Stars

A Fresh Start

 I close my eyes and sigh slowly, running my fingers through my brunette curls.

I can't believe I'm finally doing this. I thought. I stare at my suitcase for a last minute checkup. I raise my brows, remembering my toothpaste. I rush into my bathroom, tripping over the edge of my bed. How can I be this clumsy? I thought, shaking my head. I came back out, throwing it into my suitcase, finally ready for the closeup stage.

Yes, I'm moving out. Out of this city for a fresh where no one would barely know me. The scariest part of it all was school. A new school. New friends. New teachers. I'll be starting sophomore year this year. I'm anxious and nervous about meeting new people. It's not exactly my thing. I shrug off the idea I've been thinking about for the past few weeks. Months, technically.

My memories flashback of my past experiences with school. My friends pushed me down hard on the floor, giving me intense stares. I could still hear their cruel chuckles and remarks about me. I shiver, my lips quivering again for the third time this morning. I shake my head off the thoughts.

I throw my black lute case on my back and drag my suitcase out of the room and down the stairs. I leave them at the front door with the four other boxes and stroll to the small kitchen I shared with my mom.

I sit on the chair at the countertop. Finally, Mom acknowledging my presence from the newspaper, asks, "Want breakfast?" I shake my head. My stomach's refusing the idea of breakfast. The only thing that I could think about is school.

Mom seems to notice this because she gives me a reassuring look and puts her cold hands on mine. "You're going to be absolutely fine, Sydney." But I don't feel the reassurance instead, more panic. What's my roommate going to like? Will we be able to get along? Is she going to bully me like my past friends? I push my worries aside and nod at my mom for now.

My hands are stuffed into the pockets of my ripped short jeans deep as I stare at nothing in particular, waiting for my mom to finish her toast. Finally, she drops her crumbs and exclaims, "I'm done!"

"It's about time," I told her, running my hands through my hair.

We're finally on the road, Mom blasting her radio with songs from the eighties that I don't recognize. I part my attention from the lousy singing of Mom out the passing green streaks of blurred trees. My stomach churns at the thought of the student there. I tried to get some sleep as I closed my eyes, sighing. It's a three-hour drive there. Might as well get some sleep. I thought to myself. I hadn't gotten a blink of sleep last night. My mind was too busy worrying.

Mom's shaking me, calling my name to get me out of my sleep. "Ni, we're almost here. Get up." I shake my head out of my sleep. I open my eyes with blurry visions until my focus comes back. I see people, students strolling on the street of Seattle as I realize I'm almost there. I looked at my mom and saw her smiling. I smiled back sheepishly.

"Alright, we are here!" she sounds excited. "Get out!" she shooes me out of the car and I chuckled at her rush. "Alright, alright," I sigh. I get out and she follows after me. She helps me with my bags and starts pulling the wheels of the suitcase.

We arrived at my dorm and I see that the other side of my dorm is empty. Cardboard boxes are laid on the bed, unpacked.

"Right, I'm off then," Mom waves at me, her eyes smiling. I nod, smile at her, and wave her goodbye. "Bye, Mom. Have a safe trip back." I shout. She leaves closing the door behind her, her car key jingling behind her.

I start to work on the unpacking process. After several hours, books are sprawled before me on the maroon carpeted ground. I tie my dark brunette curls into a messy bun as I shelve the books onto the white cupboard. Most are my favorite novels that I'd spent hours in my crowded room back in Phoenix, reading. It's the typical me, I thought unconsciously. The others are school books and music sheets, stacking them on the reading table on my side of the room.

At the end of the day, two boxes are left waiting for them to be unpacked. I glance at them real quick before deciding I'd do them tomorrow. I shrug and collect my supplies for my shower routine and clothes; an oversized hoodie that says "I am weird" and black track pants. I leave the room without a second look and head for the bathrooms located in the back of the towers.

I come back into my room, closing the door behind me, and stretch my back on the soft mattress of my bed. I closed, exhaling, glance to the other side of the room. Still a no show for my roommate. I crawled into bed, setting myself on one side.

That's when someone burst into the room. I jump out of my bed, head popping towards the door. I hear laughing until I realize she's on her phone. My roommate, I thought. I peak at her trying not to stare. She has beautiful long straight blond hair that reaches her waist, tanned skin, tall. Quite the beauty, I thought, well, at least compared to me. Whereas, I have small waves brunette that reaches my boobs, freckles, and glasses. Brimmed round ones. And bright red, I'd add. I look ridiculous, I thought, which is basically why I was the typical prey back at Phoenix, laughing on the inside.

She glances at me, still on her phone, studying me, taking in my appearance. After a second or two, she goes back to talking on her phone averting her gaze from me. Her phone call ended after a while of laughing and some more talking. She turns back at me. "Nice curls," she shrugs. "Did ya haddit' done?" she asks without much interest. Did she just compliment my hair? My ex-friends used to hate it. It leaves me thinking if it really was genuine or fake.

I reply, "No, natural," I put my hand out for her. But, instead, she hugs me. "Name's Shels, Shelly," she nods into the hug, "And yours?" she asks, pulling back.

I was taken a bit aback by the hug but managed to reply, "Sydney." I shrug, maybe my roommate isn't all that bad. I study her at the corner of my eye. She's wearing a halter bohemia style crop and ripped denim with black high heel short desert boots. She's quite the appeal.

She sits on her bed and stares at her unpacked boxes for quite a while. Then, she stands up and heads for the door. "Aight, I'm out." She grabs for the door. "Might not be back for the night" she adds as she walks off her heels clicking behind as quickly as she enters the room.

I shift all night and couldn't sleep off for the day tomorrow. I keep going back to the thought of tomorrow, of how it would spread out. I try to find sleep in counting one to a thousand. It usually works when I try sleeping back in Phoenix after a session with my bullies when my body would start quivering all night, I try to find peace. But not tonight. At last, my eyes become drowsy as I fall asleep.