The walk to my car felt like forever. The sun was really hot today. I shouldn't have worn jeans. What on earth made me think that it was a good idea to wear jeans in this heat?
Dani must be feeling the heat too. I hope I see her again in class or something; she seems nice. I guess today started on a good note, I hope it stays that way too.
Finally I arrived at the parking lot. I look for my car keys in my bag when a motorcycle stops in the spot next to me.
"Nice ride," someone says to me.
I turn around to see a girl with a leather jacket and black jeans get off the motorcycle.
"Right back at you," I say, looking at her bike.
"Ever been on one of these?" she asks me with a smile.
"Never. I don't think I'm as fearless and wild as you," I say, meaning it.
She doesn't say a thing, just laughs.
"I like to be called free-spirited, not wild", she says.
Then she stops and looks at me closely.
"Hey, I think I've seen you somewhere, you look familiar," she says to me, scanning me from top to bottom.
"That can't be, I just got here this morning," I reply.
She takes a step back and looks at me again.
"Oh my gosh! I know where I saw you! I do! I remember!. You were at that beach party last Saturday. You were the girl I shook hands with. I'm Elena, remember?"
Oh my... it was her. Elena. I knew I also recognised her, but she kinda looks different when she's not in a tight dress and heels. She looks really different.
"Yep. I remember you," I say bluntly. Wish I could forget that night though.
"Where did you go off to? I didn't see you again after you left the Sand Bar," Elena questions me while we sit on a side bench.
"Oh. I had to leave. My sister wanted to go home and I wasn't really having fun so I decided to head home too," I say to her.
"Anyway, I have to go now, I have heaps of stuff to move into my room. I haven't started, so I'm—"
"Let me help you," Elena cuts in.
"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly let you do that, you must have other, better things you should be doing," I tell her.
"Nah, I'm actually just hanging around here waiting for my girl. I totally insist on helping you," she said with a genuine smile.
"Okay, fine. You can help," I say, smiling back at her.
I drive my car to the front of the dorms so it will be easier to get my stuff out and up the stairs. Elena follows on her bike and parks it next to my car.
We each carry two boxes up the stairs and to the second floor. Elena tells me all about what her first year in college was like and the good things that happened, like getting together with her girlfriend at Stafford, Rachel.
Elena seems like a really chill person to hang around. I can picture myself being her friend.
Once we get to room twenty-seven, I insert the key and unlock the door. Inside there are two beds, two study desks, and two closets. In between the two beds is a massive window with blinds.
Hmm. Seems decent enough, I guess.
"It may look empty and boring now, but just wait till your new roommate gets here. You guys are going to have so much fun. I just know it," Elena says, putting down the two cartons she carried on top of my bed.
I watch as Elena pulls put her phone from her back pocket.
"He won't believe this. He is gonna freak, I just know it. Let me text him," she says to herself.
"What are you talking about?" I ask her curiously.
"Oh, I just texted Ash to tell him that you're here," Elena says.
"Um, sorry, but who's Ash?" I ask Elena politely. I'm not sure I know who she is talking about.
"I'm Ash," says someone standing at my door and clearly listening to our conversation. I look up at the door and see a guy standing there. He walks in my room, looking at me.
He doesn't even acknowledge Elena, who is standing right there. His green eyes are only focused on my grey ones.
My heart begins to beat faster and I take a step back. He keeps coming towards me slowly. Confidently.
I can't speak.
I open my mouth to speak but only one word manages to roll off my tongue:
Ash.
Ash..is him.
Oh, I think I'm gonna pass out.
*****
I freeze in my spot by the window, unable to move. I just stand there and stared at him. He looks so good. But he can't know I think that.
I decide to snap out of this trance, so I stand up straight and clear my throat.
Elena stands beside him and decides to speak first.
"Ash, I gotta run, Rachel's downstairs waiting for me. Kaia, it was nice seeing you again. I'll pop in later, bye." Elena rushes out the door.
"Love to Rachel!" Ash shouts after her.
He turns to me and gives me a small smile. Even though it's half a smile, it's still breathtaking.
"So, let's start over again. Hi--I'm Ashton, but you can definitely call me Ash if you want," he says, extending a hand for me to shake.
"I'm Kaia," I say, extending my hand out to shake his.
"Kaia, what a beautiful name," he says.
"Hm. Ashton, a pretty common name, if you ask me," I reply.
"You're funny. I like that," he says, taking a seat on the bed opposite mine.
"Look, I can't talk right now. Elena and I were in the middle of bringing in my stuff from my car before you showed up, so I have to continue with that," I say, walking towards the door.
"I'll lend you a hand," Ash says to me. He stands up from the bed and walks to the door.
"Fine, but after that you leave me alone," I snap.
"Jeez, okay!" Ash says, raising his hands as if he surrenders.
I walked down the flight of stairs briskly, not wanting to engage in any sort of conversation with Ash.
He walks behind me, staring at me like I have two heads.
I don't say anything about it. I know he's doing it on purpose to get me to talk to him.
I kindly ignore it and keep walking.
I pass Ash the two heaviest bags and I carry the lightest.
"Jeez, what do you have in here?" he complains while trying to get up the stairs.
"Just clothes," I reply, going past him.
"Just clothes? You gotta be joking, love, it weighs the same as an anchor," he complains. Again.
"If you aren't strong enough, it's okay, I can get another guy to do the lifting. Maybe someone who complains less, too," I tell Ash.
He looks at me from the middle of the stairs and lifts a bag on each shoulder.
"Strong enough for you now, love?" he says with a smirk.
I roll my eyes at him and continue walking. I notice all the girls walking down the stairs were drooling over him.
Some had even taken pictures of him. I roll my eyes again. No wonder he thinks he's something--the way girls behave around him is ridiculous.
Finally, we reach my room. I insert my key but, to my surprise, the door is already unlocked. That's funny, I remember locking it. I push the door open and am met with the familiar sight of big curly hair and brown eyes. Dani!
"Oh my gosh, we're gonna be roommates?" Dani says happily.
"This is so gonna be awesome. Omg!" she squeals with a big grin on her face.
Then she stops talking when she sees Ash next to me.
"Oh, wow, and who might you be?" she asks Ash, examining him up and down.
"I'm Ash, darling," he says to Dani.
I roll my eyes. Darling. Pfffft.
"I'm gonna go get the rest of my stuff. See you guys later", Dani says as she slowly walks out the door. She gives me a small wave and mouths 'he's hot' before disappearing down the hallway.
As Ash drops my bags on the floor, he wanders around the room.
"Quite a good space you girls got here," he says, looking around.
"Yeah, it's alright and hey, we're done now, so you can leave," I say with a smile.
"Someone's eager to shove a guy off. What, is your boyfriend coming over? I'd like to meet him, by the way," Ash says.
"Oh, you're so annoying, and I don't have a boyfriend," I say loudly. "Now, if you could kindly leave, I have to start organizing myself for tomorrow."
"Okay, pretty stranger. I'm leaving. You don't have to kick me out," Ash says, walking backwards out the door.
He keeps walking until his back hits the room opposite mine.
"Later, then?" he asks with a smirk.
"Never!" I say back.
He laughs as he turns the knob and enters the room opposite mine.
Room number 28. Oh! Can it get any worse? You've got to be kidding me!
He's staying right opposite me? So much for a good day, I just realised my whole year will be horrible now.
I hear my phone buzz, so I quickly pull it out. A new message. I open the text and it reads:
Guess this year is gonna be fun ;)
I recognise the number because it's not saved. It's Ash.
I walk over to my bed and sit down, not bothering to text him back. I need to start avoiding him if I want to do well here.
But how?