When Olivia O'Connor chose to attend Ridgewater University, she had everything planned. She would go to college with her best friend, join a sorority, and apply for a program that takes her education to the next level. When she arrives to school, ev...
Target is extremely crowded when we arrive. Students flood the aisles, most accompanied by their parents, filling their carts with last-minute items. Claire and I decide to start with finding room decor, because we don't want everything to sell out.
We grab simple items, like a cork board for photos, picture frames, tape, some art pieces, and twinkly lights for our ceiling. We head to the bedding section and pick out a white shaggy rug for our floor, that way we're not always walking on the dorm carpet.
The two of us grab a few random items, like toothpaste, tampons, hair ties, and some random school supplies. Our cart is practically full by the time we head to the grocery side of the store.
"Can we make eggs in a microwave?" I ask as we walk down the dairy aisle.
Claire gags, "Probably, but that sounds disgusting. We'll have to grab easy stuff, like yogurt, cereal, and bagels."
"Ooh, I want Pop-Tarts." I say as I grab a pack of strawberry yogurt. We stuff the cart with milk, yogurt, cream cheese, and juice before heading for boxed snacks. Shopping by yourself is dangerous, I've come to learn. I grab a box of hot pocket pizzas and frozen burritos.
"I am totally gaining the freshman fifteen," I groan as I look down at our cart.
Claire shrugs, "Whatever, we can go to the gym."
We grab other items, like my Pop-Tarts, cereal, and bread before heading to grab some fruit. As we turn the cart toward the fruit section, Claire immediately pulls it to a stop.
"Oh shit, look who it is." She chuckles, using her chin to point straight ahead. I look up from the list of things to buy I'm holding, and I see Fox. He's still in his orientation outfit, holding a clear grocery bag he fills with zucchini.
Next to him is a girl, dressed in denim shorts, a black crop-top shirt, and Vans sneakers. Her long, blonde hair covers her back, and she looks like a damn princess. A gorgeous one, at that. She's holding the shopping basket for him as he grabs vegetables and tosses them in.
"He said not to say anything to him if we see him in public," I shrug. I turn to the aisle and grab a package of strawberries, completely ignoring Fox's presence.
When Claire moves away from the cart, I feel it when Fox spots us. I hate the feeling when you know someone is looking at you. I look at the blueberries as a distraction, hoping he'll just walk away or something. Instead, I can see from the corner of my eye that he's coming closer. Fox and the girl approach us, and he's immediately smirking.
"Spending that gift card already, I see." He says coolly, looking in our cart. "On Toaster Strudels."
I look at the basket the girl is holding, "The same goes for you, I guess." I say. His basket is full of bags of spinach and fruits and vegetables. Needless to say, it looks like the opposite of my cart. He's not buying frozen foods like me and every other college student.
"I meant it when I said free groceries," he laughs, "I won't have to buy shit for like, two weeks."
"Are you cooking dinner tonight?" The girl, who I assume is his girlfriend, asks Fox.
He looks at her and shakes his head, "Nah, I have leftover chicken in the fridge."
I stand there awkwardly as she pouts, looking at Claire, who is busy picking out avocados. "Well, see ya around." I say to Fox and his girlfriend.
Fox, who is eyeing my cart, looks up to meet my eyes, "Yeah, I'll see you. Let me know how that Cotton Candy ice cream tastes, yeah?" he smirks.
I want to say that it's not mine and it's Claire's, but he walks away before I can open my mouth.
"What was that all about?" Claire says as she walks toward me, her hands full of avocados. She dumps them into the cart then looks at me, waiting for an answer.
"What?"
"You and Hottie-Mc-Frenchie, what was he saying to you?" she questions.
I shrug, grabbing a pack of blueberries and adding them to our pile. "Nothing, he just joked about our gift cards."
"I think he's into you," she reveals as she pushes the cart toward the checkout line. "He's been looking for any reason to talk to you today."
"That's not true," I say, and I wholeheartedly believe it. I don't even know him, and even if he is into me, he's not my type. I like guys who are actually polite.
"Yeah it is, he was your partner for that blindfold game and he talked to you at lunch. I saw it all the way from the Greek Life tables."
"That doesn't mean he's into me," I argue, "Besides, I'm pretty sure that was his girlfriend."
"That Sleeping Beauty looking girl?" Claire asks, "Not a chance."
"How do you know? She was asking him what they were going to eat for dinner."
"They just didn't give off couple vibes. I'm practically an expert in body language, and his revealed that he definitely wasn't into her. With you, though..."
"Shut up!" I interrupt, laughing, "He's not my type. Plus, I don't want any distractions this year."
Claire chuckles as she loads her items onto the checkout belt, "Whatever you say," she tells me, thankfully dropping the conversation.
Eighty dollars later, the gift card I won earlier is now worth nothing. Claire and I together spent a total of almost two-hundred dollars, but in our defense, it was on items we needed.
When we get back to campus, we each shower, make Pop-Tarts and cereal for dinner, and decorate our room in our pajamas. We laugh and sing to One Direction as we hang the twinkly lights onto our ceiling, which is probably a fire hazard, but we don't care.
We leave our door open to look inviting, and surprisingly a few people stop by to introduce themselves. We meet the two girls who live next door to us, whose names are Tara and Kelly. They seem really sweet, and the four of us plan to grab dinner on campus sometime during the week.
The night flies by, and before I know it, I'm lying in bed. It's only my second night away at college, and so far, things have been amazing. I think about Alicia, and what she may be doing at her school. I make a mental note to call her tomorrow before classes, hoping she can offer some college wisdom.
My thoughts shift to Adam, and I find myself wondering what he may be up to. It's a Saturday night, so he's probably at a party or something. I wonder if I should text him. Maybe to say hello or ask how he's doing, since it's been ages since we've talked.
I pull out my phone and search through my contacts for his name. I write him a quick message and send it before I can back out. I read the message over and over again.
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If he doesn't respond, it's okay. I'm not a priority in his life anymore and I'm okay with that. Our relationship ran its course, and it's now time for us to move on to other things.
I wish him the best, I really do, but as the minutes pass through the night, I can't help but wonder if he's already moved on. And I question if I have, too.
