The Edge Of Us

Chapter 6: Meet the Short Notices

Classes came sooner than I anticipated. I stared at myself in Malcom's mirror. He hadn't mind sharing the full length one which stayed displaced in the kitchen hallway. I was wearing the most common combination of clothing: a gray sweater and black joggers. It couldn't be more obvious I had no idea who I was.

My first two clases were at 9 am and the last one after noon, so I had time to twiddle my thumbs. My feet toured the campus a little bit in the previous days, but I still hasn't seen downtown at night since Malcom's extended invitation. My roommate was in one of my classes on the first day at NCU. Two of his other friends were in one other.

I thought the next person I'd meet at college would be at some party, but Malcom brought people over the second day I moved in. He had a large social circle and they stayed up very late. It was common for college students to stay up til 3 or 4 and sleep in other dorms. But Malcom made them leave at some point during the night. He was surprisingly precautious when it came to staying over. Only a few slept many nights and on multiple occasions did he sleep in my room while they slept in his.

I didn't meet all of his friends, however I was introduced to the primaries: Naomi, who spoke tersely and stayed over the least and her boyfriend, Linni. He was tall and had red hair that seemed to weigh more than his body. Polly was petite and curvy and usually got picked on for it. She had a cousin, Daphne. Daphne made many jokes and had her friend, Rue, who I suspected was more than a friend. Polly was the only other freshman and everybody else were sophomores. I secretly called their group the Short Notices, which made me feel childish because I hadn't assigned nick names to things since elementary, but they also were all at some point, over within the minuet they were texted, so it canceled out. Pemdas or whatever.

Only a few night after I made up the nickname, they found out about my private joke and teased me. They laughed and said I had to be part of it now. Malcom and I fit on the same bed and we talked for the longest we ever had. He told me about the party I didn't come to and how he did a keg stand twice. He asked me what I thought of his friends and if I missed Ali. I said neutral answers to all his questions and tried not to think about my best friend. He probably made friends at his college.

By the time classes rolled over, I quickly got comfortable with them. Daphne was some sort of Psychology major. Linni and Naomi both wanted to be Historians and work together when they got older. Malcom was into Physics. Polly took on Bioengineering. Rue liked Political Science like me.

As I got ready for my first day, Malcom texted me from his part time job as a barista. I'd see him in Speech later and sit next to Linni and Rue in Math last. I blushed at the random message to ensure I was set and had people to seat with. Although I'd be on my own for my second class, they did what they could.

I debated on getting coffee but the closest cafe on campus was where Malcom worked and I didn't want to see him before class in case I came off as clingy.
It took me longer to recover from the morning text, since I was still smiling when I walked into class. I didn't even realize til Malcom pointed it out.

"You hook up with someone?" His finger poked my cheek.

"Eww," I squirmed away. "Who knows what you do on your free time."

"Says you. Who was it?"

"At Nine am?" He shrugs.

"Perv. You're the one smiling all giddy and shit. In fact, show me your hands. I don't trust them under the table." I tried shushing him but failed and laughed.

Our professor walked in. She was fifty-something and sipped on styrofoam cups of coffee from the teachers lounge.

It was 9:45 when she started the lecture. By then no more than half the class filled the seats, which signaled that no one else was coming. I wondered why she hadn't started sooner. The class came to natural conclusions of their conversations ten minuets ago and waited for her.