00 | Kai
Everything felt bitter sweet, almost too good to be true, my bags were being packed into my fathers jeep and I took a long hard look at the home in which I'd grown up in, made somewhat everlasting memories in.
Now I was leaving for University and wouldn't be back until we'll past Christmas if I could help it.
My mother was putting on her usual façade of loving mother, crying to my father how quickly I'd grown up and how proud of me they were. Despite the fact I'd decided to move onto my campus a month before classes started and still without deciding on a course to take.
I mean I'd narrowed it down and I had three weeks to decide so I didn't worry too much about it at that moment in time.
Thankfully the drive to my new campus was a lot more quiet which allowed me to simply put my headphones on and allow the world to float away around me. Forget that I was leaving my childhood home and my parents behind to try and start a new life for myself, without the pressures of home weighing me down.
I believed I'd drifted off during the first hour of the journey and only woke up as he hit a particularly nasty pothole a few feet away from the campus gates.
It was far bigger than I'd remembered it being when I visited it the first time, I do remember it being just as jaw dropping. Tall buildings and a block of rather fancy looking flats just across the road which is where I'd decided to stay since it was on the doorstep and I couldn't pass down the convenience, especially since my parents were paying for it anyway.
I saw a few potential students dotted about the main entrance with clipboards in hand as they proudly sported the University logo on their t-shirts, and whilst it all felt rather ridiculous I found myself more excited than I'd ever been.
My phone vibrated softly in my pocket and I pulled it out briefly just to check who it was, I was surprised to find an email from the University that gave me a step by step guide on where to go and who to talk to when I arrived. I thought it rather thoughtful of them.
Once we'd found a spot, not due to lack of trying but it was simply packed in the car park and they'd had to wait for parents to leave to get a spot.
My dad began shovelling my suitcase out of the boot of the car as my mom and I made our way to the girl sat at a desk in front of the big doors. Her head snapped up as we approached and I saw the way her face morphed from annoyed to overwhelmingly happy as she plastered quite possibly the preppiest smile on her face that I'd ever seen.
"Hey newbie, I'm Melissa, how can I help you?" The chirpy tone was entirely too much and I found it hard not to grimace at her very forced attempt and being nice and welcoming especially before 11am,
"Okay," I shook my head gently willing myself not to laugh at that moment and ignored the disapproving nudge my mother gave me with her elbow, I rolled my eyes discreetly in response because god-forbid she see that, "I was just wondering where I go to get my room number and key?"
I noticed my father strolling past, pulling a trolly along with him to help with the boxes and suitcases I'd supposed.
"Straight through these big double doors," there was a condescending tone in her voice that began to made me annoyed, as though she'd assumed I were stupid, I ignored it, "There's a big desk, give them your name and they give you the number and key as simple as that."
I barely grumbled out a thank you in returned and pulled my mother along with me through the 'big double doors' cutting off her own words of gratitude in the process.
My father had began following us into the building as well at this point, it really felt like he were trying to get this over with and not in any way that was good or heartwarming.
I came to a stop at the desk in front of me where yet another girl which an entirely more genuine smile at with her attention on the computer screen in front of her, typing away.
We stood there for no less than a minute before she finally noticed we were there, her eyes shot wide.
"Oh gosh I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," my mother scoffed in annoyance and now it was my turn to send her a disapproving elbow to the arm, "I'm Kris, what can I help you with darling."
She was defiantly a lot nicer than the girl outside, even though my mother didn't seem to think so.
"Yes actually, now that we've finally been brought to your atten—"
"Hi, I'm Kai Herman. I'm here for my dorm key?"
"Of course, whens your birthday honey?"
I smiled and gave it quickly as she gave the clipboard on her desk a look over, flipping a piece of paper until she found my name.
"Ah yes Kai, your in room 505 in the women's block, obviously, which is the one on the right." She pointed out the window and towards the grey coloured building adjacent to the campus, "And here's your key sweetheart, have a lovely day and if you have any problems with your room come and see me or Ryan." She pointed towards a brunette on the desk next to her as she passed me my key with another,
"Thank you."
With that my mother was pulling me back through the doors and towards the gates, her grip was tight and I could tell she was annoyed but honestly I'd didn't take much nowadays to annoy my mother. My father remained silent, just dragging the trolly along the cemented pavement as I was further dragged towards the dorm blocks.
"Can't believe how rude that girl was." My mother abruptly spoke, I rolled my eyes at her for the second time that day and I wondered why she had to make a big deal out of something that really wasn't that big,
"She wasn't rude mum, she didn't see us but we're fine now—"
"No Kai that girl was entirely out of line, I have half a mind to speak to the head of campus about it."
"Just leave it mum, Christ." I whispered that last part to myself bringing my free hand up to my face and pinching the bridge of my nose, my mothers entitlement was beginning to give me a headache and suddenly I couldn't wait to unpack if that meant they'd leave quicker.
Luckily the building had an elevator since there were far too many floors and my dorm just happened to be on one of the higher ones, which meant I didn't have to help my father drag my belongings clumsily up five flights of stairs.
I looked down at the key I'd been playing with in my hand and traced a finger over the engraved leather tag that it hung off of.
505.
I felt the embossed numbers beneath my fingers, the reality of my situation setting in. I was officially leaving home, leaving my parents and finally doing what I'd been working towards for the better part of my life. Freeing myself from that toxic house and everyone inside it.
We'd finally found the area for rooms 500-550 and my anticipation was growing.
"This is the room." My mother squealed with fake enthusiasm, watching intently as I unlocked the door and let it swing open rather slowly, my mother peaked slightly as she took in the room and stuck up her nose in response,
"It's amazing." I whispered to myself, taking my first step into the room,
It wasn't huge by any means but it had in fact it had been far bigger that it'd looked in the pictures online. The kitchen was directly as you opened the door which led to the living room where two small sofas lived atop a large rug, a coffee table in front and a decent sized TV hung on the wall in front.
I began looking around the dorm and noticed the door to the right of the kitchen was a bath room, with a bathtub and a shower which was a bonus, the other two on the back wall of the living room seemed to be the bedrooms so I made my way towards them and look a look.
They were mostly the same size, both had closets built into the wall, a double bed and a desk by the window. I'd decided to take the one on the right since it was closest to the bathroom and began dragging my stuff into my room with help from my father.
I caught my mother still stood in the middle of the dorm room, shaking her head and glancing around with a sour look on her face.
"Charming." She muttered to herself, finally making her way towards the room I'd chosen,
"I mean there is potential Kai, not a lot mind you."
I chose to ignore her, I was happy and excited, I refused to let her bring me down on what should be one of the happiest days of my life.
She sighed in defeat, knowing I wasn't going to retaliate as usual.
"Forget about that, let's get you unpacked"
* * *
Rewritten : 20/03/23
Hey it's Keely from 2023! I found it so difficult to finish this book and have only recently realised why.
I hate the way I wrote this book, it's rushed and I didn't take my time to plan anything so it doesn't make sense.
I've started rewriting the chapters and one I've done that then I'll finish the last few chapters of this book.
Including the missing smut chapter that I never finished bc I was too embarrassed.
Anyway, these chapter should hopefully be far longer, easier to read and actually make sense.
If you still read this, thank you so much. I'll upload the next chapter when I can.
Love,
- Keely xx