The "Everything Better" Plan

Alex was stressed. He was beginning his first term of college, ready to learn about everything physiotherapy related, and he was freaking out. He knew no one here, no family had previously attended the school and no friends were attending either. Alex just hoped that the boy he was sharing his room with would be nice.

The college had halls for first and some second year students and they could choose how many people they wanted to room with. Alex had chosen to room with one other boy and, upon his parents insisting they could afford it, have a room with an en suite. The kitchens were shared between three rooms where Alex was, which meant that he would be sharing a kitchen with six other people. He didn't make a fuss to his parents over this, knowing there was no choice.

Walking into his room with his suitcase dragging behind him Alex's stomach protested in the form of a swarm of angry butterflies, punching his gut in a way to tell him he wasn't ready for this. As he slid his make shift laptop bag (an old shoulder bag) off his shoulder and onto the bed he decided would be his, furthest away from the door with a window beside it, Alex told the butterflies off because he was sure this was what he wanted, what his parents expected of him. They expected him to go to college after leaving high school and gain a degree in a respectable field. That's what all parents wanted, right?

"I'll go back to the car and get the last box, you get settled in." Alex's father, Peter, spoke as he put two heavy plastic boxes down on the cream coloured carpet.

Alex nodded without saying a word and sat down on his bed. Isobel, his mother, didn't enjoy the silence her son was in. "Are you okay Alex?" She asked as she sat close beside him, hand settling on his knee in what he guessed was meant to be comforting.

"I'm fine." He responded quietly. "Just a lot to take in,"

Isobel watched as Alex scratched the side of his thumb with the other, a habit he had acquired since he was younger when he was uncomfortable. "Well your dad will be back soon so we'll leave you to settle in." She watched for any sign that her son did not want them to leave before continuing. "I know you're nervous, but we all have to do these things at some point. It will do you good to have to do things on your own."

Alex huffed at that. He couldn't count on his hands and toes how many times he had heard that speech. "I know."

Peter arrived back then, hauling the last box as he had said. "That's everything. Are we all okay here?"

Alex looked up and smiled in a hopefully assuring way as he stood up from his perch on the unmade bed. "We're all good."

"Great, well we should be off then. I'll miss you at home." Peter pulled Alex into a father-son hug, you know the kind. It was brief but tight, and exactly what Alex had expected.

Alex turned to his mother and almost regretted it as he saw the tears swelling in her eyes. "Don't cry mum, please." He begged half-heartedly.

Isobel's hug was far longer and unsurprisingly a lot tighter than his fathers. "I'm going to miss my baby." She sniffed a laugh in her voice.

"I'm eighteen, I'm not a baby." Alex insisted as they pulled apart.

"You'll always be your mothers baby, Alex. "

"Oh sorry am I interrupting?" A boy with a shaved haircut and bright smile spoke sheepishly from the doorway.

"No, no we were just saying goodbye. Love you." Isobel replied, blowing a kiss to her son before finally leaving. Alex wanted to die.

"I'm Rian Dawson." The boy introduced himself as Alex's parents were out of sight and the door was closed. He didn't seem at all caring that Alex had just had a kiss blown to him by his mother, though Alex put it down to not noticing.

"Alex Gaskarth." Alex replied, praising himself for being able to make his voice loud enough for Rian to hear.

"Where are you from?" Rian asked casually as he dumped his suitcase and backpack on his bed and floor.

"Baltimore."

"Sorry?" Rian returned to face his new roommate.

"Ugh, I said Baltimore." Alex spoke louder, feeling his cheeks flush lightly at having to repeat himself.

Rian grinned, seemingly unfazed by Alex's light embarrassment. "Me too. Which part?"

The conversation went on like this for about ten minutes while Rian unpacked. In that time Alex had retrieved his phone charger and had plugged it in, settling his docking station on the bedside table also.

"Do you need the bathroom anytime soon?" Rian asked as he pushed his suitcase into the space in his cupboard especially for it. Alex shook his head, confused at the question. Why would he want to know that? "I'm going to take a shower then, won't be long." Oh. That's why.

Alex nodded and watched as Rian disappeared before clambering off his own bed and hurriedly unzipping his suitcase. He grabbed his underwear first and shoved it into the top draw quickly, relaxing after it was closed. He didn't want the embarrassment of having his roommate see his underwear, no way was that happening.

He took his bag for the bathroom and tucked it behind his suitcase, out of site. He knew he'd have to keep it in the bathroom for convenience, but he would hide it for as long as he could. Not that the exterior was embarrassing: all black material covered with a clear plastic.

Alex was folding his t-shirts into the second draw of his dresser when Rian emerged from the en suit. Alex heard the door and his eyes automatically drifted to the source of the sound. Alex squeaked. His roommate was standing there in just a pair of boxers.

"I'm all done in there."

Alex took his own bag and a clean shirt into the bathroom with him. He didn't really want a shower but his roommate was clearly comfortable with being naked around others and Alex just wasn't. He would have to get used to that. When Alex exited the bathroom Rian was sitting on a now made bed on his laptop. Much to Alex's relief he was dressed.

"Hey." Rian greeted upon noticing Alex.

"Hey." Alex replied softly.

"So I was thinking we could go down to the student café. I have a friend from my first year who's always down there and I thought you could meet him. I mean, I'm assuming you’re a first year? No offence, you just look like one."

Alex was totally blushing right down his neck. "Um yeah this is my first year."

"I'll show you around then. Whenever you're ready of course,"

And so forty minutes later, after making his bed in the plain white sheets provided and hair done, Alex found himself being walked around the student’s area of the college, where everyone tended to hang around according to Rian. Alex also found himself being pushed towards a rather intimidating number of students who were all sitting in couches around a glass coffee table.

"Hey guys!" Rian beamed as he found the people Alex assumed he was looking for. "This is my roommate for the year, Alexander."

"Just Alex is fine." Alex corrected quietly from beside Rian.

"Well Just Alex I'm Cassadee, Rian's girlfriend." A pretty girl spoke politely. “Beside me is Tay.” Another pretty girl smiled at Alex and waved.

Alex learnt the other people’s names, though most he couldn't remember as soon as he had heard them. He ended up siting between Rian and Zack, Rian's friend from his first year. Zack was quiet like Alex and for that reason Alex decided he liked him the best out of Rian's friends.