Chapter One
JORDYN
I never thought I’d be saying this, but I hate my best friends.
“Ugh, get in already!” I groan, scowling at the two of them who are prancing around my car like I’m not baking like a brownie in the driver’s seat. The sun is beating down on me mercilessly, the usual weather for Florida, no surprise there. I just want to get going already, we’ve been at this since early morning. Our parents and siblings had taken a good two-three hours to say goodbye to us.
“Can you have a little patience, Jordyn?” Bella huffs, circling the car. Her brown hair whips against my face from the wind as she slips past me to the back seat.
“No.” I stick my tongue out at her playfully as Faith, the third member of our trio shoves another bag of hers to the backseat, nearly knocking Bella over.
“Faith!” Bella squeals, and Faith flashes her innocent smile in apology.
“Get in, bitch.” I tell Faith, and she finally climbs into the passenger seat.
“Please tie your hair up, I don’t want to eat your hair when I’m driving, as soft and nice smelling as it is.” I comment, picking up a strand of her silky golden blonde hair and tugging at it. Faith laughs, obliging, pulling up her hair into a ponytail. I reach over and push a button, and the roof of my cherry red Audi convertible folds back.
“I can’t believe we’re finally heading off to college.” Bella breathes as I start the car. “And CSU at that. In Long Beach!”
“We worked hard for it.” I shrug, and pull into the street, slipping my sunglasses on to my face.
Bella, Faith and I have dreamed of joining California State University in Long Beach ever since we were kids. The three of us met during soccer practice in middle school, and were inseparable since. It’s a miracle that we’re as close as we were, because the three of us are polar opposites.
Bella is part Latina, part Filipino, and she’s the flirt, the vixen out of the three of us. Her long brown hair, light brown skin, and almond shaped hazel eyes has the ability to bring any boy to his knees.
Faith is the princess, and she looks like the epitome of innocence, the total opposite to me and Bella with her honey golden hair, bright blue eyes, pouty lips, soft voice and her love for the color pink. Boys love the innocent, blue eyed princess vibe she has to her.
Me, on the other hand, I’m usually the root of bad ideas that landed the three of us in trouble all the time growing up, which resulted in me getting the title of the ‘wild’ one of our trio. I’m the one that usually bites back to anyone who tries to play around with either of us, and I don’t back down from a fight, but most of the time, I’m dragged away by Faith and Bella before I’m able to properly get my hands on anyone.
When Faith and Bella are upset over boys, I’m the one who plans their death.
One of us has got to do it, right?
Faith had told me that I gave off an intimidating vibe when we first met, even though I was only around ten years old then. I think I got mad because she accidentally sat on my juice box. I didn’t believe her at first, but then Bella agreed as well.
My American father and Dutch mother passed on their mixed genes to me, resulting in dirty blonde hair that runs past my chest, paired with pale blue-grey eyes and a slight tanned skin tone that had gained a fair enough amount of male attention throughout my teenage years.
Oh, and also freckles everywhere. Thanks Mom.
For me and my two best friends, the combined love and passion for soccer was what fuelled our friendship at first, followed by years of playing soccer together, and getting into surfing as well. When high school was nearing to an end, we decided to stick together, and apply to CSU, where we were lucky enough to be recruited into their girl’s soccer team. And of course, California is the best place for our beach loving, surfer selves. And now, here we are, setting off to California from our home in Miami, Florida, with nothing but my car and our suitcases, away from everything we know and grew up with, about to embark into the real world on our own.
My stomach tingles with anticipation and excitement, ready to face and conquer the new life we’re about to start.
“California State, here we come!” Bella hoots, and I can’t help the grin that plasters across my face.
• • •
To my dismay, California is almost as warm as Miami. But according to Bella, since it’s early September, the beginning of autumn, California has mild days where the heat isn’t unbearable too.
I’m hoping she’s right.
But today is clearly a hot day, because the sun set about two hours ago, and the way sweat is coating every inch of my body as I lug my suitcases into the elevator of our apartment building is frustratingly familiar to back home. Bella and Faith follow me into the elevator with their bags, and the doors slide shut behind them.
“I’m excited.” Faith whispers, her cheeks glinting pink.
“Your mum’s a pro, Faith. She must’ve done a good job for sure.” I say, pressing the fourth floor button.
We had opted to rent an apartment just a few minutes away from college instead of living in dorms. Faith’s mum is an interior designer as well as a real estate agent, so she was able to get us a good place for a reasonable price. The three of us had worked our asses off our junior and senior years in high school doing random jobs to earn enough money to get us a nice place, and our parents had helped fund the furniture and redesigning. Neither of us have seen it yet, as our parents wanted it to be a surprise.
The elevator opens to a long hallway with three doors. We already know that the very last one at the end of the hallway is ours. Our shoe clad feet squeak against the wooden floors as we walk down the hallway, and I hold my breath as Bella sticks the key in the lock and opens the door, switching on the lights.
“Holy fucking shit.” I release my breath, gawking at the place in front of me. The place is relatively small, but Faith’s mum has done an amazing job designing it.
As soon as we enter, to the left is a small open kitchen, the marble kitchen island accompanied by high stools to sit by it. Straight ahead is the living room, vibrant with pale blue walls and pretty pictures of random things hung on the four walls. A plush white couch with colourful pillows is pushed against one wall, and a plasma TV hangs on the wall opposite to the couch. A coffee table and a pretty rug completes the cosy living area. Between the living area and the kitchen, a small circular dining table is placed with three chairs surrounding it. A big floor to ceiling glass wall in the living area let in natural light, eliminating the whole space beautifully.
Next to the kitchen, there’s a small hallway consisting of four doors. Three of them are bedrooms, similar to each other with a double bed, study desk, dressing table, small shelf and a closet in each of them. One bedroom has dark blue painted walls, the other is a baby pink, and the final one is a caramel colour.
“Your mum even painted each room in our favourite colours,” I chuckle, peeking my head into the room with the dark blue walls, which is clearly mine. It goes without saying that the pink is Faith’s, and the caramel one is Bella’s. The fourth and final door in the hallway is our shared bathroom, with white marble tiles, a bathtub, and a large vanity mirror.
The whole apartment isn’t large or extravagant. It is a perfect size, with simple, colourful and minimalist interior, and we love it. Faith’s mum has decorated it just the way we would have liked it - vibrant and lively.
“Amazing.” I state, plopping down on the couch after we were done looking around. “This place was bare when they got it right?”
“Yeah,” Faith nods. “Mum pulled a few strings, and decorated it herself.”
“We have to call Emma and thank her personally.” Bella says, and I nod in agreement, stretching my numb arms above my head lazily.
“My bedroom is the one closest to the washroom,” I realise, smirking evilly at my best friends, who exchange looks of annoyance.
“No way!” Faith scowls, and Bella throws a pillow at me.
“Losers.” I grin, getting to my feet and lugging my small suitcase of things into my new room. The rest of our things would be arriving in a few days, and we’d officially be moved in. I sink down into the comfy double bed, relishing in the soft duvet, sighing tiredly.
The new chapters of our lives are officially starting.
