Unexpected.

The Intro

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​I spent a lot of time alone. Most of the time it was by choice. Actually, all of the time it was by choice; just not neccesarily my choice. That was okay though. Being alone offers a person a lot of time to think. I sit and think about all sorts of things. The future. The past. School. Aliens. Anything. Only one thing was off limits to think about. Myself.
​Chosing to not think about myself wasn't really a hard choice. There wasn't much to think about. I came from a typical family, had typical friends, no special talents, no odd hobbies. Why would I waste time sitting and thinking about something so bland when there were so many other things to think about? My parents insist that I am super great but I can't help but feel they are obligated to feel that way.
​My least favorite place to do this thinking is at school. It's impossible to concentrate in the middle of a crowd of college students buzzing around talking about absolutely nothing. Instead of thinking, I typically just sit in the campus coffee shop and write. I'm not good at writing but I enjoy it. I write poems mostly. Not good ones, but majoity of the time they rhyme so I give myself credit for that. That's actually what I'm doing now. As you're reading, I am sitting here trying to find a word that rhymes with "damage". Savage? Ravage? Cabbage? Like I said, not too great at poetry.
"Ada! You didn't tell me you were in here!"
I could recongize that voice anywere. Kali. She and I had been best friends since we were about six years old. She was the first person to not be shy asking about my name. "Why did they name Ada?". I could always tell people were curios but nobody was ever bold enough to ask. "My parents say it means 'first daughter' somewhere in Africa". From that moment we ate together every day at lunch, played together every day at recess, and now are roomates in college.
I decided to close my laptop so I don't have to run the risk of her asking what I was writing.
"I figured you would find me here eventually since I wasn't in the room."
​Somehow she always managed to not be able to find me even though I do the exact same thing every day. She sat down next to  me and tossed her backpack to her feet while slouching in her chair. Her hair was a natural red that fell passed her shoulders like curtains. She had always been taller than me (and most other people). Tall. Skinny. Ginger. A perfect contrast to my average height, curvy body and afro.
"Are you going to the party tonight over at Kappa house?", Kali asked with evident hopes I would say yes.
"Do I ever go to parties?"
"No. But, this one is different, Ada!"
"You say that every time. Kali."
She pouted some and took a second to think of a way to convince me to go. I don't really care about boys, any alcohol more than wine, and I can listen to music way too loud by myself. I don't do parties and she knows that but it never fails that she tries to convince me to go to some random party.
"Okay, Ada. If you go to this one, I will never ask you to go to one again. You know how big of a comitment that is for me. We are only Sophomores, so we have two more years of parties. If I am going to use my 'never ask again' on this one, that's a big deal!"
She had a point.
"I'm not going because I want to."
Kali smiled, gabbed her backpack and walked off. She knew that she won, I knew. There wasn't anymore need for conversation.
​Parties. Never been to one. Never wanted to go. There were too many people and just seemed unnecesary. Kali had always been more of the wildflower. I guees that makes me the wallflower.
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