168 Hours of Miles Fonte

Chapter 1: Saturday

Hey, thank you for choosing my story! I hope you enjoy!
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           I watched as moms headlights drifted further and further away until it was just me. Alone on the empty sidewalk, with shining street lights guiding the way to my dorm. I had gotten there way later than expected. My Mom and I are known as the late arrivals to any occasion. It became a running joke with us and the town.

        I grew up in a small community. The kind with stores that close at 7 and open at 9. We really tried to start our day early. But we still left later than we wanted and skipped breakfast in the process, within the first half hour of the trip we both heard our stomachs grumbling, and my mother felt the effects of not inhaling a large quantity of coffee before noon (she becomes dramatic without caffeine in her system). So we had to make a stop...or two. Okay it was a lot more than two.

         Mom needed to work the next morning so she couldn't stick around any longer to help me find my way. I assured her I could find my dorm room, and bring in my bags and boxes by myself. My room couldn't be too far. I thought. But now, as my mom drove off, I wished she would turn around.

          I focused on my feet, and the small steps I started to take.  The road was so quiet it was almost loud. I counted my steps making a beat, so that I wouldn't feel so exposed.  Lost in the marching melody, I jumped when I heard my name behind me.
"April, April Miller?" Someone called out.
           I spun around, dropping one of my bags. A lady, who was half my size (which was saying something), came scurrying over holding out something to me.
"I think you dropped this."
             My eyes went from the top of her strawberry blonde hair that was starting to grey, down to the paper I dropped with all my school information. I let out a breath of relief.

"Thank you so much! I don't know what I would've done if I lost this!"
The lady nodded, "You're new?"
I smiled politely, "yeah, it's my first semester...I'm hoping it goes well."
She gave the warmest smile. One that reminded me of home. "Ooh I'm sure you'll do fine, Cam-Green College is a great school."
"Do you work here?" I inquired.
She nodded her head. "Soon to be 20 years, I like being a nightguard. Nobody is rushing around like they are during the day and I can stop students for a quick chat, whether they like it or not!" She laughed.
"Well, thank you again!" I said cheerfully.
I would have asked for directions but she scurried off again, on her own way. I sighed and shoved the paper in my pocket.

           I walked for about 15 minutes until I found CGC's buildings, and it took another 10 minutes to find apartment 2D. It was the farthest building, almost hidden with trees. It seemed the least lived in, the other buildings had flower boxes and bushes...this one seemed forgotten. I didn't mind it though. I opened the foyers door, and got a whiff of laundry detergent; the laundry room was to the left of me. Someone's clothes were clanking away even though it was now 1 in the morning. I quickly learned the dorm was upstairs was upstairs. I got successfully up the stairs with my possessions in hand. When I saw my dorm I breathed and, finally, relaxed. I dropped all my bags next to a dusty, fake, flower pot.

I pulled out the key given to me weeks before. It took some wiggling but the key fit...sort of.
Okay why won't it fit?
I kept wiggling it and wiggling it. I was making a lot of noise. I hoped I wasn't waking up the other students in their dorms.
"Come on, dang it!" I whispered.
My key was now stuck in the hole when the door swung open. Scaring me half to death, I jumped back tripping on my bags behind me and knocked over the fake flowers. I caught myself on the wall.

It was a guy.