Lend Me Your Heart

Two

After the orientation and bonding activities, I’d actually met a few people. I was kind of forced upon them by the school consoler who organized the activities, but they were actually genuinely nice people.

Casey was a bubbly, blonde coming in as a new sophomore who wouldn’t stop talking, but she was smart and happy. She was a nice person to be around when you were in a bad mood. Matt was a funny, nerdy junior with curly, brown hair and thick-framed glasses. Sarah was a sweet, shy senior with brown hair and possibly the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. Joey was a big guy on the football team, but his heart was just as big as his other muscles.

During the bonding activities, they intermixed all the grades, which pleased me. At most high schools, older grades don’t associate with underclassmen, but here it was different. They were all down-to-earth, happy people who came here because they wanted to be prepared for college, unlike Erica and her friends, who were probably here because their parents had a lot of money.

Casey, Matt, Joey, and Sarah wanted to see my so-called “luxury suite”, as Joey liked to call it, since he’s always wanted a single but never got one. When I opened my door, one of my dresses fell and slid onto the floor. I rolled my eyes and hung it back up. “Unfortunately, this luxury suite came without closet,” I mumbled.

“Ah, the misfortunes of having the most beautiful room on campus,” Matt said, flopping down onto my bed.

“Matt! Get off her bed! It was all nice and made,” Casey laughed.

“I don’t mind,” I shrugged.

“You decorated this really nicely,” Sarah said. “I’ll be in here a lot.”

“As will I,” said Matt.

“And me,” said Joey.

“And me, too!” giggled Casey.

“You guys are all welcome,” I said, smiling at them, happy that maybe, just maybe, I made some new friends. Then again, I didn’t want to draw to conclusions too quickly and get close to people who I didn’t know that well yet.

“We should probably get to dinner before it closes,” said Sarah.

I nodded. “I’m starving.”

I wanted to change into comfortable clothes since I’d been in a skirt and polo shirt all day, but I didn’t want to make everyone else feel bad since they were still dressed up, so I didn’t say anything.

On our way there, Matt told us little facts about the other dorms named Cottage, Otis, Willington, Conrad, and Lonestoga. The “hang out” building, filled with vending machines, televisions, play stations, and stereo systems was called “Wolf Point”, and it was apparently filled with students all year round. “Deer Lodge” was the dining hall. “Big Sandy” was the big, elaborately built school building in the middle of campus, surrounded by all the dorms. Lastly, there was the “Chinook Sports Center” which had a gym, two basketball courts, a rock climbing wall, and a theater. I felt smarter just listening to Matt talk; he knew everything about anything.

I put my long, reddish-brown hair up into a ponytail as we walked into the dinner line.

“Do you guys have any more questions?” Joey asked Casey and I.

“Let’s go over rule breaking,” Matt said, rubbing his hands together, pointing at me, “You look like one of those rebellious newbies.”

“Me?” I laughed incredulously, “You need to get your facts straight, Mister.”

“It wasn’t a fact,” he said, “Just my opinion.”

“Well, your opinions are erroneous.”