The start of us

Chapter 2

Before I can even comprehend anything, I have already packed my car and am prepared to leave. It is about 7:30 am and I am on schedule to leave. My car and the rental trailer are packed. As we stand there on the porch my mother can't stop the waterworks. She hugs the air out of me until I turn pink and purple. My father tells me he is proud of the women I have become and can't wait to visit me at my dorm. My brother and I barely hug. Today we do. Although my brother is more like me, he still balances life and work. He's a good student and was well known throughout high school, similar to my sister. Before letting go I here him whisper: please keep Tessas promise? As I pull away with my watery eyes I look up at him, he seems concerned, happy and sad all at the same time. I look at him with pure honesty and nod.

"I will, I promise." Is all I manage to croak out. He holds out his hand and I wrap my pinky around his. So many emotions take over me as I walk towards my car and my new future.

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After I say goodbye and hang up on my sister I see my exit. Dartmouth, 100 miles. This is it! I pull up to school leaning forward, gazing at the huge building in front of me. The sun has started to set, leaving the sky to look like a masterpiece. On my way into the impressive building, I take a minute to take in the moment. I gaze up to see the purple transition into pink. To see the speck of gold shimmer through the bright red. I look towards to the old building, seeing the lights turn on one by one in different parts of the building. I feel a smile creep its way onto my lips. At this moment, I am content.

The old lady at reception has given me my slip with all of the information about college and I make my way towards my car. As I exit, the sky has darkened. I should have left earlier this morning.

My dorm is bigger than I had originally expected. I rush to get everything into my room before the sun has fully given up on today. I know my roommate will arrive early tomorrow, so I decide to make sure she can actual enter and exit.

After what seems like hours, I have almost finished. I glance at my phone. 12 pm. My shoulders drop. My roommate will arrive in 8 hours, everything may be in its new given place, however the room is still a disaster and the last thing I ate were the pancakes from this morning. And possible some snacks from the ride here. I am starved. I consider my options; go to the grocery store and get food, order pizza or wait until tomorrow morning. I look around my room weighing the pros and cons and it dawns on me. They had a vending machine downstairs. My eyes widen and I make a run for the food. Like an animal hunting food as I sprint to the elevator. The ride down takes years and my stomach growls for food. When the sliding doors open and I spot the vending machine, I feel as though I were in heaven. With every step the anticipation grows.

Something I didn't see from afar frightens me. Except for one protein bar, the vending machine is empty. Who has an empty vending machine? In fear of someone stealing my dinner, I look around to see if I am alone. The coast is clear until I see a door open and watch someone emerge from the...stairway? Who takes the stairway? I follow his gaze towards the vending machine. Realization hits be like a truck, he's going for my protein bar. 

My feet move before my brain can even begin to process what's happening. I sprint to the vending machine, as though my life depended on it. Halfway into my sprint, I realize I am too late. The boy has already paid and punched in the numbers. 

The floor is unexpectedly slippery and at this point I am sliding on the floor. I reach the vending machine with a bang. Quite literally. My bang into the wall is my full stop. I grab my arm, hurt by the hard contact with the wall and silently mutter to myself. I look at the boy in front of me. His face filled with concern, confusion and shock. All I do is send him an awkward smile.

"Are you okay?" He asks, furrowing his thick brows in confusion.

"Yeah, um," I quickly reply, "you see, I, uh, yeah," I curse internally, "see, the thing is, that's my protein bar!" I say, more obnoxious than I had intended. I'm just really hangry at this point.

The boy seems to be shocked, again. A few seconds later he scoffs.

"Right," he shakes his head.

"I'm not kidding, it's mine."

"Aha, yeah, okay. So those weren't my 2 bucks?" He asks with so much sarcasm in his voice, you couldn't miss it even if you tried.

"Well, no, they were, but-" Before I can continue, the boy interrupts me.

"Okay, so my money, my food? Or is the system from wherever you're from different?" He asks with such arrogance I need to scoff.

"Wow, okay, um. I was on my way here before you even thought of getting that, so-" Perks of having siblings arrive as I interrupt myself and shout, "I call dibs" I touch the protein bar with one hand and my nose with the other. I raise my eyebrows with a 'you have to give it to me, I called dibs' look on my face. I'm proud of my quick thinking, that is until he scoffs.

"Yeah right, welcome to college. Dibs gets you nowhere." I am astonished. He obviously has no siblings. Mystery guy shakes his head and turns to walk away, leaving me hangry and shocked.

"But, but, dibs...?" I mutter. I think that is the end, but to my amazement the guy turns around, opens the protein bar and makes moaning sounds as he eats it. My draw drops.

"Now that's just rude!" I say continuing to watch him eat and then leave. My trip downstairs was completely unnecessary and unsuccessful. 

Authors note:

What would you do if that happened to you? Leave me a comment. I think I'd actually react like Elena.