"Are you kidding me? I thought I said no colors!" Rachael, my as-of-today roommate, yells at me first thing as I step over the threshold and into our new, shared dorm room.
I had been carrying my pillow in my hands, seeing as I slept most of the way here, when she spotted a tinge of light pink where my name had been sewn into the soft fabric by my late grandmother when I was eight and she was on her deathbed. But no matter the meaning, and no matter the sentiment, it ruined her black and white color scheme, so it had to go.
"Look, I'll buy you a replacement, just make sure it's out of this room before I start to have people over, 'kay?" She doesn't wait for an answer as she struts out of the door with a loud slam and I'm left alone with three large duffel bags and one horribly rejected pillow.
* * *
After unpacking and organizing my side of the room, I decide to go out and explore the campus that is my new home for the next four years. Yep. Because I'd always wanted to go to college in the same state I'd already spent the entirety of my other eighteen years. I roll my eyes at myself for making shit grades in high school. But hey, at least its not the same town, and thank god, not the same reputation.
I briskly walk across the lawn, noting the definite groups and cliques separating each fresh face that comes into view, and look for any potential friends. I'd never been the outgoing type, but I was willing to give it a try if it meant not being so alone in place where I'd never felt more lonely before in my life.
A passerby's outfit gave a lot of clues as to what "group" that certain person would be in. Boys who wore basketball shorts and muscle tees were considered jocks, while girls similarly dressed would be called sporty. And so on.
At the moment, I was wearing my usual black skinny jeans, boyfriend tee, and high top converse. Based on what they knew, I'd probably be considered emo or goth, but I'd never been one to fit into just one category, I was always overflowing into at least two or three. It was just dependent on my mood and or phase at the time. But now, I see I'd rather be a loner and social outcast than conform to society's standards.
I stop and admire a hot group of guys before moving on when one of them caught me staring. They'd probably be considered the frat boys, but I knew archetypes weren't skin deep.
I kept walking.
I walked until I came across a small bookstore that looked a bit worn down, and to be honest, creepy, but my curiosity got the best of me, and I went in as a bell above the door warned anyone inside of my arrival.
"W-Welcome to Black Orchid, is there anything I can help you find?" I try and look for the source of the voice but all I can see from floor to ceiling is shelves upon selves of dusty books. It sounded like it came from my right, so I study that side first but don't see anyone.
As I'm looking around in confusion the voice speaks up again, "Over here."
I turn to my immediate left and there, surrounded by a tall tower of books, I see a boy smiling at me with the cutest dimples I've ever seen.
I flush and self consciously run a hand through my hair as I reply, "Oh, I didn't see you there."
He steps closer, coming out of the shadows, his exquisite beauty taking me by surprise. He had curls that were dying to be pulled on and a face that had to be carved by god's very own hands. I didn't know that boys could be so pretty, and this one was much prettier than I could ever hope to be.
"Have you been here b-before?" He questions and his brilliant green eyes make contact with my brown ones and I swear in that moment my entire world stopped.
But I didn't want to seem weird, so I replied as casually as possible, considering the circumstances.
"No, I just thought it looked interesting." I look around one more time, taking in the musky smell and the patterned tapestry covering the back wall.
There were knick knacks covering almost every empty inch of the place. It was my inner Indie lover's dream and I knew at once I'd be coming here often, if not for the books, for the beautiful boy with green eyes who was staring at me as I pretended like I didn't notice. I stepped forward towards one of the stacks of books.
"Well, are you looking for anything in particular?" He eagerly adds, "M-maybe I could help?"
I bite my lip, turning towards his towering body, and stare up at him.
"I'm not really sure..." I say, and he looks kind of disappointed so I quickly add, "Do you have any suggestions?"
He instantly brightens up at that, "Follow me."
I tread carefully behind him, weaving through stacks of books until we're at the very back corner of the shop and he pulls back a woven carpet to reveal a miniature collection of books lying on the floor. I laugh quietly to myself at the odd yet clever hiding place.
"This is a secret pile of my favorite books I've found in here so far. I hide them under this carpet so no one finds them." He puts his finger over his lips, his plump pink lips, as if to signal me to be quiet and he leans forward and whispers, "Don't t-tell my boss, okay?"
I smile. "I won't."
He bends down, picking one up, before dusting it off and handing it to me. His fingers gently brush mine and we both hastily pull away as the book falls onto the floor.
"Oh god, I'm sorry." My cheeks begin to heat up and I'm starting to get embarrassed.
"N-No, it was my f-fault. Here." He grabs it again but keeps his hand carefully on one side of the book while I take the other.
Little Women, it read. I'd read this classic multiple times before, in fact I had my own trusty copy in the dorm room on my nightstand, but I didn't dare tell this handsome stranger that, so I just say, "Thank you."
I checked the front and back twice before looking back up at him and asking, "What's the price?"
"Well, that's the thing. Here at Black Orchid, we have a s-special way of paying."
I gulp, wondering if he was meaning what I thought he did.
He soon realizes what he said and immediately looks mortified.
"No, no, oh my g-god, that's not what I meant, I swear." His face his so red I can't help but giggle at the sight. He shoves his hands into his front pockets. "I m-meant we do this thing where you can borrow a book but only in exchange for an addition to the store's decor." He coughs, adding, "It's like, you know, taking something from this place, you have to give something back, right?" I nod, slowly catching on.
So that's why the decorations were all mixed and matched. Rachael would hate this place and that's why I think I loved it so much already.
"What's something you've given?" I shyly ask.
He thinks for a moment before responding, "See that Polaroid back there?" I look to where he's pointing, and there, on top of one of the many bookshelves, a red Polaroid sits collecting dust. "My most prized possession." He proudly states. "But it was for a good book."
I hurriedly rack my brain for anything I can give but come up with nothing.
"Look, " I say, already backing away in nervousness, "I don't think I have anything to give right now." I start to give him the book back, but he urges it back into my chest with a gentle push.
"H-how about this; you can take the book and I'll give something of mine in place of yours."
"That doesn't seem very fair to you though... " I hesitantly respond.
He smiles as he says, "I think I know a way you can make it up to me."
Once again, I'm left wondering if he's hinting at something else and maybe he isn't just a cute boy in a cute bookstore after all, he's another creep with good acting skills, but then he slaps his forehead and his eyes go wide as he starts mumbling and stuttering trying to fix what he just said.
"O-Oh my god!" He runs his hands down his face in embarrassment, "I didn't mean...I meant-" He abruptly stops, takes a deep breath, then looks me straight in the eyes and starts again, "I meant like maybe I could get your n-number?" His voice trails off at the end, his hands wringing in front of him in nervousness, and I'll be damned if it isn't the most adorable thing I've ever seen.
"Sure." I shrug, trying to keep it cool as always, as I take the phone from his outstretched hand and type my name and number into the new contact option. I hand it back to him and he looks down at it, reading the information I've given him.
"Thanks..." He reads my name and then looks up at me with a huge grin as I begin to make my way to the front of the store, "Amelia."
A/N: guess who's back, back again, kat is back, tell a friend...
i s2g it gets better , i wrote like 15 chapters in advance so itz good fam
k imma keep updating we can get a head start with this sick ass story luv ya