Not Good At Not ✔

Chapter 1

"Come on", Zoey said grabbing my hand and leading me towards a group of boys. Her boyfriend, Luke, was talking to one of the guys. We are at a fraternity party that one of Luke's friends threw, something he did every weekend. Zoey walked over to Luke and wrapped her arms around his neck giving him a peck on the lips.

Luke handed me a cup and I thanked him. Zoey and Luke have been my best friends since eighth grade. They have been there for me through everything. They were the only ones I had beside my brother. My parents had died when I was twelve and things haven't been the same since then. I was sad for a long time until I met Zoey and Luke. They were really sweet when I met them and they always made me laugh. Zoey and Luke discovered that they both had major crushes on each other in freshman year of high school and been together since.

"Anna, this is my friend Logan", Luke said introducing me to a tall guy with medium length hair.

"Hello", I said holding out my handing.

Logan took it gently then smiled. "Hi, I'm Logan", He said.

Logan was in my Chemistry class, we also have a few minor classes together. He was quiet during class and sat in the back. I've only heard him talk a few times but he didn't say much then either.

"I'm Anna, we have Chemistry together", I said smiling.

Logan scratched the back of his neck and looked off to the side.

"Class. Chemistry class together", I clarified laughing.

Logan smiled slightly then laughed. "Right", he said.

I could tell Logan was a bit uncomfortable by the way he shifted his body. I must have made him nervous because whenever I'd engage in a conversation with him he'd suddenly have nothing to say but he was very talkative with Luke. I turned my attention to Zoey to see her swaying her body to the music. She is a very free and open person. She doesn't care what anyone has to say or think, which is why she and I are close friends. As long as something makes us happy then we don't care about anything else.

Zoey grabbed my hand and we started dancing. The music blasting and others around watching us, some dancing too. I could see Logan looking at me with a small smile planted on his face.

"Loverboy can't keep his eyes off you", Zoey laughed wiggling her eyebrows.

"Yeah well, he doesn't say much", I said.

"He's nervous, give him a chance to warm up to you.", Zoey said running her fingers through her hair as she danced.

"I guess, just wish guys weren't so afraid to talk to me. It makes me feel like I'm some kind of creature people don't want to get too close to", I sighed.

It happened often that guys were nervous to be around me. When it came to talking that was even worse, sometimes they'd stutter or fiddle with their words. I didn't see why they were so nervous, I wasn't the type of person who was mean. I was open and made everyone feel welcome. I used to get bullied in elementary school when I was in sixth grade because I was the girl who's parents died. I was fortunate enough to be taken care of by my brother, Matthew, and not be put into any type of foster care.

My brother is eight years older than me. Even though we are a bit far in age we are very close. He's like my father, though sometimes it can be really annoying. He pushed me to want to accomplish my goals and dreams. He is my big brother and my shoulder to cry on. I am grateful to have him in my life and I wouldn't have asked for a better brother.

We stopped dancing and Zoey talked to Luke for a while before coming back towards me. "Hey, Luke and I are going to head to the dorm, wanna come with us?", she asked. There was only one obvious reason that Zoey and Luke were going back to the dorms. Since Zoey and I were roommates I would have to wait until they were done doing business before being able to go in. "Sure, I'll grab a book before you guys go in and I'll wait in the game room", I replied.

Zoey nodded. She and Luke began saying bye to some of the people in the group. I turned to Logan who was sitting down on the couch.

"It was nice meeting you, Logan.", I said.

He stood up and smiled. "I-it was nice meeting you too", he replied.

"I'll see you tomorrow, in class?", I asked.

Logan responded with a nod before Zoey called my name and we left.

••••
I sat in a chair, my back resting against one armrest while my feet were resting on the other. I knew that Zoey and Luke would be a while so I read the book slowly, taking in every detail. I've always loved reading, it was something my mother and I used to do when I was a little girl. Every night she would tuck me in and read me a chapter of The Witches by Roald Dahl. That was my favorite book growing up, I used to be so scared when my mother had read it to me.

She used the tell me that if I wasn't good then I would turn into a mouse just like the main character, Bruno, did. Whenever I didn't do my chores instead of threatening to tell my father, she'd say that she would call The Grand High Witch to come and eat me. I never skipped my chores again after that. I missed my mother so much, she knew exactly what to say to make me do the things I needed to do. She was my rock and she always knew how to make me feel better.

My mother was so sweet. She never let anyone feel uncomfortable or left out. If she saw someone, adult or child, looking or feeling down. She would walk right over to them and try and make them feel better. She made me want to be a better person and I wanted to grow up like her. I guess you could say I accomplished that. I try to make everyone feel good and welcome. Especially because I know what it feels like to be left out.

"You can go up to the room, now", I heard Luke's voice which made me look up from my book.

"Okay", I said, placing a bookmark inside my book and closing it.

"See you tomorrow, Anna", Luke said giving me a side hug.

"See you tomorrow, Luke", I replied.

I walked up to my dorm room. Zoey was laying in her bed on her phone. I changed into some pj's before crawling into my bed.

"Night Zoe.", I said.

"Night, girly", Zoey said.

I needed rest because tomorrow the new Chemistry professor coming. I needed to be wide awake and ready to focus. I was so used to the way Mr. Connor taught that if this new professor has a different approach then I needed to be ready. I could already tell that tomorrow is going to be a long day.