One.
Chapter One: "You'll be okay. I'm just here."
~~~
I feel like I've crossed into a completely different world.
No one prepared me for mountains of hot guys and pretty girls, empty alcohol cans and bottles here and there, gigantic buildings filled with knowledge. No one prepared me for College.
I didn't expect anyone in my family too, none of them went to any kind of college, my grandparents finished school and got steady jobs. Because it was easier in those days whereas now, now you have to have multiple majors in impressive subject fields just to get a job at Forever 21. It's ridiculous.
My Grandmother dropped me off at the gate and kissed me goodbye, I'm going to miss her silver hair and the way she smells, like lavender. The same smell that has been placed inside my pillowcase to ease me into sleep and calm my anxiety. As it did whenever I hugged her. But now, I'll go with only the chilled scent emanating from my old pillow to make me feel less home sick.
"Be good. Don't drink too much, and make sure you use protection, I don't want any tiny Nassa's running around the place. Just please, please, be responsible. I'll come visit in a month or so with your Grandad." She places her thin lips on my forehead for the last time, and a tear slips down my cheek. "Don't be stupid, get your ass out there and make yourself a future." She basically pushes me out of the car, and I laugh. She never takes any sort of bullshit from anyone, ever.
"Love you too Grandma." I pick up my bag and straighten up my clothes.
"Have fun, my sweets." She gives me a comforting smile, and slowly departs from the parking lot.
I immediately feel like ringing her cell phone and asking her to come back and take me home. But I know I have to do this, it'll be great. Eventually.
A preppy looking girl with dark brown hair approaches me with a large smile.
"Do you need help?" She motions down to my bag, "I'm Nikita," she shakes my hand,
"I'm Nassa," she widens her smile,
"Nice too meet you. Come on, I'll take you too your room." She links her arm into mine, she's obviously comfortable being herself.
"You know where my room is?" I question and she furrows her eyebrows together,
"Of course! I know everything." Narrowing her eyes at me she whispers, "plus I kinda stole the room assignment sheet. It's always handy, especially if I see a guy I like." She winks and pulls me towards a large brick building.
I can tell we could be good friends.
She continues leading me into the building which is heavily air conditioned, and makes goosebumps form under my grey Nike hoodie.
"Woah, slow down." I say making my body heavier so it's not as easy to drag me around.
Nerves creep up on me at a quickening pace.
"Fine, I'm just so excited." She squeals, obviously her character is very excitable.
"I'm not. I'm nervous."
"No, don't be. I'll be there. Plus, I know your roommate. Like, pretty well. I've seen him naked." She giggles,
"Him? Him? My roommates a guy." I drop my bag,
"Yeah? I mean last time I checked he's a guy. Unless... Wait, never mind. Come on they'll have beer waiting for us." She picks up my bag and races down the white painted cinder block hallway. Every step she takes echoes, and I follow not wanting to look like a loner.
She waits outside a door until I catch up to her, she politely knocks, rolling up on her feet in excitement.
The door opens, to reveal the hottest male I've ever seen. His hair is light and thick, and it's been tousled over to the side slightly. He's an estimated foot taller than me and extremely toned. Every feature on his face looks as if it's been perfected, like a sculpture.
"Nikita?" He says looking the small girl standing in front of his door.
I notice they look similar.
"Franny!" She jumps into the room holding my bag, I race after her, as my bag has fragile things in it, and she's freely throwing it around.
"Nikita careful." I cringe as I stand in the doorway.
Franny as Nikita called him, looks down at me, then turns to Nikita,
"Niki, who's your friend?" He raises his eyebrows.
"Your new roommate! Nassa." She imitates his expression.
"Dude." I hear another male voice coming from a small couch in the centre of the room, which is actually quite spacious.
He's the same build as the guy next to me but his skin is darker and his hair is completely black. "You lucky motherfucker." He claps his hands at Franny.
"Francis, nice to meet you." Franny holds his hand out to me and I take it. It's soft warmth makes me shiver.
We shake twice, then I let go, because I couldn't stand to stare into his dark brown eyes without feeling as if I'm going to melt.
"Nassa. I'll help you get set up." Nikita motions me over to the empty double bed and brings a set of sheets out from the cupboard.
"It's okay. I can do it." I appreciate her offer, taking the sheets from her I says quick thanks and start making the bed.
The sheets are soft linen like I had on my bed at home, but mine smelt of the soft soap powder my Grandmother used, these smell strongly of detergent.
No one talks as I make the bed, until Nikita speaks up,
"You guys are perverts. Stop looking at her ass." She hits one of them, I can't tell which one as they both cough to relive the awkwardness.
"All done." I say jumping onto the neatly made bed to loosen it up.
"Do you need help with your clothes Nassa?" She asks,
"I think I'll leave them right now but thanks." I smile at her, and invite her to sit on my bed. She does.
~~~
All four of us talked for what seemed like hours, sipping on beers and laughing. They explained the basic layout of the school to me. And I realised that Nikita and Francis were brother and sister, not lovers as initially thought.
Nikita kept telling me Francis was a fuckboy, and I mean he has every right to be, he's extremely hot.
I learned that the other guys name is John, and he and Nikita have a thing. But I never asked if Francis had a Girlfriend, I guess it's best not knowing.
I check my phone to see the time, 12:16 am, and only just then the exhaustion hits me.
"Well, it's getting pretty late." I say showing Nikita the time, she gasps.
"But I'm having so much fun." She moans then pouts.
Francis laughs.
"We better hit the hay if he want to have fun at the party tomorrow night." John laughs and lifts himself off the floor.
"Come on Kita, let them have some alone time." He winks at Francis, and holds his hand out for Nikita to take.
But instead she gets up and tackles me into an embrace,
"It was really good meeting you Nassa. I'll see you tomorrow, we can go shopping for the party or something." She yawns and departs the room with John leaving just Francis and I.
I dig in my bag for my PJ's, and realise all I brought in the way of sleepwear was a sports bra and black shorts that end at just under my butt cheek, because I thought I was going to room with a girl.
Nothing I can do about that now.
"I'm just going to get changed." I say awkwardly and walk into the bathroom that connects to our room.
A change and wipe off my make up, brush my teeth and hair, and judge myself in the mirror before going back out and into bed.
"Nice pyjamas." He whistles at me, I blush.
"You too." I say back as I realise that he's now just in his boxers.
The homesick feeling I've been ignoring the whole night finally becomes too much to push back.
I climb under the covers and pull them over my head. I allow myself to sulk without making any noise, but a single sob escapes my lips.
"Nassa? Are you okay?" Francis peels back the covers of my bed and looks down at my tear stained face.
"Yeah, just a little homesick." I sniff, he softens his features.
"You look beautiful you know." He says as he wipes a fallen tear from my cheek.
"I never look beautiful."
"That's what you think."
"I'm going to try sleep," I say inhaling the scent of lavender off my pillow which makes me relax slightly.
"The first night or two is going to be hard, trust me I've been there. But you'll be okay." He places his hand softly under my chin and lifts it up so I look straight into his mesmerising brown eyes. "You'll be okay. I'm just here."
~~~
