College Dorm

“Okay mom… meal plan, change my car’s oil, and… oh right! Thank you… I’ll pay that this Friday. I love you too.” I click my lock button, letting the screen go black. I fall back onto my new bed and let out a sigh. “Here’s to my junior year,” I tell the ceiling, pausing for a moment. I sit up and inspect my room. As I do so, I begin making a mental checklist of things I need to do to make my room more comfortable. My full-body mirror was happily pressed against the wall closest to the door and next to it was a pop-up dresser my mom got me when I first enrolled here. My large shag rug is aesthetically positioned under my bed. Relieved, I realized I didn’t have very many things to do. My phone vibrates under my fingers.

-Claire: “knock knock”

As I read it, a smile grows on my face. I open my door to see a happy, bouncing Claire eager to hug me. My energy is reciprocated as we hug each other’s necks.

“Hi,” she screeches, pulling me back inside my dorm.

“Wait wait! I have to give you the grand tour!” I say, jumping in front of her.

“Oh please, you get this room every semester,” she says, rolling her eyes.

I clear my throat, dramatically waltzing from the door into the living room. “Here we have… the worlds smallest living room!,” I plop down on the double-seated couch and she plops down next to me giggling. I extend my arms out in front of me.

“Here! The master bedroom and the door next to it… the royal shitter and shower… thank you for the tour… that’ll be 60 dollars,” I say, smiling.

“Yeah right,” she says, standing up and walking into my room.

“No dorm mate yet?” she asks, sitting on my bed.

“I wish it would be you. Dorm mates aren't assigned yet,” I say, sitting next to her.

“But you live off campus,” I exaggerate the off-campus part.

“Yeah. I missed you during the holidays. You’re literally my saving grace when Josh gets on my nerves. When you’re back home I can’t escape him,” Claire falls into my lap and pulls out her phone. Probably to show me pictures of her holiday celebrations she didn’t blast over her array of social media accounts.

Claire's boyfriend, Josh, often stayed in her parent's mansion with them each semester. He was studying biochem or something and was a part of some frat. It was fitting as Claire was a part of some sorority her mom had been in years before.

My brown hair falls onto Claire’s wavy, blonde hair as I look down at another picture. “…and this was Josh taking a shot with my dad…” Claire continued, holding her phone up to my face. This went on till she reached her New Year's pictures in her camera roll. “How was your New Year's kiss?,” she asked, closing her photo gallery full of pictures of her and Josh making out and opening Instagram instead.

I started playing with her hair, leaning back on my wrist.

"Oh... you know? Full of shitty kisses from shitty boys," I say.

"This year will be your year for a boyfriend. Besides, having a boyfriend is the worst. Your tight little thing is going to be sore… fucking him all the time," she says, standing up and using her phone to point between my legs.

I slap my hands over my crotch. "Okay barbie," I say.

She persists, "Plus you have to get on birth control... blah blah blah," her voice grows distant as she begins to type a message. I assume to Josh.

"Oh, my God! Yay! They just posted class schedules and assigned dorm mates for housing A through D. Come on babe. We can pick up our books from the bookstore and grab a coffee," she directs, pulling out a lip gloss and exiting my room.