Accidentally in Love

Stripping and New Starts

"Jeeze Harper, what do you have in here, stacks of books?" Emily complained, dropping the white box she was carrying to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Not possible," Carter said, walking in behind her, holding my TV in his arms. "That would mean she actually read books. It's more likely there are a pile of bricks in there."

I rolled my eyes at Carter. "Oh, ha ha," I said sarcastically, even though his comment didn't actually bother me.

I didn't think it was possible for anything to get under my skin today, not even Carter's mocking comments. Because today, I was moving into my dorm at Bexley University, which meant I was about to start the four best years of my life. Or so they say. I did know that it meant I no longer had to live at home with my parents, and I would have total control of my life. I was also done dealing with high school boys, and instead had a fresh crop of college boys, whom were supposedly more mature. Even though if I was being honest, I don't think guys ever fully matured, they just figure out how to mask it better.

The best part about starting college though, would have to be the fresh start. I would no longer be known as Charlotte's younger sister, the one who would never be able to match Charlotte's potential. When people here would look at me, they wouldn't just see me as the leggy blond, but instead, they would be interested in what I was studying and what I hoped to accomplish. And even though I was thankful I no longer had to be in her academic shadow, I was so happy to be close to Charlotte again.

While quite a few people from my graduating class was attending college here, my best friend Kara had decided to go to school out of state. I missed her already and while we promised nothing would change, I knew it would have to.

The good news was, my roommate, Ashely, seemed really cool. She was someone I could definitely see becoming close friends with. The second I saw her shoe collection, which happened to be in the same size I wore, and found out of her love for greasy pizza, I knew we would hit it off.

"Well, I think this is the last of it," mom said, putting down a box filled with my shoes. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, though I had to give her props for even making it this long.

"It's okay honey, Thanksgiving break will be here before you know it," dad said, trying to comfort her. I was pretty sure he said the same exact thing to her when Charlotte moved in.

"I know," mom replied, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

"Hey guys, sorry we are late," Charlotte said, making her way into the dorm room, Noah, her boyfriend, coming in behind her. She had been down here for a week already, since Freshmen were the last group to move in.

"Oh sure, you show up now that we are doing moving in her stuff," Carter told them.

"We…got held up," Charlotte told him, sneaking a peak at Noah, her face blushing. I knew what that look meant.

"We were just getting ready to say goodbye and take off," dad told her, giving her a hug.

Mom looked at him in horror. "Why don't we stay a bit longer, get dinner or something."

I shook my head at her, throwing my long hair over one shoulder. "It's okay mom, I want to start unpacking and it might be nice to get to know Ashley a little bit," I told her, seeing the look of disappointment in her eyes.

"Oh right, of course," she said, wrapping me in her arms, as tightly as she could.

Charlotte laughed. "Mom she will be okay, I promise."

"I know that," she told her, smoothing down my hair.

Emily walked up to me when mom finally let go, and gave me a tight hug. Since Charlotte had been gone for the past year, we have become a lot closer. I knew it also had to be strange for her, going from having two older sisters at home, to being the only one. Though I'm sure she will love all the attention she gets from mom and dad, until mom starts to get overbearing, that is.