The Prince and the Plant Whisperer

Back to School (*get ready for the beat drop*)

[~Posted 7/13/21]

[Soundtrack: Niall Horan – "Mirrors"]

Around 1PM Sunday afternoon Kai quietly rolled her suitcase into their dorm room in case Lilly was sleeping late.

But their bedroom door was open.

"Lill—" At the sight of her cute roommate in a pink sweater, Kai burst into a smile and gave her roommate a big hug.

Pulling away, Lilly asked, "Nina? How is she?"

"OK! She's OK! Except—she forced me to come back." Kai took off her coat. She threw her things on her bed. Started unpacking. "How've you been? How is everyone? How's Intro Psych?"

"Still taking it!"

"Good."

"Your friend Lukas shows up to class," said Lilly with a significant tone.

"I owe him a longer message," Kai sighed.

"Every time he turns up, it's like he's looking—for—someone," Lilly said, sing-song.

"Yeah, right," Kai laughed. She wasn't ready for made-up drama. The past month had served up enough real drama for a lifetime. "How's Barry?"

"Oh! Barry said I should tell you—Tom was amazing. That debate tournament, that day you flew out? Tom killed the competition! Crushed it. He qualified the team for nationals—and ranked first. Anyway, Barry made me promise to tell you all that."

Kai rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Barry's still on that? Still pushing the 'me-and-Tom' thing?" Kai had to laugh.

She added, "Tell Barry that his brother's very impressive. Or...I'll tell Barry myself." The three of them would all hang out soon enough.

Lilly shrugged. "Barry just said, Tell Kai so she isn't worried about what happened to Tom the next day."

To be honest, Kai hadn't even thought about Tom! She felt a little guilty.

After Tom sobered up enough to leave their dorm room—it was out of sight, out of mind.

But—first, it was because Lukas decided to stick around that night. Then everything happened with Nina. Which had her drowning in worries.

"Tom, huh?" Kai marveled. "He's really good at that debate stuff. Good for him."

"There's people betting in a campus forum about where he'll be as a politician in 40 years," Lilly said, playfully. "30% saying Mayor, 41% saying US Senator, 12% saying President."

"That's not 100% total. What about the others?"

"The rest are saying he'll be drunk and passed out under a bridge."

God, people are so cruel.

Continuing to unpack, Kai pulled out a gift-wrapped gold box of fair-trade chocolates. She smiled and held it toward Lilly.

"And. This is for you. Thank you!"

Lilly stared at her roommate.

"Thank you!" Kai said. "For taking care of my whole plant family last month!"

"Kai, about that—"

There was a weird tone to Lilly's voice.

From her bedside, Kai's eyes flicked up and over at her roommate.

The poor girl was now huddled in the corner. She looked ready to be attacked by a pack of wolves.

"Kai—" Lilly said.