Chapter 1
Elias Parker was finally stepping into new territory. At last, he was old enough to begin his journey as a college student, and despite his reluctance to leave home, everything seemed to be falling into place. The universe was giving him all the right signs for a fresh start, even though moving away wasn’t something he had wanted. Sure, he was excited to attend college on a full football scholarship, but it meant being nine hundred miles away from his beloved family—specifically, his father, William Parker.
After Elias’s mother passed away, he and William had always stuck together. They tried to heal their broken hearts by being each other’s constant. Sometimes Elias could see how miserable his father was. He would hear his father sobbing in his bedroom, hugging his mother’s picture in the middle of the night, thinking Elias wouldn’t hear. Elias did his best to be there for him. He learned how to cook, take care of things around the house, and support his father. It took them three years to find a balance without their beloved wife and mother. Finally, they could live without the constant reminder of the missing piece, the part of their lives that had long gone.
What Elias hadn’t prepared for was college. He had joined the football team in high school as a way to distract his father, to give him something else to focus on besides memories of his mother. What he didn’t expect was how good he would become at the game, and how he’d attract the attention of scholarship scouts. Elias remembered throwing out acceptance letters, trying to avoid telling his father about them. But William had found one anyway. One night, after Elias came back from a party with his friends, his father and grandmother surprised him with a small celebration in the living room. Elias could see the pride in his father’s eyes for getting accepted into college with a full scholarship. He didn’t have the heart to tell him that he had thrown away several more offers.
“Now, there is no need to worry about anything else. Just focus on your study and practice well. I will come whenever you have a game,” William said as he helped Elias unload his things. Elias stood still, hoping for a sign that would let him go back home with his father.
“Dad, are you sure you are going to be alright alone? I can still apply to colleges closer to home,” Elias said, making sure once more before heading inside.
“Yes, it’s time for you to spread your wings, son. I’ll be fine on my own. If you’re really worried, Nana can stay with me for a while until you feel better about it. You can call me every day if you want,” William replied, trying to ease his son’s concerns. Elias could see the pride on his father’s face, but all he wanted was to stay by his side.
“Look, son, I know you’re worried about me. But we can’t keep living like this. We need to learn how to adapt. I need to be able to live on my own just like you need to learn how to live yours.”
“Why do we need to live alone? We are stronger together,”
“You’re right, son. We are stronger together, but part of that strength comes from learning to stand on our own. We’ve spent years rebuilding, and now it’s time for you to grow in new ways. Just because we’re apart doesn’t mean we stop being strong for each other.” William ended the conversation by hugging Elias tightly, knowing it was as difficult for him as it was for his son. They had never really learned how to be alone. Elias could see that it was hard for his father to let him go, but William knew he couldn’t keep relying on Elias. He was not his crutch—he was his son.
Elias took a deep breath as he watched his father’s car drive away, the weight of the separation settling heavily on his shoulders. As he turned towards his new beginning, the reality of college life started to sink in. He reminded himself that this was a fresh start, even if it felt daunting.
When Elias arrived at his dorm, he knocked on the door, and a friendly-looking guy with Asian features answered.
“Hey man, is this room B110?” Elias asked, double-checking the number.
“Yeah bro, it is. Need some help?” the guy offered as another guy appeared behind him. Elias figured they must be roommates.
“Sorry. I’m Elias Parker. The administration assigned me as your new roommate,” Elias explained. The guys exchanged confused looks before the first guy cursed under his breath.
“Well, this is awkward,” the Asian guy said. “Looks like there’s been a mix-up. My name is also Elias—Elias Park.” They brought Elias Parker’s belongings inside before heading to Student Affairs to sort things out.
“We apologize for the mix-up. Would it be alright if Elias Park, who has only paid for a half-year, gives the room to Elias Parker, who’s here for the full year?” the administrative lady asked in an apologetic tone. Elias looked over at Elias Park and his roommate, Eric Palmer, for their thoughts. Apparently, they were hockey buddies and had joined the program together. Elias felt guilty for separating them, especially since he understood the pain of being separated from someone close.
“Is there any vacant room I could take?” Elias asked. He didn’t mind sleeping on the floor for a few days if needed, but three guys in one dorm would be way too crowded. Plus they were hockey buddies while Elias was football. It would only make things more awkward than it would already has. The administrator typed on her computer, her expression growing more doubtful the longer she searched.
“There is a student who cancels the room attendance. You can stay there, but there is a problem,” The administrative lady said with hesitant visible in her tone, doubting Elias Parker would agree with it.
“What’s the problem?” Elias asked.
Elias sighed as he stood in front of yet another dorm room. He couldn’t find any other option for this problem. Elias could only hope his new roommate would tolerate him for at least a few months until The Student Affair could find him another room. He knocked a few times but got no answer, so he used the key given to him by the administration.
Elias opened the door and he was hit by the calming smell of ice mint and a hint of freshly rose. Sunlight streamed through the two-panel windows across from where Elias stood. The room was identical for each side. With two desks under the windows side to side with each other, two single beds with shelves beside each side of the room, two cupboards beside the beds, and four drawers under each bed. There was a small corner table for a pantry. The air conditioner was mounted above where Elias was standing, and there was a small bathroom with a shower, toilet, and sink.
The room was empty but there were boxes of things on the left side of the room. Elias waited for his roommate to come first before he started to unpack, but after a while, he gave up and unpacked anyway. He had a football briefing at 4 PM, and he didn’t want to be late.
For whatever reason, the room became increasingly hot as he unpacked his things. Elias tried to open the windows, but the lock was rusted. He looked around for the air conditioner remote but couldn’t find one. Deciding he’d deal with it later, he took off his shirt to cool down. Just then, the door burst open, and a girl walked in. They stared at each other in shock. The girl quickly closed the door, then opened it again, pointing at Elias with a stunned expression, before slamming it shut once more.
Elias was momentarily shocked, but a chuckle escaped him. He quickly suppressed his smile when the door opened again, and revealed a short girl with long black hair looking at him with a distasted look written on her face.
To be Continued.
