How To Love✓

4.

Amara

"Wake up sunshine, we're here," a supple force rested upon my shoulder making me blink my eyes open. The first thing I saw was the renaissance stoned gate we drove into. It wasn't anything I imagined. The campus was totally different from the brochure I clutched between my fingers. As the buildings seemed like a huge fort on the cover, it was more fascinating in real life. Cotton helped me out of the car and I wrapped an arm around his waist for support. "You okay Mar?" he asks, his voice filled with concern. I only nodded.

"Take a few deep breaths Mar." I was relieved when I noticed that no one was staring at me as they all seemed busy bidding their families goodbye and hurriedly rushing through the doors in excitement to explore the school. I smiled widely. "I'm in college guys," I did a little fist pump to the air making them all let out a fit of chuckles.

The orientation was short and sweet and I sat in the Dean's office as mom and Luke conversed with the Office of Administration. A kind middle aged woman gave me my dorm keys and offered to show me around when I'm up for it. I thanked her and set off to find my room.

"I hear you're sharing a room since there wasn't any other available room," Luke adds, him and Cotton carries my luggage as mom and I search for my dorm number.

"I only hope the girl is clean and doesn't do weed or pot because I will schedule a room transfer immediately," mom scoffs.

"You're so dramatic, always thinking negative," I huff.

A few students we passed by gave me weird looks, some whispering amongst themselves while a group of girls sent small smiles to me.

"I just hope she's nice to me."

"Room 107," mom squeals. I slid the key into the lock, it creaks as I open it slowly. As the room came to view, the first thing I noticed was the amount of space there was that separated me and my roommate. I'm elated because it will be hard to move around while having to drag this thing behind me 24/7. Two tiny beds on either side, two desks, closets, a chest of drawers and a coat rack stood upright. On the right side laid an empty bed while the other laid a bed already accommodated by a petite blonde who had a couple magazines sprawled over her sheets. Cosmopolitan magazines I assume, judging by the cover I tried reading from a distance. When the girl's gaze met mine, she scanned the group and cleared her throat. She set her magazine and started making her way over to stand in front of us. She seemed a bit nervous, looking over to the bathroom and back to us.

I was the first to speak but it came out more like an embarrassing blurt than the formal greeting I practiced. "You're really beautiful."

We both blushed at the same time, with her returning the compliment. "When you're here to steal the show? I reckon."

"Thank you so much. I'm-"

"Syl where are the extra towels?" a deep voice cut me off from the bathroom. The sound of feet padded across the tiled floor and out revealed a figure only clad in a tight grey Calvin Klein boxers.

My eyes shift to the tall boy who was already staring at me. His chocolate brown hair was neatly gelled back to perfection, his unusual shade of forest green eyes pierced straight through my hazel ones. He had a simple nose piercing and his entire ears were covered with silver studs. My eyes travelled down to his chest, the skin littered with dark tattoos starting from his ears going straight down and disappearing into the band of the boxers. I dared not picture what was behind them.

"Uh Lucien (pronounced Loo-see-an), this is......Amara?" the girl says unsure of my name.

I nod, no words seemed to form in my speech. Maybe this was a bad idea. Boys already inside girls' dorms? Well that was okay but when they're half naked? What a bad start.