Page 3

brOOKLYN

The sun was slowly setting by the time Jenny, and I arrived on campus. It’s bustling with so much energy. Students filling the common areas in the courtyards, leaning against the trees in groups. Little stands set up for clubs and informational educational flyers. She parks and I step out. Breathing it all in. The energy is buzzing all around me.

Or could that be the flask of whiskey Jenny had hidden for us in the car ride over that she stole from Jed? But whatever it is, feels fucking amazing. I am free! A bird finally flying out of my mother’s oh-so-neat nest. Letting the wind lift under my wings to sail towards the endless sky. I can’t keep the smile off my beaming face.

Stretching her hands up towards the serene sky, Jenny says, “Can you fucking believe it babe? We finally made it! And thank god your mother allowed you to be on the IUD like me!" She says as she looks around the courtyard at all of the gawking men staring at us. We both look at one another and screech in excitement, dancing around the car to the trunk to get out our belongings. As we open the back up and start to pull out our suitcases, we hear a whistle from behind us.

“Hot damn ladies! The girls keep getting better and better each year!” Two men stand behind us, both wearing black leather jackets, dressed as if they just got off a motorcycle or possibly in some motorcycle gang. “Can we help you ladies take up your things?” The one with the dark hair, the sunset casting off his mulatto skin and forest green eyes says to Jenny. She blushes quickly. He is an attractive man. Tall, at least six foot four, muscular build and a shiny white perfect smile. Fuck. Jenny’s type to a T.

“You know, I would greatly appreciate that.” She says with a wink.

The other man standing with him is a bit shorter,I would guess around six foot even, sandy blonde hair, blue oceanic eyes and a toned figure. I can tell he is a bit more introverted than his buddy. He takes a quick look at me and smiles, then shifts his chin towards the ground as if a bit embarrassed. It’s cute.

“Ok, Dollface”, the tall dark-haired man says while walking over, shooting her a quick wink and picking up her suitcase from the trunk. “Just let us know where to take it.” He says while giving her a bright, cunning smile. This man has the biggest ego I have ever encountered.

“Well, first of all” she starts, “what are your names? I mean we must know who these chivalrous men are, coming to aid us damsels in distress,” she says while taking a small step towards him.

“I’m Dane Carter,” he says looking down at her, “and that is Chase Beckham.” Pointing behind him to his buddy. Not leaving her eye contact. “What’s your name, Dollface?”

“Jenny SaintAnne,” she says while her cheeks flush a light pink. “Well, Dane Carter,” she starts, “We are in the eastward dorm rooms.” Pointing over her shoulder, taking a sip of her flask, smiling at him slowly. He quickly picks up her remaining bags and they start off ahead of us. Chase starts to walk towards me and leans in to get my suitcase when I stop him.

“It’s fine, I don’t need any help.” I say shyly, picking up my suitcase and shutting the trunk. His eyes meet mine and then looks away quickly.

“Sorry about all that,” he says while his cheeks start to flush. “He is very forward, always causing attention to us. I swear he can’t help himself.” Chase says while shaking his head and then turning to walk with me.

“It’s okay,” I say quickly, “Jenny is also a lot like that as well, those two would be a perfect match!” His eyes meet mine once again as we both share a little laugh.

“Well, if she is Jenny, can I have your name? I mean, you already know mine.” He says with a bit of hesitation in his voice.

“I’m Brooklyn.” Smiling, he looks at the ground and then back up to me again.

“You hail from New York then?” he says, making a small joke. I give out a little laugh like it is the first time I have heard that joke to ease him a little.

“I wish, but no. I’m from a small town just a few hours from here.” Looking back up to me, he smiles again. He is handsome. In that boy-next-door kind of way. I can tell he must have been raised with great parents or in the suburbs. He’s got that squeaky-clean, ivory feeling about himself.

Walking up the steps to our dorm, we make our way through the large wooden doors. The hallways are cluttered with students. Loud music playing from different rooms as we walk past. One rock, one reggae, and another hip hop. Smoke fills my lungs with what smells like a skunky fume that travels up into my brain. Making me feel a little dizzy and causing me to cough.

I wave my hand around my face to clear it away. I have never tried weed. Sure, I have drank at parties, but with weed I was always too afraid to let loose. Too afraid of the unknown. Always afraid I would make an utter fool out of myself.

I just turned nineteen over the summer and still feel so inexperienced, so young. Walking down these halls makes me feel like a stuck-up girl, gripping her grandma’s vintage pearls from the sight of it all. I am sure most students here have experimented with so many kinds of drugs. Thinking about it makes my stomach sink and fills me with more insecurity that I just won’t fit in.

We make our way to the fourth floor and turn into the small room. Two stained twin beds sit on either side, blank concrete dark walls with some tape still stuck on them surround the room. A small sink and fridge sit in the back corner. One tiny bathroom with a standing shower and toilet connects towards the back of the room. This place is not what I was expecting.

I swear it’s smaller than a prison cell. Maybe I am being a bit dramatic about that, but it sure looks like one. How in the world am I going to be able to share a living space, if there is no space? The first thing I will be doing is getting a new mattress, cause yuck ! I don’t even want to think about everything that has gone down on that bed.

“Welcome home, babe!” Jenny beams from the twin bed she sits on to me while Dane peers out of the window to the bustling courtyard below.

“Man, I am glad I've never had the experience of staying in dorm rooms. This shit would drive me crazy.” Dane says while looking around the tiny room that feels even smaller now with their large bodies taking up so much space.

“Wait, are you guys not in college?” Jenny asks with a quizzing glance.

Dane gives her a sly smile, “I’m not in college Dollface, I never needed to go, but Chase does attend this prestigious hell hole.” Chase shoots him an annoyed look.

“Ok, so you just walk around college campuses looking for women to pick up then?” She teases raising a perfectly sculpted brow at him.

Looking back at her, Dane lets out a small laugh, “Oh you’re new here, you will learn very quickly that me being on this campus is a blessing.” She scoffs at him and shakes her head.

“A blessing huh? Well, we will see about that one.” She smiles and starts to unpack her belongings. I think he has made her speechless. Interesting. I make my way over to the crusty, disgusting hard bed and throw my suitcase on it. The bed doesn’t even sink in. Great, guess I will be sleeping on a rock tonight.

“Ok, so what are we getting into tonight?” She giggles, turning towards me then focusing her attention on the boys again. It's Friday night,“any parties?”

Dane turns to her, a gleam in his eyes. “Well, our place. We throw some pretty big ragers every Friday night. The entire campus usually shows up.” He says while smiling and taking a swig out of her flask that lays on the bed.

“Perfect!” She says, “Now give us your number and let us get ready. I will text you for the address soon.” She says while pulling out her phone.

They exchange numbers quickly as I feel Chase’s gaze on me.

“Would you like to have my number?” he asks quietly.

Before I can answer Jenny blurts in, “Well of course she wants it!” Laughing she snags my phone from my sweat gripped fingers and hands it to him.

Fucking Jenny!

He quickly adds his number and gives me a shy smile when handing it back to me. Our fingers gently brush while I grab my phone, sending tiny little shivers up my spine. I feel my face start to heat.

His eyes widen a little then look away brushing his smooth hand in his styled hair.

“Ok ladies, just send a text when you are ready. Gonna have a crazy night!” Dane shouts as he leaves the room, turning around again he points his gaze at Jenny, “oh and make sure to dress to impress.” Winking at Jenny, he turns and walks down the hall. I can hear a gasp as her mouth opens beside me. Chase smiles and shakes his head.

“Wear whatever you like, ladies”. His cheeks blush as he turns to join Dane and leaves the room. I shut the door and turn back slowly to Jenny, who I can feel buzzing in excitement and annoyance behind me.

“The nerve of that man! It's like he has never seen a woman dressed down before. But OMG, can you believe that? Our first college party starts tonight!” She squeals in excitement. Jumping up, she runs and grabs her make-up and starts to go through her clothing. Ruffling through her suitcase she continues, “Girl, the way Chase was looking at you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you get it in!” She laughs loudly and spins to me.

“That Dane guy, oh he is definitely going to be eating his words once he sees me!” She spins to me with a wide smile on her face holding a red, low-cut dress to her body and looks at me quizzically.

I gave her a faint smile and turned towards my bed to unzip my suitcase. Noticing my mood change and placing the dress on her bed, she walks over to me slowly.

“Hey, you ok babe?” She starts searching my eyes with worry, “if you would rather us stay in tonight, we can just make some popcorn and put on some scary movies. You know I brought my TV.” She says while grabbing a strand of my inky, stringy hair, then sits on my bed.

“No, it will be fun.” I swallow hard and say nervously. “I’m just not sure how well I will fit in with all the other girls.” I say, as I pull at the seams of my suitcase, “I’m not like you. Not outgoing and the life of the party.”

She grabs my face gently and pulls my chin up to meet her baby blue eyes, “Stop it, Brooklyn. You are beautiful and smart. You are so much more than any of those other girls.” Rolling my eyes, she continues, “The one thing that always amazed me with you is your lack of self-awareness.”

She continues as I glance back down to my threading suitcase, “I don’t think you are aware at all how men stare and gawk at your beauty. You are such a little mystery!” She strokes my cheek with her thumb and hugs me tightly. I glance up to her again and smile softly. “Now let’s stop with the pity parade and get ready to blow some fucking minds tonight!”

Her vulgarity has me laughing. She was always the wild one. The one who you could not cage. That wild mustang that roamed the hills, chasing the thunder. The one you would notice walking into any room. That shining light that would blind you, but you kept staring into its brilliance no matter how much it stung. She is the sun.

Jenny jumps off my bed and grabs my black sweater out of the suitcase, “Maybe this will bring you a little luck tonight.” Smiling, she tosses it at me. I held the sweater out and remembered the stories. Remembering the passion that is thread into the onyx soft fabric.

Maybe, just maybe.