The Jaebum Project.

2| freshmen curfew

Chapter two| freshmen curfew

NALA listened to her parents drone on and on about the degrees of safety precautions to take and what is expected of her while she is away from home. The same ritual she's heard a million times since her high school graduation four months prior. 

The parents of Nala Summers brought new levels to helicopter parenting. As specialized agents of the FBI, they have seen the worst and the real evils that plague the world in which they have done everything in their power to protect their baby girl. Severely overprotecting Nala, sheltering her away the real world and preserving her innocent soul.  

Throughout her childhood, Nala had limited amount of friends due to her overbearing parents. School became a top priority coming before everything which allowed Nala to excel and able to attend an ivy league university such as Columbia.  

Nala never seemed to care about being social, she'd dedicated her whole childhood to making her parents happy. Deprivng herself of her true passions up until the age of fifteen in which she'd taught herself how to dance in secret. Dance was a topic her parents would never indulge in even as a hobby. The plan was for strictly for Nala to breeze through undergrad, attend Harvard Law, become a successful attorney. 

"Every weekend I expect you to stay by your Aunt Pam and Uncle Sanjay's house in Brooklyn. They need a little help with baby sitting your cousin Krishna" Nala's mother Paulina said whilst unpacking the last box of clothes into the dresser organizing tops from bottoms as she did so. 

Her father Christopher eyed Nala suspiciously. "Why were you in the arts building and who was that boy you were talking to?".

Nala met her father's gaze shocked that he would actually bring the encounter up in front of her mother. "Sweetie we talked about this already...boys are only a distraction to your schooling"

"All I did was ask him where the studio was" Nala defended herself as she sat on her bed. Christopher had seen the situation in another way. "Is that so? It looked quite more than that by the way he was looking at you".

"It is not a crime to talk to the opposite sex! Nothing even happened. You guys always overreact for nothing" She pouted hugging onto her pillow. She hated when her parents behaved like this. As if she was incapable to function in society without them.

Nala's parents stared at their naïve daughter. Part of them wanting her to taste the harsh realities, while the other wanted nothing more than to take her back home.

Paulina crouched below to meet her daughter's eyes as she took Nala's hands into hers soothingly. "I know that you may believe that your father is probably overreacting but you have to remember that your father is a man who knows how other men think. We are here to help provide everything within your best interests in mind". 

For a moment Nala wanted to believe that her parents truly care for her best interest in mind until her mother continued to speak. "We also decided that since this is your frist time away from us...we left your ballet shoes at home so that it wouldn't distract you from your studies". 

"B-But dance has never distracted me from school...." 

Paulina offered a warm smile. "You'll be able to earn them back next semester once you prove you can take care of yourself without distractions". 

Nala knew that line before, the promise her mother would never keep because she had no intention to whatsoever. Before Nala could retaliate her mother kissed her forehead giving her a knowing look shutting Nala down.

"Everything we do is for the best my love" Paulina tucked a few fly away strands behind Nala's ears as she nodded meekly at her words.

Her father embraced her as well before the couple decided to take their final goodbyes without uttering another word.

She waited a minute or two after the door closed shut to lift up her mattress finding a pair of back up ballet shoes she bought in cash a few months prior in case a situation like this would happen. Her parents were becoming more and more predictable these days. 

Nala felt different. The physical sense of freedom to do what ever she pleased. She wasn't in a rush for this moment yet still hadn't a clue what to do. The world was her oasis.

Maybe she would go to the movies late?

Maybe she would go to a party?

Maybe she would get tattoo?

Scratch that last part. She wouldn't dare.

Her roommate Lenore entered inside the dorm coming back from God knows where. Lenore was a junior, unlike Nala, and was pretty much a party girl who still somewhat stayed on top of her studies.

Lenore eyed her roommate skeptically going into the mini fridge for a drink. "Yikes who pissed in your cereal?".

Tossing her pillow aside she answered. "My parents".

"Ahhh yeah parents can be a pain in the ass but no worries! They eventually chill the fuck out by the next semester or two" Lenore tried to cheer up the freshmen as she began stripping out of her mom jeans and into some tight and skimpier cut out leggings revealing the sides of her hips.

But you don't know my parents.

Nala wanted to say but didn't feel like delving into that conversation. Nala turned over in her bed getting a glimpse at Lenore's attire raising a questionable brow.

"Matter of fact you should come with me, tonight is start 'freshmeat parties' for the weekend".

"Freshmeat?" Nala repeated unaware of the concept.

"Yeah it's gonna be poppin in the next hour or two so I suggest you pick out an outfit from my closet and come with me" Lenore winked grabbing the younger's hand leading her towards the closet and vanity area.

"What's wrong with what I have on now?" Nala frowned gazing down at her red long sleeve pleated dress.

"Oh honey you're giving me Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz vibes but that's okay because I have something even better that will do your body the justice it deserves" Lenore promised. 

Nala smiled at the thought of it deciding to ignore the slight insult to one of her favorite dresses. Lenore didn't seem to have any ill intentions as she presented an array of various clothing styles ranging from light cottagecore to the darkest grunge for Nala to choose from. 

It was then when Nala was finally able to describe the feeling she felt since her parent's departure, it was freedom.

The free will to do whatever she pleased without interrogation or ridicule. Without judgment nor shame for her choices. She couldn't help but wonder if she had felt imprisoned her entire life up until this point. What a dangerous sense of reality she had been pulled forward into.

And tonight...Nala Summers was finally going to get a taste of freedom she so desperately needed.