Briar Scott

I don't see how counting things help you sleep.

Seriously, I have now been on one obnoxiously-long plane ride, and I'm currently in a long car ride. My brother -- the one accompanying me on this little adventure to college -- tells me to count trees.

I think he is just trying to get me to stop saying, "Are we there yet?" as I always have, even when I was a little girl.

"Hudson, I'm bored," I say once again hoping he'll say the words I want to hear.

"Oh my god, Mia," he responds, finally getting frustrated with me. "Keep counting trees."

I look around the area. "Hudson, we're in Kansas, there haven't been trees in miles."

"Then count the clouds." I sigh.

One cloud... two clouds... three clouds...

23 clouds... 24 clouds... 25 clouds...

Another cloud... more fucking clouds... Oh my god, I'm going insane.

I decided to look at myself in the mirror because I'm a diagnosed narcissist. However, I stopped after about two minutes because I became too sad about my looks, and I'm about to go to college, no depressed feelings allowed.

Finally, after like two more hours, we reach the university, and of course, it's completely packed. The truth behind moving day in college- It's literally seven in the morning and it's packed.

I look around the campus, trying to get a feel around things. Everyone here is... pale. There's nothing wrong with being Casper's cousin, but I've always been a nice shade of tan. Obviously, because I've lived in Los Angeles my whole life.

Which if you didn't know, if you live in areas that are more exposed to sunlight, you actually get tanner. Your welcome for that little fact.

Once we parked outside the dorm, we got out of the Cadillac Escalade. A pretty girl walks up to me, with blonde, and a bright smile. Wow, are all the girls here this pretty. She's like a twig, but not a pancake. Not fair.

"Hi there, I'm Lillyana, but people call me Lily. I can show you where to start with everything if you would like." She told me sweetly. I wonder if having that large of a smile is good for your health.

"Um, sure," I respond timidly. So much for not being concerned about my looks. Hudson chuckles, knowing my insecurities. He walks over and throughs an arm over my shoulder.

"That would be great, thanks!" He responds, smiling his thousand-dollar smile.

She looks a little affected by my brother's looks, but she snaps out of it, which I'm thankful for. "Well you can follow me to get signed in, and later I can fetch someone to help you guys with your bags." She says smoothly.

I nod, following her, with Hudson by my side. I can see many of the girls swoon at his appearance, imagine their faces if I told them he's already engaged to be married.

Do you know how flipping awkward it is when you catch multiple people gazing at your brother? PRETTY FREAKING AWKWARD!

The only guy that has shown me any interest in the past two months, threw up on me at a party because of his alcohol intake. Not the best first impression.

We walked up to a booth with a ridiculously long line, "Here we can go to the back, so you don't have to wait." She exclaims, gesturing to the extra booth, with others seated.

We walked up to it, and I counted three guys and one other girl. As I get closer I realize I can't see the other two guys because their backs face me, but the one that does face me... damn. One guy is on his phone, with his black and gold Ray-ban sunglasses. His arms are ripped, with skin the color of milk chocolate.

Oh, I am going to like it here.

Lillyana waves to the guy, the one I'm drooling over. "Noah, over here!" He looks up from his phone and smiles. Sexy man's name is Noah. He quickly hugs Lily. "Noah, this is... sorry, what's your name again?"

"Uh." I look behind me seeing Hudson checking out the campus, "I'm Briar." I respond quickly, playing with my subtle diamond ring on my index finger. My fingers are covered in rings, I feel like they bring character.

"Nice to meet you, Briar," He removes his glasses to reveal his warm brown eyes. "I'm Noah."

And I'm single so let's do this.

He reaches his hand out, and I put mine in his, shaking it. I felt sparks fly when our fingers touched, it was like my hand was made to fit perfectly in his. Or perfectly around his--

"Hey Noah, how are you?" I ask, ditching my previous thoughts.

He smiles a sloppy smile, cute. "I'm doing pretty good, you know, other than the fact it's pretty hot out here, and my arms feel like they're about to fall off from carrying all the boxes." He chuckles, "But pretty good, what about you?" He questions.

"I'm doing alright, finally getting over the motion sickness," I respond, he chuckles lightly.

"Really? Did you travel a long way?" He asks, turning around to grab a laptop with a numbered label on the corner. "I've never really been out of state much, so I was just wondering."

"You're good. Uh, yeah I traveled all the way here from Los Angeles." I respond, moving my hair covering my eye to behind my ear.

"The city of angels." He whispers while playfully smirking. I'm caught off guard, when Lily comes back and wraps an arm around Noah, him doing the same.

He places a kiss on her forehead as I feel my heartburn. "Well, Mia, this is my boyfriend Noah, and I'm sure he would love to help you guys out with moving your things in." She looks at him smiling and begging him with her eyes. All this is taking place while my hopes and dreams die out.

Where's my cat?

Hudson comes back over, putting his phone back into his wallet. "Mia, I just signed you in, your welcome. But, uh, yeah if you don't mind, we could use the help!" My brother answers, oblivious to my first impression with Noah. Why are all the cute guys gay or taken, this is complete bullshit.

I bite my lip looking back up at them, "Thanks guys, really, but I think we're fine. You've helped us enough." I force out a smile, this is getting really awkward -- well not for them, but definitely for me.

Noah cuts in, "No! Really! Really! I insist." He says.

"You sure?" I ask, "I thought your arms were 'shaking from carrying everyone else's boxes.'" I remind him, restating his words.

He smiles, "She listens... really though, it's no trouble!"

"Well alright then, it's settled!" Lily claps, looking from us back to her boyfriend. "Could you show us back to your car?" She asks in her sweet voice.

I look at Lily, smiling. "Yeah! Our car is this way." I gesture with my head, leading them in the direction.

"Sounds good!" Noah exclaims, "Just let me get my stuff packed up."

Noah walks over to his area, where he was previously, and picks up a black backpack; a very familiar backpack. "Hey, I have that backpack!" I exclaim. Noah looks to his back, looking at the bag as if he hasn't seen it before, then turns to smile at me again.

"Really? Mine's pretty old. I've had it for many years, it's very sturdy." He says, looking at me in my eyes, I wonder what he's thinking.

He clears his throat, "So... should we get going?" Lily responds, forgetting she was there... oops. How unfortunate for me. Well, you always wake up in the middle of the best dreams. Or is that just me?

We walked all the way back to the rental Cadillac. I'm faster so I open up the trunk, revealing my luggage from California. It's a lot. Not enough for everyone to be surprised, however.

Noah somehow ends up by my side, "Nice car, is this yours?" He asks.

"Oh uh, no. We can't afford this car." I lied, but this is all about meeting people who don't know who I am. Noah seems nice, I don't want him to get scared off from... well, me being a billionaire.

"Oh yeah? Well don't stress, it's not common for students to have this kind of car around here -- in college I mean." He nervously chuckles. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you get the car then? You aren't a car thief are you?" He smirks, turning this conversation into a joke again.

"You caught me, I stole this car and ran to college, hoping nobody would find out." We both laugh a little, "No, but, it's a rental. Like they say, 'treat yourself.'" I put my hair behind my ear.

Wow. I love being the most awkward person in the world.

"Should we start?" Hudson yells at me, I look back at him with his Versace sunglasses, his big sloppy smile, and his messy, curly brown hair. I'm going to miss him.

He tried to get me to change my mind for the entire summer, and even the last part of senior year when I was picking colleges. He noticed I was looking at colleges, states away from CA, so he was confused. He still doesn't have a good feeling about this, he can't protect me from three states away,' but he wants me to be happy and live my dream.

My dream of living a normal life; one where I don't have to be followed by cameras or bodyguards. One where I don't have to be wary of friends because they have no idea who I am. Friends that won't use me for money, fame, social status... a true friend.

We all walk up to the now open back of the car, and they get started. I'm holding two boxes, one filled with toiletries, and one with a box in it. Yes a box, not smaller boxes that have things in them, no this is a medium-sized box with a lock on it.

The things in it are things that are important to me, and the luxury items that I thought were important enough to bring to college with me. You can't get into it without a password.

We got into the room and put everything down since we had some help, we didn't have to go back down. Now all Hudson and I had to do was put things together, and make the room me.

Noah is looking around the room, probably he's seen many different dorms today. My dad got me in a dorm suite, which is a large room with multiple rooms, normally housing five people, but he got me the small suite; only housing two. We paid for most of the suite so I got the bigger room of the two.

However, that won't match my financial status here of a middle-class, aspiring doctor. So I switched my dorm room and got a refund.

The four guys helping me with boxes -- not counting Hudson or Lillyana -- all set down my boxes and bags.

"Thank you guys for helping us," My brother says breaking the silence, "We really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem really, do you guys need any more help?" Lily asks a smile plastered on her face.

They've helped us so much already. "You guys really don't have to, we have to do a lot. Like taking apart this bed and building our other furniture. You guys probably have other things to do." I lean on the wall, I feel overwhelmed and I just want to be alone, in my room... with my cat.

Noah looks up as I say the last sentence, dang he actually does have things to do. Probably a date with Miss Kansas over there. "What time is it?" he asks urgently. Lily looks shocked too like they forgot something important or urgent. I did that once, but it was for my 'friends' birthday.

Not too important.

I looked at my phone before my brother could check his 25 grand Rolex which would expose me. "It's 3:05. Why?" I ask, needing the drama.

Noah awkwardly rubs his neck. Lily answers for him, "He has a practice, he's the star player on the team; everyone loves him." She says showing off her boyfriend.

I look up to Noah, but he just looks at my forehead, not my eyes. Is he embarrassed? "You're on the team?" I ask intrigued, I've always loved basketball.

"Uh, yeah." He replies shortly, "But I don't have to be there until five so we have time." Finally, he looked into my eyes and lightly smiled. I smile back.

"Well if there's no problem," I say slowly, playing with my fingers.

Lily jumps into the conversation, "There's no problem, it's what we're here for." She walks over to where Noah is standing by the window and wraps an arm around his waist. Lucky girl.

"Thank you guys so much for helping us. You really didn't have to do that!" I exclaimed. It would've been really nice if I didn't have Noah helping Hudson lift things, only leaving me to stare at his flexing muscles.

So, thanks a lot.

"It really wasn't a problem, although some of your things are heavy," Noah responds, stretching his arms.

Hudson nods, "Yeah, honestly, what did you pack in there, rocks?"

I snorted, "That was so funny, Hudson." I reply, sarcastically. "Very original," I unscrew my water bottle.

Lillyana touched my brother's arm, "I thought it was funny." She chimes in. She smiles, giggling.

Oh my gosh stop before my eyes start to bleed.

I clear my throat while checking my phone. I lift my head, looking for Noah, "Hey, Noah, it's 4:37, when is your practice?" I ask, trying to move this situation along.

His eyes lit up, "I totally forgot, thanks for reminding me!" He grabs his backpack from the floor and swings it over his shoulder. "Come on Lilly, let's go."

She nods at him, still smiling. "Okay. Bye Hudson, it was so nice meeting you, you too!" She exclaims, giving me and Hudson a quick hug. "Call me and we should get coffee!" She tells me.

I nod, giving her a smile as well. And Noah and Lillyana both exit my dorm.

The room was silent for a little bit before I turn my head towards Hudson, "'Bye Hudson, it was so nice meeting you!'" I mock, speaking in a higher voice with a large smile that's going to leave lines.

He chuckles, ruffling my hair. "Shut it, Mia. She was only being nice. You should try it sometime, you might actually make some friends."

I scoff, "Why do I need friends when I have my brother-"

"Awe."

"...'s fiance." I finish, making his smile dissipate.

He turns around while shaking his head, "Bitch." He whispers.

I giggled, turning around to finish taking the small things out of boxes. Hudson continued hanging up my pictures on the wall. When I started rearranging my knick knacks and other things, time was once again lost.

It was two hours later and Hudson has left for his hotel room that he has booked. He just finished driving me back to my dorm from dinner. We went to a nearby Olive Garden considering Italian food is my all-time favorite, whereas Hudson's is Mexican food.

He doesn't like Italian. Who in the world doesn't like Italian food?

I mean Mexican's okay, but it doesn't take better than some nice pasta. He doesn't agree, however, it's okay.

He's entitled to his own wrong opinion.

My room was completely finished— well my side anyway. My roommate has yet to arrive with all of her things, meaning she's going to get here tomorrow. I haven't personally spoken to Holly — my roommate — much before, only when we introduced ourselves and she told me the plan of the room. I was given a detailed list of what our room was supposed to look like. There was information on what chest to buy, and what colors will be used. For example, the room is going to be grey, white, and pink.

My bed was pressed against the window on the back wall, with the chest she told me to buy sitting next to it. My bedding was white with pink, grey, and white pillows, with a pink blanket on the edge of the mattress. Noah and his friends helped raise my bed which meant that I had the room to put my extra pillows, blankets, and a bean bag I bought underneath. I covered the sides of my bed with a blanket to help make my own private nook. That's where I kept my box of valuables.

At the foot of my bed was the desk they provide for you, which I used to store all my supplies, makeup, and pepper spray.

Always necessary.

I bought this fun self add-on from the furniture store which I had on top of my desk, which had a lot of everyday junk. The walls had different wall arts that I picked up over the years. They had a tiny closet with the entirely new wardrobe I bought that was not what the public would expect 'Mia Diamanté' to wear. That's the point though.

For extra things in the room, I rolled out a grey mat, and a microwave. I'll probably end up putting that in my nook.

Mia's Man Cave, if you will. Well, technically Mia's Woman Cave, but the 'Wo-' ruins the effect.

Luckily I didn't mind that my roommate took control considering I'm obsessed with all colors and to be honest, I'm trying to be as unrecognizable as possible.

I used the pink storage box I have to hop onto my bed. The bed at first wasn't comfortable at all, but we added multiple layers to make the mattress usable and also fairly tall. I laid back and looked at the ceiling. I sighed, wondering what to do.

I jumped off my bed and went to grab my backpack to get my laptop. When I opened the pocket I couldn't see my laptop. I could, however, see a pair of sunglasses. The same gold and black sunglasses that a certain handsome guy was wearing a few hours prior.