Valley Acres University
Valley Acres University. A prestigious institution boasting brilliant students who are eager to learn and grow in knowledge. The faculty have years of educational and career experience to help foster an exceptional learning environment.
I thought this would be the perfect escape from my childhood home where I lived in the shadow of my younger brother, Brandon, who has special needs. Don’t get me wrong, I love him to death, but it’s hard to get the attention I want when he needs it more. It almost felt like I was invisible once he came along. I’m sure if he had the option he would have wanted to be like everyone else; however, he was a blessing of his own.
No one gave as good of hugs or could brighten my day like my little brother. Unfortunately, once I went to college, I quickly learned there were no amount of hugs that could take away some pains.
That dreadful day started like any other.
After finishing up with my classes for the weekend, I returned to my room to start on my psychology paper that was due on Monday. I haven't been doing great in my classes and I really needed to focus. Mariah bounded into my room excited for some party that night. I had no intentions of going and looking back, I wished we hadn’t. I wouldn’t have gotten drunk and she wouldn’t be... Well, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Friday evening.
My small dorm room boasted 120 square feet of living space crammed with oversized furniture to make any student feel right at home. With bunk beds and two desks and dressers for Mariah and I, we felt overly cozy together. Most nights I spent at my desk typing away at my computer writing papers and researching articles while Mariah decided not to take college as seriously and used her time to flirt with boys and make new friends. I admired her outgoing personality but it looked exhausting entertaining all those people all the time. Guess I lost that side of myself after Malachi.
Although I was working towards a bachelor degree in business management, the school forced me to take a course in psychology this semester. It was proving to be more of a hassle than I wanted. I really didn’t care about why people act the way they do. I thought I was done taking meaningless classes when I finished high school but sadly that was not the case.
This latest paper proved more challenging than I anticipated. I chose to write on nonverbal communication after finishing the latest season of Lie to Me on Netflix. As interesting as the show was, reading research articles about the topic was dry and mind-numbingly boring. Even so, I was determined to finish tonight, so I could enjoy my weekend by sleeping. Mariah, on the other hand, was determined to get me to go with her to a party.
“Come on!” she whined like a three-year-old trying to get her parents to give her candy. “Everyone is going to be there.”
“All the more reason for me to stay here,” I retorted while continuing to type my thesis sentence. I at least had an idea for what I was going to write about after staring at a blank page for half an hour.
“Just come for an hour and then if you aren’t having fun, we can leave,” she bargained. I thought about it for a moment but knew better than to accept. She would guilt trip me into staying once we got there because she would have fun regardless.
“I don’t understand why you need my presence there. It’s not like you are going to hang out with me for any length of time anyway,” I countered. Mariah couldn’t deny that fact either. She always left me whenever we hung out the second that someone more interesting showed up. I didn’t blame her because who would want to spend all their time with someone who’s introverted and dreary as I am.
Mariah paused for a second letting me think I’d won. “I’ll stay with you this time. I promise,” she stated sincerely. “I really don’t want to have fun thinking about you here alone typing away on that keyboard all night.”
I sighed. I didn’t think she cared as much as she did. We’d been best friends since 7th grade but sometimes she could be self-absorbed. Times like this reminded me how our friendship lasted so long. “Fine,” I said, saving my paper and shutting my laptop. “But if you leave me, I’m coming back here.”
“Deal!” exclaimed Mariah as she turned and sauntered into the closet to change out of her jeans and shirt into something more appropriate for a fraternity party.
My arguing skills must have weakened or she was my kryptonite. Either way, I had to find a new outfit for this evening because I was sure she wouldn’t let me out in my minion pajama pants and tank top I had on currently. Sifting through my dresser drawers, all I could find were shorts that would have my father scolding me for wearing due to the length or lack thereof and another tank top. I shrugged and changed into them hoping they’d be to Mariah’s approval. I hated borrowing her clothes because they’d make me look like a prostitute. She was shorter by several inches so if I borrowed a skirt, I couldn’t bend over without flashing my underwear to the room. Her shirts looked like I borrowed them from a toddler.
After changing, Mariah came out of our shared bathroom in a tight skirt and low cut shirt with high heels I would break my neck in. Mariah glanced me over and rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything. I took that as a win whether or not it was supposed to be.
“What shoes are you going to wear?” she asked looking at our shoes in the bottom of the closet we shared.
“I figured I’d wear my Nikes,” I said sitting on the bed with a pair of ankle socks in my hand.
“Uh, no. It’s bad enough you’re wearing that without adding to the atrocity. Here, wear these,” she scolded handing me a pair of heels that I regretted wearing before even putting them on. My poor feet.
I ran a hand through my straight brown hair and glared at the shoes. How in the world was I going to walk much less dance in those? “Don’t look at them like they’re going to kill you. You’ll be fine.”
“Says the chick who has grace and poise. You know I trip over air in tennis shoes.”
Mariah scoffed. “I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer so you might as well save us both time and try them on.”
I rolled my eyes again and snatched the shoes from her. They looked lovely on my feet but I had yet to stand up and try them out. The thin four-inch heel intimidated me the way a serial killer with a knife would. “Stand up and twirl for me,” Mariah encouraged from the other side of the room, a couple of steps from where I sat.
Standing up, I wobbled a bit but managed to turn a full 360 before collapsing on the bed and hitting the back of my head on the bunk in the process. I grumbled in pain and frustration. This wouldn’t be happening if I just stayed here and wrote my paper, I thought as I rubbed my head. Mariah chuckled then gave me a half-hearted compliment.
“Now let’s do your hair,” she squealed in excitement. She loved doing my hair and makeup which I knew would be coming next. I shouldn’t have agreed to this. I sat back at my desk as she grabbed all of our hair supplies from the bathroom. It took an hour for her to finish my ‘look’ which I couldn’t deny made me look amazing.
Once she finished her own hair and makeup, we locked up and headed down the hall. The fraternity house wasn’t far from our dorm, but I held onto Mariah to keep from tripping. She understood and didn’t fight me off.
The night was still warm from the long summer months. Fall was creeping in but took a little longer to hit here in Tennessee. Crickets chirped in the distance and fireflies flitted through the field blinking and disappearing just as quick. We heard the loud music from the frat house and as we approached the house it became almost unbearable. I was surprised more adults didn’t have hearing issues if this was how they all listened to music in their teens.
Mariah dragged me through the door and started looking around for something. She spotted it quickly and pulled me toward a long table lined with booze and plastic cups. After filling cups for both of us, we walked around the already drunk crowd.
“When we finish drinking, let's dance,” suggested Mariah while swaying hips to the beat. I nodded once before stopping, my heart leaping into my throat. I couldn’t breathe for a moment as a stared at the familiar face of my ex-boyfriend, Malachi. He stood on the other side of the room glaring at me. His eyes trailed over my frame before working their way back to my face. It made me shiver. I scolded myself for reacting to him like that. He didn’t deserve my attention after what he did to me.
I yanked Mariah closer and whispered in her ear, “He’s here.”
“Who?” she asked, confused.
“Malachi,” I hissed.
Mariah looked around the crowd and stopped when her eyes found him. She giggled. “He can’t take his eyes off of you.”
“Don’t laugh. It’s not funny.” I crossed my arms over my chest in a pout.
“Why don’t you go dance with some other guy and really give him something to stare at,” she suggested with a laugh.
“Uh, no. I’m not playing his stupid games. I’m going back to the dorm.” I turned on my heel only to be pulled back by a firm grip.
“You are not going anywhere. He’s not going to ruin our night out because he’s a jerk," Mariah hissed. "You’ve done nothing wrong!”
“I know but I can’t stand the thought of him being in the same room.” Tears welled up in my eyes at the memory of finding out what he'd done.
“Well, then you really aren’t going to like him coming over here.”
I gasped and looked back to where he’d been standing. Sure enough, he pushed his way through the crowd towards us with his eyes never leaving me.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, Emma,” Malachi said as he reached us. My arm clutched tighter on Mariah as if she’d try to escape.
“Why not? I come to every party,” I lied. It was smooth and I surprised even myself. Mariah had a smirk on her face knowingly.
“I figured since this is my frat you wouldn’t want to come,” he stated. Shoot, I knew that too. How could I be so stupid as to forget? Probably because we never hung out here. He didn't like me being around all the other men who would make inappropriate comments.
“What you do doesn’t impact my choices,” I retorted folding my arms back over my chest. I couldn’t let him get to me.
“Don’t be like that, Emma,” he pleaded which wasn’t like him. He used to scold me or leave when I started making snarky comments.
“Why? What should I be like?” My resolve was breaking and I felt my anger beginning to boil. He had some nerve trying to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do.
“I know we didn’t end on good terms, but we could at least be cordial.”
'Didn't end on good terms' was an understatement. He ruined me. I scoffed. “I’ll be cordial when you apologize.”
“Emma, I’m sorry for cheating on you! Please forgive me.” His eyes seemed sincere, but I didn't buy it.
I laughed. “As if I’d forgive you that easily... Thanks for the apology though,” I responded as I sauntered off with Mariah in tow. We grabbed a couple of drinks and downed them before heading towards the dance floor.
That was the last thing I remembered from that night. I have no idea how I made it back to my dorm room or what I’d done prior to making it back. I was just glad I was safe and sound in my bed when I woke up the next morning.
