Out of the Wreckage

Taking Steps in My Direction.

Don't think that I'm pushing you away

when you're the one that I've kept closest.

Jordan bolted upright in bed when her alarm – All Time Low’s “Six Feet Under the Stars” – started blaring from her iPhone. The sudden action, combined with the proximity of her bed to the ceiling, made for rather unfavorable consequences. After the loud, dull thud of Jordan’s head slamming into the ceiling, she collapsed back onto her bed with an anguished cry.

Rae stirred in her bed, which was barely lofted at all. She didn’t have to climb all the way up the side of the bed just to get in it, like Jordan did. “Mm…Jordan…?”

“Sorry I woke you up,” Jordan panted, cradling her head in her hands and trying to still the flashing lights that were swirling in her vision.

Rae stretched slowly, some of her joints popping every now and then as she loosened up her body. “Did you hit your head?”

“Y-Yeah,” Jordan laughed sheepishly, gritting her teeth as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

“Oh, Jordan,” Rae sighed, slinking out of her bed. Rae blearily rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn before opening the fridge for the ice pack. “I warned you…you’re too tall to have lofted your bed up that high,” Rae chided Jordan, wrapping the icepack in a wash towel before reaching up to hand it to her.

“Thanks, mom,” Jordan joked, easing the icepack onto her head. She hissed a bit at the chill, but it did alleviate the throbbing pain a bit.

Rae scoffed at the title, but crawled back into bed because she didn’t have early morning classes. Rae was always maternal for some reason – asking Jordan to text her to let her know she had gotten somewhere safely or something, worrying about Jordan when she wasn’t back at the dorm by a certain time. Jordan thought it was adorable, even though she wasn’t used to it.

Jordan was the older sister in her family. Jordan was used to worrying about other people, not being worried about. Rae was an only child, but she was very close with her cousins – her younger cousins, of which she was often left in charge. Jordan and Rae didn’t put in a roommate request, but they were extremely glad that they ended up with each other.

“You should probably take some Tylenol or something,” Rae yawned when she heard the tell tale creak of wooden beams – Jordan was carefully climbing down the side of the bed so she could reach the floor. “I put it in the mirror cabinet by the sink.”

“Alright, thanks,” Jordan mumbled, gathering her clothes and things that she had set out last night before going to their bathroom. It was small, but at least they didn’t have to share it with anyone. Jordan didn’t bother showering – she sprayed some dry shampoo into her hair and threw it up into a messy bun before stripping off her pajamas to change into some jean shorts and a tank top because no one really cares what people wear. Slipping on her backpack and TOMS, Jordan left their dorm, locking the door after her.

Jordan’s first class was in one of the older buildings. The stairs were odd – set extremely close to the door, so there were giant signs on the doors that said “OPEN SLOWLY” because if you weren’t careful you’d hit whoever was on the other side. And Jordan was on the bad side. Poor Jordan.

Someone swung the door open rather forcefully just as Jordan got to the top of the landing. “Oh, shit! Are you ok?”

The door knocked Jordan upside the head. Being hit in the head a lot wasn’t very great for cognitive development. Jordan was still in a crumpled heap on the floor as her assailant hovered around her worriedly. “Ouch,” Jordan murmured, clutching her head and waiting for that familiar throbbing pain to end.

“Hey, dollface, I’m really sorry…here, come on, let me help you up,” said the door slammer, and Jordan was surprised that the hand gripping her wrist was undeniably feminine. Jordan looked up into the fresh face of a rather attractive slight blonde girl. “How do you feel?”

Jordan blinked, still disoriented by the blow and the endearment the stranger had used. “Hello,” Jordan managed to say a bit breathlessly.

“Hi,” the girl laughed back, holding Jordan steady. “Well, my name’s Misha Vavrik, and I’m awfully sorry that I’ve hit you, uh…”

“Jordan. Jordan Merrick,” Jordan introduced herself, trying to stand on her feet now – rather unsuccessfully.

“Easy, there!” Misha helped Jordan sit down on the stairs. “I think you oughta stay still for a bit. Just until you reorient yourself and whatnot,” said Misha sagely. “Were you headed to class?”

“Y…Yes, but –“

“Well, that’s gonna have to wait,” Misha said firmly, holding her hand out to Jordan. “Up you get. You need food.”

“I need to get to class,” Jordan argued.

Misha grabbed Jordan’s hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. Jordan was a little alarmed, but Misha didn’t give her time to protest. “Oh, yeah, ‘cause it’s real easy to think on an empty stomach, right?” Misha laughed, leading Jordan out of the building with ease. “Come on, Jordan! I’m sure you can skip just the one day,” Misha teased Jordan, letting go of her hand now that they were outside. “Besides, you were on your way to color theory, weren’t you? That class is such bullshit.”

“Yes, I…H-How did you know that?”

“I take that class, too. Well, I show up every now and then,” Misha amended as they turned to go to one of the dining halls.

Jordan wrinkled her nose. “Ok, Misha, it was really nice to meet you and all, but we really should go to class…I’m not that hungry for breakfast, anyways…”

Misha was relentless. “You’re gonna like it here, Jordan,” she promised, leading them not to the dining hall but to a small restaurant on the outskirts of the campus. Misha easily procured a table for them, although the restaurant was almost full. “This place has the best breakfast ever,” she told Jordan excitedly, not even glancing at the menu because she already knew what she wanted to order.

Jordan perused the menu, discovering that Misha was right. Jordan ordered the special because she really couldn’t decide what to order. Misha ordered the French toast as well as the goat cheese appetizer for them to share…and Jordan was very alarmed to learn that Misha intended to pay for everything.

“Hey, I can pay for myself, you know…”

“My treat,” Misha insisted, straightening in her seat when the goat cheese arrived. It was a medium sized ball of goat cheese covered in chopped pecans and dried cranberries, served with slices of pita bread fresh out of the oven. “Please, help yourself. Breakfast is the least I can do. I mean, good god, look at your forehead!”

Jordan blinked and examined her reflection in her iPhone. Her forehead was indeed red and swelling. “Oh, wow…see, you’re not the only one who hit my head today,” Jordan laughed, accepting the goat cheese covered slice of pita bread that Misha was holding out to her. “So, get this, my alarm went off this morning, and…”

It was just breakfast.

Jordan had no idea that Misha Vavrik would change her life so drastically.

♠ ♠ ♠

thanks for reading; hope you liked it!
i figured i'd update before i go home for my four day weekend :D
oh, and here's Misha. excuse my inner SPN fangirl; lol
isn't it nice that jordan's making more friends? haha, isn't it, though...
anyways, comments would be lovely and greatly appreciated!