I came back to my shared dorm and flopped into bed. I opened my laptop and to my surprise I had a message.
From: Alexander
I can't sleep help
I immediately felt bad for him. His classes start at eight in the morning and he was five hours ahead of me. My clock read 8:46. It was almost two in the morning.
To: Alexander
Hey, why not?
He answered immediately.
From: Alexander
I don't feel good :(
I felt bad for him.
To: Alexander
I wish I could send soup
From: Alexander
That sounds really nice
To: Alexander
Does your stomach hurt?
From: Alexander
Yeah
From: Alexander
Really badly
To: Alexander
Just relax. Try to go back to sleep. If you feel this bad then you shouldn't go to class in the morning. Okay?
From: Alexander
But I'll miss a ton of work!
To: Alexander
You're sick
From: Alexander
I just feel sick
From: Alexander
I just threw up
From: Alexander
Help!
I felt so bad for him.
To: Alexander
No classes for you
From: Alexander
Ugh! :(
To: Alexander
Take some Tylenol and get some sleep
To: Alexander
Okay?
From: Alexander
Okay
From: Alexander
I hate when you're right
To: Alexander
Goodnight
From: Alexander
Thank you for helping me :)
From: Alexander
Night :)
To: Alexander
Anytime :)
I closed my laptop and curled up in my blankets. If there was anything i like more than the internet, it was sleeping.
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I woke up to my phone blaring Green Day. I groaned and patted all around the covers trying to find my phone. I found my phone (at the foot of my bed) and turned off the alarm. Thanks Pandora. I hated waking up at 7:30 in the morning. I'd rather wake up at 7:30 in the evening.
Actually no, I wouldn't, I like talking to Alex.
I rolled out of my bed and picked clothes at random. (Reason 612 why my wardrobe consists of jeans and random t-shirts and hoodies.) I shoved my laptop and my American law book into my bag and picked my phone and my wallet. I left the (kinda smelly) dorm room, making a mental note to pick up some air freshener.
I bought a coffee and a muffin on my way to class. I got to the giant classroom and sat next to one of my only friends. "Hey John." He whispered.
"Hey Aaron." I whispered back.
I broke off half of my muffin and handed it to him. He ate it gratefully. "Thanks," he mouthed.
I just smiled in return. I opened my laptop and split the screen between my notes and my chat with Alex.
From: Alexander
I didn't go to class
To: Alexander
Good
I continued to talk to Alex, while also managing to get a decent amount of notes. This was one of two classes that Alex couldn't help me with. He was from the states, originally from the Caribbean, but he was given the chance to study abroad at the University of London and he refused to refuse the offer. I tried talking him out of it. But he talked himself out of getting out of it. He said "Four years in London!" and something about his life. It was early in the morning when we had this conversation, and it was two years ago.
Class seemed to drag on forever and I was out of coffee. Aaron was typing away, he had a knack for writing. Just like Alex. In fact, him and Alex could have been twins, but at the same time, him and Alex were complete opposites.
Alex liked to prove his point and always told his opinions with so much confidence that you'd think he stole confidence from people like Beyonce. He was well voiced and took every action to make things happen. Alex was a perfectionist, and he was always writing. Writing and writing and writing. Following him on Tumblr was like subscribing to an online magazine that never stopped updating. But boy, was it was worth it. He had such eloquence in what he wrote, whether he was complaining about someone from class or someone else on Tumblr or if he was writing about issues in American politics. He never had a dull piece. Ever.
Aaron liked to make his point known, but only sometimes. Only when it was absolutely necessary. He always waited. He waited and waited and waited. He had a lot of security in knowing that if he waited for the right opportunity, he would get what he wanted. Getting Aaron to open up was like getting to see a butterfly emerge from the chrysalis. Once he let you in, he would tell you almost everything. He just needed complete trust in you.
Alex just needed someone with eyes and a brain. If you could read, he would show you his essays (that's what he calls them for some reason).
I have opinions. That's it. I'm studying law but I hate it. I hate it so much. Alex is majoring in English. Aaron is majoring in law. Both of them are majoring in things they like. I want to be an artist. But my dad wouldn't let me go to Penn State to be an artist. He wouldn't let me go anywhere to be an artist. I hate my dad too. I hate a lot of things.
From: Alexander
I have something to show you later!!!!
To: Alexander
Okay?? Video call in 20?
From: Alexander
Yes!!
I shut my laptop as class ended and shoved it in my bag. I had to meet with my only other friend soon and decided that going the whole way back to my dorm was a stupid idea. I sat under a tree and pulled my laptop out again.
To: Alexander
Just call me now? You have me all excited!
Incoming call: Alexander
I immediately answered, I put my headphones on as Alex's face took up my screen.
"Hey!" He said, he was smiling. Like a huge, genuine smile. I smiled in return.
"Someone's happy to see me." I joked.
"No, I am!" He moved away from the screen. His voice was a bit scratchy from being sick.
"Okay okay, what did you wanna show me?" I asked him, bouncing a little bit.
He held up a piece of paper but the low quality camera from the laptop didn't let me see the words on it. "Ta da!" He sang.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It's a plane ticket!" He bounced around the room.
My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. "For here?" I asked.
"Yes for there!" He said. "I finish school next week and then the week after that I'm coming home!"
A look of confusion crossed my face again, "Home?"
"Yeah!" He said happily. He danced around the room.
"You live in Arizona." I said. "I live in Pennsylvania."
"Home to you!" He said. He held the ticket close to the screen. He pointed at a slightly blurry destination. "See? Harrisburg International Airport."
I smiled and I'm pretty sure a few people passing me thought I was crazy. "I'm gonna see you!" I said happily.
Alex started dancing again. "And I'm gonna see you!" He said happily.
"Where are you going to stay?" I asked.
"I have a cousin near your campus. I'm staying there while I find an apartment!" He really did have all of this figured out.
I was really going to see him.