"Mom, please don't cry! You're going to embarrass me!", I complain giving her a huge hug so people don't see her crying and also, it's a good way to hide my face from everyone. I don't want someone to recognize me as the girl whose mother was crying all the time.
"My babygirl is going to be so far away from us", she sobs.
"Please dad, say something to her. We've been here for 15 minutes and I need to meet with my mentor or someone like that". I complain.
The University gives us, the newcomers, the opportunity to have someone who guides us here so we don't get lost and know our way around here and maybe give us some tips.
"Darling, Daniel is 10 minutes from here. If anything happens to her, he'll help. She's not on her own." my dad reassures her.
In case you don't know, Daniel is my big brother and he's studying Biochemistry here. Why am I staying in the dorms and not in his flat with another friend of his? Well, it's his man cave and they don't want any girl around unless some of them is interested in her, you know what I mean.
"Mom, I'll call you whenever I can". — My mother shoots me a dead glance. — "Okay, every night, is that better for you?" — and she smiles now. Good way of emotional manipulation, mom.
"I guess I'll have to settle for that". Yeah, you have to. "I still don't understand why you pack only the essential, what about your toys? And your little teddy bear?" she repeats and I know I'm blushing because of the embarrassment. I pray no one around here goes to my class because this is humiliating.
"Mom, this isn't Toy Story, okay? Why don't you go for a walk and see how much the university has changed since you've left?". — I glance at my father pleading for help and he nods slightly, grabbing my mother by the shoulders.
"That's a really good idea. What if we go back in time and go to the place we met for the first time?" — My mother covers her mouth and starts crying again but I'm sure it's not because of me now. I try not to cry as well because of the fact that my father is a hopeless romantic and I'd cry too if I were my mother.
As far as they've let me know, they met in the first year of University. They lived down the hallway from each other and met on move-in day at a dorm. But it started one day when he was always playing guitar — the same song over and over. And my mother was so tired of listening that song, so she put a note under his door about how terrible it was: 'Please learn a new song!' and well, they ended up together and had their song.
"Are you okay carrying all your package?" — I nod and they give me a big hug before they go. This can't be so difficult, I think while I glance at my two suitcases.
I start to search for my mentor looking at my surroundings. Newcomers saying goodbye to their crying parents, others are lost trying to find their way to their dorms and some of them talking about sorority houses. Nerves are taking the best of me as far as I walk to the person who has a signal with my name and my grade on it, so they avoid misunderstandings.
She is a brown-haired girl and probably taller than me. She's wearing a t-shirt with the name of the university on it and I wonder where I can get one of these or if I need to be part of the orientation team to get one. I was about to introduce myself to her when I heard it.
"Giselle?!" Oh no, it can't be.
I don't have time to react when two strong arms hold me tight against his body, spinning me around. When my two foots touch the ground, I hit him sometimes. First of all, because he scared the shit out of me and because I can't believe my eyes. I mean, what the hell is he doing here?
"What the hell are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to study at London University?"— I yell at him but I can't help but smile so brightly.
"Well, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you that... I'm going to study here!"
"Jake! You liar!" I embrace him so he can't see my tears of happiness.
Since the day he went back to his city after the school trip, we've been texting each other so we would keep in touch. He kept his promise of visiting me when he goes to my city taking advantage of Scott who wanted to see Amy. But it all finished when they broke up in the middle of the summer and Jake had a hard time with his family and the fact he hasn't got a driving license didn't help but we keep talking anyways, not regularly but enough for us.
"I thought I'd not see you anymore!" I was about to say more things when my mentor approach us.
"Sorry for interrupting, but are you Giselle?"— she asks kindly and I nod. —"Do you mind if we go to ask for your schedule and keys now? I have other students to attend in 15 minutes. Your boyfriend can come if he wants to".
"Oh no, I'm not her boyfriend, actually, she wishes." Jake laughs and I hit him. He can be so cocky sometimes. "Anyways, I have to find my mentor as well, so I'll see you later".
"You'd better not lie to me this time!"— I shout at him who is already walking away but he turns around to wink at me. I roll my eyes and start walking with my mentor who helps me with one of my suitcases.
"I guess you didn't see each other for a long time?"— I nod with a huge smile on my face. — "By the way, I'm Katie and if you need anything else once this is over, just call me". — I just smile at her and keep walking until we get to the secretary.
"Welcome to Warwick University darling, what's your name?"— I answer all her questions and she gives me my keys and my schedule which I'll study once all this moving and admission things are over and I'm relaxed in my bedroom.
- - -
"101...103...107... and that's my room" I whisper to myself standing in front of what will be my little home here.
How will be my roomie? A nice one? Please, don't be a rude and messy one. I breath deeply trying to clear my thoughts and be open minded about it. I can't be so picky in my first year, can I? I didn't choose a double room because it would be cheaper (which is and I'm thankful, of course) but the facility of making friends. I've seen a lot to people who got along with their roommates and they are friends for life now. Okay, maybe they exaggerated a bit but I truly want to believe it.
Finally, after getting myself together and reminding me to be more social and less shy, I open the door to find my room empty. Okay, I wasn't expecting that. Maybe she's busy and she's going to arrive soon. The only thing I know about her is her name which is Bailee because we couldn't get in contact before, so I asked it in the reception.
The room is pretty simple if I'm honest but big enough for two students. How much room will she want? Or which side? Anyways, it's the same, it doesn't care which side of the room you're looking at because you'll find a desk, a bed and a wardrobe with a mirror inside.
I pick the right side at the end and start to unpack my baggage full of clothes. I wish I could have brought more clothes because the weather is Coventry is colder than in Brighton but I didn't have enough room for that. In my other baggage I have some classic book, my technology things and more irrelevant things. I was about to finish to keep my tops in the wardrobe when the door opens. I get up quickly from the ground and find myself in front of a brunette girl with a smile plastered on her face and it gives me some hope.
"I'm Bailee, your roomie for the rest of the year!! Are you Giselle, aren't you?" — My eyes are wide open, not for the fact that she's hugging me now, but her knowing my name because that means she's asked for my name too before coming.
"Yeah, I hope you don't mind me already having the right side of the room... and sorry for the mess, it will be clean once I'm finished with the baggage". — She shakes her head and gives a look.
"By the way, I love your outfit". — I praise her outfit and she looks down blushing. She's wearing a pale pink shirt and a black skirt. No complains about her for now, what is more, I think we'll get along and I couldn't be happier.
Once I finish to keep all my clothes in the wardrobe, I let myself fall on the bed. God, this is exhausting. Should I call Jake? Maybe he's free. I was about to get my phone to call him when I see Bailee looking at me nervously and I stop in my tracks. Neither of us say a thing and this is starting to get uncomfortable, so I decide to break the ice.
"Is there anything wrong? Have I done anything bad?" — I try to recall all the things I've said or done but all seem harmless to me. Maybe she thinks I'm a disaster? Wasn't I who she was expecting?
"Oh no! In fact, you're way better than what I had in mind! I don't want to sound like a mother but what do you think about setting some rules? It doesn't mind if you don't..." — She says alarmed and I can't help but laugh.
"Yeah, I agree. As a matter of fact, I was going to ask you the exact thing but later once we get to know each other better but let's do it now if you want to". We both sit in the same bed and she opens the Notes App and writes in bold "Roomie rules".
"Okay, what do you think about parties and boys?" Bailee asks right away.
"Well, I'm not a pretty fan of parties but I'd like to go to some principal parties like Halloween, Ball or going to some pubs, you know, student life but not much. Concerning boys... I don't have a boyfriend at the moment so you don't have to worry about it for now. And you?" — Please don't be a very party person who comes to her room drunk as hell.
"I agree with the party topic and if you want, we could be party-partners and set a time for leaving so we leave at the same time. And yeah, I has a boyfriend whose name is Blake but he's not going to come here anytime soon. In any case, I would crash at his apartment which he shares with his friends"— I nod happily and thank god because we agree in a lot of things. As we keep setting some rules, I discovered some facts about her: she's studying Film Studies, only child and loves fashion.
"What about going..."— I start to propose but her phone start buzzing. She shows me her phone and I see the name "Blake" on it and I get why she's smiling. She must be in love with him.
"Hey honey.... yeah.. Oh yeah I've met her already and she's pretty great..." — She winks at me and I know they're taking about me. — " Okay, meet you there in 10, bye love", she hangs up the phone and looks at me not knowing what to do.
"Go, we'll have a lot of time to hang out together"— I roll my eyes smiling and she hugs me. She look at his purse to see if she has everything and get out, not saying before: "We'll be great friends, I know it girl!".
This has been much better than I expected.