Dahlia's whole life is flipped upside down when her eccentric aunt enrolls her in a prestigious university in England. She is forced to make friends with a rather eclectic group of people and adapt to her new lifestyle all while trying to find the a...
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It rained for four days straight, not counting the Saturday the rain arrived. Campus life was dull, students carrying umbrellas, staying inside, and minimal socialization. I'd been using the umbrella that Harry lent to me when I needed to walk to class, and I took time to sketch rather than go out to the garden and read, like I would if the weather wasn't so deplorable.
The pocket-sized sketchbook I began carrying in my handbag was filling quickly, new drawings covering the pages. Eating lunch at the cafe or just sitting in my dorm, I'd sketch. The pictures ranged from still life renderings of objects around me to people to ideas that ran through my imagination, all in the slate grey of a pencil. The lack of color was like a reflection of the world around me- grey, dismal, subdued, and dreary.
On the fifth day, Thursday, I found myself laying on the floor of Louis and Zayn's dorm, sharing a joint with Niall. He would lean over from his seat in a beanbag, sticking it between my lips as I breathed in, and then, he would take it back for a few drags of his own. We alternated like that in a pattern. A few hours into the smoke sesh, we all lazed around.
"You know," I started, exhaling the smoke and watching it curl towards the ceiling in the dim lighting, "There's going to be a party at Hyacinth Manor next Friday."
"Really?" Niall asked, the fatigue of being stoned dissipating.
"Mmhm." I pulled my knees into my chest, shifting my weight to my upper spine before rocking forward into a sitting position. "Gonna be a theme party, too."
"What is it?" Atlas asked softly from where she sat on the couch, combing her fingers through Zayn's hair. He was laying down next to her, his head in her lap, fully asleep.
"1920's." I leaned my head back against Niall's shin.
Louis, who had his eyes closed and arms crossed over his stomach, slouching in the other beanbag, spoke up, breaking a long silence from him in which I thought he was sleeping as well. "Are we planning on going?"
I was about to voice my opinion, convincing everyone to go, so I wouldn't have to go alone because I was going no matter what. But, Niall expressed his enthusiasm before I could.
"Lou, of course we're going. Why would we ever pass up one of those parties- they're legendary."
"Just asking," he looked at me as he said that, but I didn't understand why.
"Great, so that makes three of us. Atlas, what about you and Zayn?" I asked.
She didn't look up from his dark hair as she answered, "I'll ask him when he wakes up, but I'd assume so."
