind if I have the right side of the room?" 

  "No, it's fine," I said, smiling and setting my first box on the bed that is to be mine. "Great, also you don't have any weird pet peeves or rules I should know about right?" She says, giving me a look that I can't quite place, but involves one eye brow raising slightly, and a curled lip that seemed to say, "god I hope this quirky chick is normal."  I smile and say, "nope, do you?" I internally hope she isn't some neat freak or something, but to my relief she says, "the only thing you should know is that I stay out late, come back early, and wont be around much." That is in fact, a great relief. Nothing against this Reilly girl, but I like my peace and quiet.

  Then, my dad Jeff, came up the stairs with two boxes in his hands. Alice was behind him holding my last box. "There's a duffel bag in the trunk still, and my backpack." I said, and Alice offered to go get them while I got settled. The space I was occupying was barley a quarter the size of my bedroom at home, but i didn't mind. this was an adventure, and adventures are all about changes and new experiences. 

  Dad looked at me as I set the last bag on my new bed. I could see him holding back tears. But he was to proud to show it. Reilly left the room after saying hey to Dad and Alice, giving us a moment to say good bye. They had a long drive bag to Memphis, and they had to start as soon as they could. I realized that the first thing on my agenda was finding some form of car, or at least a friend with a car. I supposed I should get some kind of a job.

  After our heartfelt goodbyes were over, I watched them go out the front facing window. Outside, I watched dad's old Honda leave the parking lot. All the memories I'd had in that car. I guess I'll just have to make more. While I was thinking and watching them leave, Reilly came back from wherever she had been. I smiled, and we didn't say anything. About ten minutes of nearly silent uneasiness, someone knocked at the door. I knew it wasn't for me, because i still didn't know anyone. Reilly smiled, then opened the door. A guy stepped into the room as soon as the door was opened. "Hey Riles," he said, then gave her a teasing smirk. Before I was prepared, h turned that smirk into a smile. A smile directed at me.  "Hey," he said. "I'm Justin." 

  "Wow, his boy has a dangerous smile," i thought to myself as I quietly introduced myself.  I wonder if this is Reilly's boyfriend or something, hopefully not, the dirty little side of me seemed to say. Then, I pushed that out of my had, because this would of course, end badly if he was Reilly's well, anything.

  Instead of Justin and his smile, who began talking to Reilly, I thought about classes, which started in three days. I started worrying about random things, that I would normally never worry over. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, that the sound of my new roommate talking to me, eluded my ears. 

  "Hey Sandy, did you hear me?" Reilly said. "Sorry. What did you say?" I replied feeling embarrassment cloud my cheeks. "I said," Reilly repeated, "do you want to go to the dining hall with m and Justin, and find some dinner?" She smiled, and laughed through her teeth as my cheeks deepened their shade of red. "Um, yes?" I said, making it more a question than a response.

  We walked, with them leading the way and me following. They talked together, and had obviously known each other for a long time. I  was about to leave them and go to the lunch line, when Justin said, "hey Sandy, where are you going?" I felt his eyes on me, "this ones' a keeper," I imagined my dad saying to me, referring to Justin.