3 Chapter 3

Are you sure she said the second floor?" My mother sighed, staring up at the multiple flights of stairs.

"Yes, I'm sure mom" I chuckled

"Then I suggest we start making our way up these steps" my mom said looking back at me.

"Let's get to it," I said readjusting the box in my hands to get a better grip. I let my mom go ahead of me and start up the cement steps.

...............…

We reached the second floor and immediately my mom dropped her load of my luggage, "you alright?" I asked my out of breath mother.

"Yes, just old lungs, comes with age" she said between breaths. I gave her a half smile as she picked the box back up.

We skimmed through the crowded hallway dodging other students and their own belongings, alstwhile in search of my shared dorm room.

A few doors down front the top of the stairs, I had found the metal lettering and numbering plastered on a blue slab, "Here," I motioned a few inches in front of me "B13."

My mother let out a loud sigh as she let the boxes fall to the floor, finally relieved from all the heavy lifting. My mom placed her hands once again on her waist, "There are a few more lighter boxes in the car, I'll go get them while you start unpacking these boxes" she said pointing her finger between me and the dorm room's door.

"You sure you don't need any help" I asked

"I'm sure, now unpack" my mom demanded backing up from her place and heading back towards the stairs.

I dug for the yellow ribboned key that I had placed in my pocket and once I grasped it in my hand, I went to insert it into the keyhole.

Suddenly the door swung open causing my eyes to remove their line of sight off of the door handle.

A dark haired guy stood in the doorway, towering a good head over me. His sea green eyes pierced my dirt brown ones, making a faint blush paint across my cheeks.

The corner of his lips twitched into a devious smirk before he reached around the door. A second later I heard a faint click. He brought his arm back around the door and wrapped his fingers around the outside handle. He grinned widely before slamming the door shut.

He walked around the box placed in front of the entrance and went on his way down the hallway.

I'm guessing that's my roommate.

Turning my attention back to unpacking, I reached out for the handle and tried to turn it.

Locked.

I huffed loudly and plugged the key into the hole and unlocked the door. I lifted the cardboard into my arms again, while pushing the door fully open with my foot.

An overpowering whiff of an expensive mens cologne filled my nose, making me already regret saying that I was fine with being placed with a guy.

Ignoring the strong smell as best as I could, I entered further into the dorm. I flickered on the lights which created a dim lighting across the room. The living area and kitchen were formed into one large room with a hallway in the middle, splitting the back wall.

Venturing down the hall, two doors on opposite sides of the thin passageway and another door at the back of the hallway were found.

I tried the door's handle on the left side, but it was locked tight. I guess that would be my rude roommates room. I tried the other door and fortunately this handle was unlocked. Slowly pushing the door open, the sight of a plain,twin size bed and a leather, tan couch came to view.

My lips formed into a soft grin as I dropped my boxes onto the couch and sat onto the bed which was more comfortable than I originally thought. I plopped onto my back as I let out a sigh of relief, getting into WestPeak was difficult to get into and I expect it to only get harder from here. Hopefully, I'm going to make it worth my while, I have a plan. I've had a plan ever since freshman year of high school and now that I'm finally here I can't let that plan fall through. It has always been, study day in and day out, get perfect grades and GPA, apply for top colleges and get accepted, then from there I would repeat the steps that I had done in high school and then become a successful young woman, whoever that may be.

When you have stuff planned out nothing can go wrong, right?

A loud knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts, "Knock, knock," my mother exclaimed from the doorway, holding boxes with one hand.

"Hey," I said, lifting my limp body off the bed and taking the containers from her grasp.

"Have you met your roommate yet," she said briefly before maneuvering her head around outside of the room in search of him.

"Briefly, he left the dorm right after you went to grab the other boxes from the van," I sighed in relief. I'm mostly glad that she didn't get to meet him, something tells me my mother wouldn't like him much.

"Aww to bad, I would've liked to meet the young man before leaving," she pouted, but it was half filled with sarcasm. You would have to be blind and dead to not comprehend that she's uncomfortable with me living with a guy.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" I questioned playfully, my eyebrows furrowed in astonishment, she really can't wait to get rid of me.

"Believe me, Laken if I could stay here with you for the next four years, I would but I have to get going. Brenda is making me go out tonight to celebrate both of our kids going off to college and unfortunately I don't think I can get out of it," my mother said, almost frustrated with the fact.

I had to contain my laughter, Brenda is my mother's friend since nursing school and she has been waiting for this day for years now so she can force my mom out of the house for a drink. "Come on mom, I bet it will be fun, don't sound so upset with the fact of getting a drink or two." I tried to convince my mother.

"Oh Laken, you have not seen Brenda drunk, she starts talking crap about the residents at the hospital and trust me it gets ugly," she shivered slightly as if recalling the last time she drank with her nursing school friend. "Still, I need to leave you to unpack," my mom said holding back a frown while leaning in for a hug. I embraced her and squeezed her like it was the last day to live.

"Thanks mom, for everything" I whispered into her ear right before pulling away.

She gave a sad smile before stroking the side of my face with her thin fingers, "Call me everyday, or I'll just have to assume that roommate of yours, murdered you," she spoke dramatically.

"I will," I laughed at her ridiculous statement. She turned around and walked toward the door and I followed. My mother and I gave each other one last hug before she left.

It's official, I'm a college student