Forelsket

The Appalachian Mountains had always been a fixation of mine. While my friends were always trying to book spring breaks at the beach, I wanted to head up the switchbacks to a cabin somewhere remote. My friends couldn’t understand it, and to a certain extent neither could I. There was just something about the way mountain peaks faded into a blue sea all their own, or the way forests smell right after rain that sprung roots in my bones and made me always yearn to come back.

“I’ve been standing in this line for an hour and a half already, Keelyn. It’s ridiculous.”

Maybe yearn was a bit of a strong word. At least during textbook weekend.

“How far up are you?” I asked, a bit of static buzzing through the phone while Gabriella estimated.

“It’s looping around the whole bookstore and then down the stairs. I’m just now on the second floor if that tells you anything.” I sighed as I walked past the library, brushing my wind-whipped hair off of my forehead.

“Okay, well I’m right outside the library so save me a spot, I’ll be at the Student Union in a hot second.” We both said our brief parting and I shoved my phone back into the pocket of my shorts. Fucking textbooks.

Inside, I could see Gabby hadn’t been exaggerating. The two-story bookstore that adjoined the Student Union was little more than a container for a frustrated snake of students. I casually walked around until I could see up the stairs, looking for my roommate. It didn’t take long before our eyes locked and she was waving ferociously for me to come join her. I sucked in a breath, and pushed my way up the staircase, murmuring excuse mes and sorrys as I evaded the glaring looks.

“Jesus Keelyn, I never thought you’d get here. I was about to gouge my eyes out I’m so mind-numbingly bored.”

“Sorry, I had to pick up my parking permit and it took a lot longer than I thought it would to find a spot in that parking deck.”

“Well at least—“

“Hey, Princess,” Gabby and I both turned around to the guy standing two stairs below us, startled by the inflection in his voice. “Can I have your autograph?”

“Excuse me?” I wasn’t usually an abrasive person, but I also wasn’t one to be publicly humiliated.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I just assumed you were royalty since you thought you had the right to cut in front of at least seventy other students who have been here for hours.” There were some snickers and snarky slurs of agreement from behind him and I could feel my body tense up.

“I don’t know who you think you are, and frankly I couldn't care less,” Everyone got quiet, “But I highly doubt one person getting in line before you is going to make that much of a difference. If you’re so butthurt get someone to hold a spot for you next time, because if you were standing where I am right now I don’t think you’d be so strongly opposed.” He looked at me and nodded slightly, as if he was considering the idea.

“Well the thing is,” He started before letting out one hard laugh. “I was standing there before you hightailed your over-privileged ass into my spot.” I knew my face was burning, and my teeth were so tightly clenched I thought they’d shatter. Gabby put her hand on my shoulder and mumbled something about ignoring him, but it was too late. I jerked my shoulder out from under her grip and stepped down. I hadn’t realized how tall he was from two steps up, but he towered over me with a smirk that screamed amusement. As I looked up at him I began to feel meek, and whatever witty comeback I had prepared was nothing more than a lump in my throat. “Can I help you, Princess?” He cooed.

“Fuck off.” I shoved him as hard as I could, one of his friends letting out a whoa! as he hit the guardrail. I could feel their eyes, especially his, burning a hole in the back of me as I stormed out of the Union.

There are always instances in an argument where you know you’re wrong. Moments when you know you need to stop talking but your mouth has a mind of its own. As I walked back to my dorm I was shrouded in embarrassment. That guy had been a bit rude but I had made an absolute fool of myself. I decided not to worry about it too much, figuring no one would remember by tomorrow with all of the excitement of the new school year. Boy was I sadly mistaken.