4 SHOWER SITUATION

After my mother warned me for an hour about dangers like Party's and male students - with phrases that are equally annoying to Noah and me - she's finally ready to leave. After the typical short hug and a quick kiss, she leaves the room to wait for Noah in the car.

"I'll miss you if I do not see you every day," he says softly, hugging me. Sighing, I inhale the cologne that I have given him for the last two years for Christmas. The scent is not quite as intense as it was before, and I realise that I will miss Noah's smell and the sense of security and familiarity he gives me, no matter how many times I've complained about his aftershave.

"I'll miss you, too, but we talk on the phone every day," I promise, as I lean against him and bury my nose against his neck. "I wish you were already here now." Noah is only a few inches taller than me, but I like that he does not tower over me like that.

My mother used to say that a man would grow two inches with every lie. Since my father was quite tall, I can not contradict their logic. Softly, Noah's lips touch my mouth ... and right at that moment I hear it honk outside in the parking lot. Laughing, he breaks away from me. "Your mom. She really has a good timing." Quickly he kisses me on the cheek and runs with a "I'll call you tonight!" out. I stay alone and think briefly about his hasty departure.

Then I start to unpack my bags. Shortly thereafter, a part of my clothes folded in one of the small dressers, the rest hangs neatly in my closet half. Already at the sight of the many leather things and animal prints next to it I feel a bit queasy. Nevertheless, the curiosity triumphs, and I carefully stroke a dress that seems to be made of a kind of metal material. A naderes is so gossamer that it hardly exists. As I slowly feel the exhaustion of the long day, I lie down on the bed.

An unfamiliar feeling of loneliness rises in me. Somehow a pity that my roommate is gone now, no matter how uncomfortable I felt with her friends. Presumably, she will be constantly on the road or, worse, constantly receiving visitors. Why did not I end up with someone who likes to read and learn?

Maybe it's a good thing that I often have the small room to myself, but somehow I do not feel good about it all. So far, college is not what I expected or dreamed of. But I've only been here for a few hours. It's going to be better tomorrow. Certainly.

I take my diary and the books and write down the seminars in this semester and the dates of the literary circle, which I may join. I'm not sure yet, but I've read a few online reviews and I definitely want to check it out, because it would be nice to meet some people who are interested in the same thing as me.

I do not expect to find so many friends here. It would be enough for me to be able to eat with someone from time to time. The next day I want to go to the city so I can get some things for my room. Although I do not intend to stuff my site like Steph, I would still like to have one or the other, to make the foreign place more mine, a bit more of a home. The fact that I do not have a car makes it difficult. The sooner I get one, the better.

I have enough money for that, with the graduation gifts and my summer job savings at the bookstore, but I do not know if I can use the stress of owning a car now. I am allowed to use all public transport because I live on campus. I have already picked out the most important bus connections. With thoughts of class schedules, red-haired women and unfriendly men with tattoos, I finally fall asleep with the appointment book in my hand. The next morning, Steph does not lie down in her bed.

I would like to get to know her better, but that could be difficult if she's never there. Maybe one of the guys she went out with is her boyfriend? I hope for her that it is the blonde. With the cosmetic bag I make my way to the shower rooms. The shower situation in the dorm I will certainly not like it. I wish every room had its own bathroom. Well, at least there are separate showers ... At least that's what I thought. Like everyone else.

But when I stand in front of the door, two stick figures are depicted, one male and one female. Ugh. How can they allow that? And why did not I read that during my research on the WCU? I quickly go past the half-naked women and men to a free shower stall and close the curtain before undressing. It takes far too long for warm water to arrive, and all the while I'm worried someone might put on the thin shower curtain that hides my naked body from the others out there.

Nobody seems to mind that half naked men and women walk around here. So far, the college life is really very strange - this is only the second day. The shower cubicle is tiny, with a small shelf for my fresh clothes and barely enough room to stretch out your arms. Automatically I have to think of Noah and at home.

When I turn around distractedly, I bump my elbow on the shelf and carry all my clothes on the wet floor, where the water soaks them completely. "I do not believe that!" I moan softly and turn off the shower frantically. Wrapping the towel around my body, I grab the pile of heavy, soaked clothes and hurry down the hall to my room, hoping nobody will see me.

With trembling fingers, I unlock and breathe a sigh of relief when I've closed the door behind me. Until I turn around and see the strange tattooed brown-haired tattoo man lying on Steph's bed.

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