When Knight Falls

Chapter 5: Harrison

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

For the past four years, I bled, sweat, and breathed school. Getting out of the small hick town my twin sister and I have lived in since birth was my main priority. I never had the opportunity to make friends past the passing acquaintances I had in my classes. I definitely didn't have any time for girls or dating.

Everdyne is going to be my saving grace. For the first time in my life, there is going to be more than just a book to fill my days. I'm going to be on my own. I'll get to make my own choices. I'll get to have friends.

And yes, maybe even a girlfriend could be in my future here.

"Mom," Helena's whine pierces through the sound of dad's podcast. "This is literally the most miserable trip I've ever been on. Please tell me we are almost there."

"GPS says about twenty minutes, Hells," Dad says chuckling. He's called my sister that since she was a child and would throw temper tantrums in the store. My sister used to hate it, but when she went into her teenage years she embraced it. It was probably more than my parents had bargained for when they initially gave her that nickname.

While I was dedicated to school Helena was, well, not. She would sneak out, party all night, and sneak back in every weekend. She would date, and her friends were constantly over at the house. Her grades weren't perfect, but her acceptance letter to Everdyne came a few days after mine. I hadn't even known she applied. Let alone how she even got in. And while she didn't get a full-ride scholarship like me, she was willing to take out loans.

Thus, the Bell twins are going to university together.

We've been driving for almost twenty-four hours. My parents have switched off several times while Helena and I have switched between napping and sending each other the cup pong game through iMessage.

"Did you end up talking to your roommate?" Helena turns to me. Her midnight black hair is tied up in a tight ponytail.

"No," I say. "Guys don't really worry about that stuff. We'll just meet when we get there."

That wasn't entirely true. I'm honestly worried I'll end up with a dirty roach of a roommate who hasn't seen the inside of a shower in a couple of months, but if they got into the best law school in the country, I feel they'll at least have some basic hygiene.

"Mistake," Helena says in a melodic voice.

"You were a mistake," I counter.

"Watch it," Mom calls from the front.

Helena playfully sticks her tongue out at me and then returns to her phone.

My stomach does cartwheels as Dad turns into the parking lot of the student housing wing of the school. I'm instantly captivated by the vintage apartment buildings that line the streets. They all look the same. Each building has four apartments. Two on the first floor and two on the second. All the buildings are made out of wood to look like log cabins. Each front door has a giant window on the front that takes up almost the entirety of the frame. Some students have already hung small wreaths or flowers from their front door as we drive by.

Everdyne is a small university, with barely more than 200 people in each graduating year. Each year stays within its wing on the campus. As this is strictly a law school, all of our classes will be the same to graduate. Our courses will be held in our area. The only time we'll ever need to leave the Freshmen wing is to go off campus or to go to meals.

"There's my building!" Helena screams excitedly as we approach one of the apartment buildings with a giant number four on the side of it. "Building four apartment 403!"