take on me (choni)

intro- roomates

tw: homophobic and racist slurs used
set in 1984

Jason drove his 1970 blue ford f100 down the highway road. a cigarette between his chapped lips one hand on the wheel the other rested on the rolled down window. merle haggard played on the radio as the ride was silent.

Cheryl sat beside him in the passenger side. she looked over to her brother he wore a white T-shirt the sleeves rolled up, his red hair slicked back and puffed with hair spray. she looked back at the road and saw they had entered Los Angeles.

"now when you get here don't be mixing your self up with the wrong type of folk" her brother said as he took another drag out his cigarette and tossed it out the window.

"i won't" Cheryl hummed refusing to look back at him.

"now that it's just me and papa at the farm stuff will be different. you better not be a ditz and wig out because you went out and hung with the wrong people." he lectured.

"they can't be that different from back home." Cheryl waved him off.

"theres more colored folk up here." he said in almost disgust. Cheryl rolled her eyes hoping he didn't see. she didn't understand why her brother and father hated "colored folk" so much. no colored person has ever tried to do her harm.

"not to mention i hear there's more fags around these parts." he scoffed as he pulled into campus.

"i'll be fine." Cheryl said not making eye contact.

"i'll be down to visit in November" he hummed getting out the truck and reaching over to grab two boxes out the back. Cheryl grabbed her suitcase.

"my dorm is back this way." she hummed leading him back through the campus remembering where it was from the campus tour she took three weeks back.

-

once they got to the dorm cheryl unlocked the door. she saw mothers hug their daughters at the door and frowned down at her dirty checkered vans.

when she opened the door the dorm was completely empty besides two beds and a small kitchen area. one bed was pushed sideways against a window while the other what forward against the wall. the walls were painted a light gray and the carpet was tan.

"i have to head back soon." he said as he placed the boxes beside one of the beds "papa can't be left alone for long." he said reaching down to hug Cheryl. Cheryl stiffened as he spelled of cigs and beer.

"call the land line whenever you get the chance." he said before stepping out the door and leaving. Cheryl let out a deep breath and pushed her glasses up her nose.

first things first she claimed the bed that was against the wall. she always hated beds near windows. not to mention they were five stories up. she started to take out the white bed set and pillows and make her bed up neatly. she managed to put up most of her clothes in the dresser beside the bed when the door opened.

she turned her head and was met with a light skinned girl. she had frizzy curly black hair that bounced all over her shoulders, she had on purple eye shadow and her lips were coated with lip gloss. she had the prettiest of smiles and was a shorter girl.

the girl wore a purple neon crop top, denim high waisted jeans, white reebok's, and a denim jacket. she looked so rad.

cheryl's cheeks grew red she was staring so long she didn't see the blonde girl and brown haired boy that was holding some of the girls stuff.