One Flight Down

The cabbie pulled up to the East Dorm where I would be staying for the remainder of my time here. My mother paid the man and told him to go ahead and that she would find a ride back to the airport area. The backseat door creaked with a loud squeal when I opened it to get out. I said by to the man and he smiled at me as I shut the door and popped the trunk open, it too let out a giant creak of overuse with no oil. I pulled out my brand new messenger bag and smiled. Deep blue and extra big, I can fit everything in there.

I pulled the strap over my head so that it came across my body and as soon as I did, I felt the weight of it. I grabbed a few other plastic bags out of the trunk and my mother helped me with my suitcase. I smiled and picked it up over the cracked curb as she slammed the door and then it was only mere seconds until the cab drove off in a puff of exhaust smoke.

I heard the door close to my car as my dad got out to join us with a plastic bag of his own. He walked around back and popped open the trunk to reveal the collage of photos that were in a poster frame. New York City skyline, Hollywood sign, the Eiffel tower, Big Ben, a picture of a terrace in Barcelona with a couple sitting upon it, a picture of the snow a foot and a half deep from my hometown, even a picture of the Chicago skyline. This whole thing reflected who I was. It 'screamed' me one of my friends had said. It screamed my dreams.

We walked into a side door of the brick building only to be greeted by a plated floor, light green walls - a very calming green if I do say so myself - and pictures spaced out evenly on either side of hallway. Oh, and I forgot to mention: people, lots and lots of people. Everybody was either in their dorms or in the hall talking up a storm. All I could hear already was the gossip of the all the people hooking up or hot girls and hot guys. Oh boy.

After walking down the span of that hallway, through the crowd of people might I add, we came to two flights of stairs in front of us, and hallways down either side. I took a look around and guessed.

"Up the stairs." I pointed and my little parade followed.

I took a folded piece of paper out of the pocket of my jacket that held my room assignment and classes and such on it. Looking back up, I looked to the left past another crowd of people. 120.. 122..

"124." I stated and pointed with my head to the open door.

"Okay then, time to get you settled in." Mum stated.

We walked through the threshold to an open room to find a small kitchen to the left of the door with a small wall that contained it on one side. That small wall space contained a picture already in place over a two person table. Must be my roommates. I noticed that the walls were a light cream color and the floor a hardwood. Smiling, I walked further into the room, it opened to reveal an even bigger space. I walked into a room filled with denim blue walls, beautifully sunlight faded blue and that suited me just fine.

On the right side sat a deep brown bed frame with a box spring mattress that wasn't taken and beside it was the matching bedside table. I smiled and looked to the left. On the opposite side of the wall to the kitchen stood an entertainment center; a small TV included. Across from it was beanbag chair, I chuckled as my mother placed a couple of plastic bags on the mattresses. I glanced at them quickly before going back to looking about the blue room. Past the TV there was a window seat and outside of that window was a backroad and more buildings on the opposite side of the street.

I sighed, picked up the suitcase, and flung it on the bed along with my messenger bag. All of a sudden a girl came out of a door way I hadn't even realized was there.

"You must be my roommate," smiled the girl, "I'm Bernadette Richards," she held out her hand.

"Jess Walker." I smiled back and shook her hand.

"You can call me 'Bee' if you want, that's what everybody else calls me." she chuckled.

"Nice to meet you." I nodded my head.

She then turned and introduced herself to my parents. My father had apparently gotten caught in the throng of kids and so he was just now coming in. He placed the picture on top of everything else that was on the bed. One thing I could say by looking at Bee, she was very pretty, much prettier than me with her dark hair and eyes. I was stuck with light brown hair and blue eyes. She was even athletically built, unlike me.

I found a break in their conversation, "So how long have you been here, Bee?"

"Oh well since it's my first year, I decided to come a few of days early. Give myself time to get settled in."

I nodded, "Understandable.. So is there anything that I should know?"

"About what?" she asked.

"Oh, just about this part of the dormitories and people." I chuckled.

She smiled warmly and shrugged. "Well only that this is the music hall. Everyone here has an instrument."

"Loud nights?" I guessed with a smile.

Bee chuckled. "Not really. The walls are mostly soundproof and nobody practices past ten. And when I got here, I found out that there was only you and me living in here. Unlike some other rooms this one has two beds instead of three."

"Sweet," I placed my hands on my hips and looked up to the blank wall above my bed, "Well, I suppose that I should get started on getting myself settled in too."

I looked back at Mum and Dad, who in return gave me hesitant looks. "I'll be fine," I assured, "Besides, you need to check into your hotel."

"Fine, fine. We'll leave." Dad chuckled and tossed the keys to my car on the bed.

I hugged them both and my mother started tearing up again from having to leave. "You have to fly back home for Thanksgiving and Christmas." she smiled and swiped at her wet eyes.

"I'll see what I can do. I can only really do one or the other, you know."

"Well whatever you decide to do, at least come home." my father piped in.

"You got it." I smiled and he returned it with a hug.

I realized now that Bee had just been standing there watching us with a big grin on her face. I chuckled. My parents said their goodbyes to both of us and I sighed as they exited the door.

"You know, I can help you set up your stuff if you'd like."

"That'd be perfect." I smiled at her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

After making a few more trips to my car and back, using an unnaturally hard skill by hammering in a few nails, and having Bee help me get the bed made I finally had my space looking like mine. I was putting a few more clothes away into the bureau that was up against the wall with the opening for Bee's door. She was sitting on the beanbag chair watching a movie she had popped in.

I shut the drawer and plopped down on my back on top of the bed.

"Man, I seriously haven't been this tired for a while now." I chuckled.

"I can see that,: Bee laughed, "But now you wanna get to know one another? Ask a few questions?"

"Why not." I smiled and shuffled myself to the end of the bed.

"So," she began as if to draw a dramatic air about herself, "Where you from?"

"Boston, Massachusetts actually." I smiled. "You?"

"Here." she smiled.

"Man, must be nice, you could go home whenever you want huh?"

She nodded her head. "Yep, I get to go home for every major holiday. Next, tomboy or girly girl?"

"Tomboy, I'm into sports and action movies all the way." I grinned.

"Good, I'm glad I'm not stuck with one of those uptight girly girls." she laughed.

"It doesn't seem like you're one of those people either, so that's good." I added.

She nodded her head and we each kept firing off questions. Neither of us have boyfriends or anything remotely close. We love to sing, draw, write, read, pretty much anything creative. One piece of information though stuck out: she likes baseball. I was immensely happy, now I won't have to try to fight my way to watch some games.

We could've talked until the cows came home but instead we decided at about eleven thirty to actually stop and try to get some sleep. We still had a couple of days left before classes officially started so we could sleep in if we had to. To that fact I was glad, I can tell you right now that I love sleeping in. I can't sleep past eleven though, otherwise I feel like I've wasted my whole day.

Bee clicked the television off, went into her room while saying good night, and then shut her door. I kept my light on for a little while longer and decided that I'd just read until I got tired enough to get some lounge pants and a tank top on and go to bed. That didn't take long though. I fell asleep soon enough and then that was all there was for an ending to that day.