Despite growing up together, Catherine Simmons and Mattis Reed were never close.
Cat was inseparable from Mattis' younger sister, Chloé, while he was busy running around on the football field.
But when Cat's new dream drags her across the country du...
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The first week of classes goes by quickly. The worry that I'd made a horrible mistake uprooting my life diminishes day by day as the feeling of belonging grows stronger. I'm finally doing something I genuinely enjoy. Something that's solely for me and not a ploy to earn my parents' approval.
Ava is majoring in English Lit, so we share a few classes. We fall into an easy routine living together, and it's a very different experience from sharing a room with Chloé. I think there are other expectations when you move in with someone you've known for as long as I have Chloé. We used to eat together every day, hang out in the evening, and even shared a friend group, and in the end, there wasn't a lot of time for us to be apart from each other. With Ava, there are days where we're like ships passing in the night, barely interacting, and others where we stay up until midnight watching Marvel movies and talking. I'm on my own out here without Chloé to lean on as a crutch, and I think it might just be exactly what I needed.
True to our agreement, Ava and I find a party for Friday. One of the frat houses is known for throwing ragers, and it feels like the perfect kind of initiation to college life on the East Coast.
We get ready in Ava's room because she has a big floor-to-ceiling mirror. Her bed is littered with our collective make-up supplies, and Ava offers to do my eyeshadow. It's oddly intimate, sitting with your eyes closed while someone gently runs a brush over your eyelids, their fingers gracing your cheek every now and then. It feels reminiscent of many similar nights with Chloé.
As I apply a deep red lipstick, Ava draws up her gray eyes with perfectly done black liner. She's skilled.
We're pregaming with a bottle of vodka, passing it back of forth. The liquid is warm as it glides down my throat, making everything a little bit hazy.
I run to my own room to put on my outfit. I end up wearing a black wrap dress that ties at the waist. The V-neck is just daring enough for it to be inappropriate in professional settings. It's got short flounce sleeves, and the hem hits about mid-thigh. I pair it with shiny black heels.
When I return to Ava's room, she's changed into a red crop top and a black miniskirt, exposing a lot of her fair skin. She's in flat sneakers, making the height difference between us even more prominent. She's wearing another choker, this one with lacy edges, and I'm beginning to realize it's her signature accessory.
She looks me over with an appreciative smile on her lips.
"Looking good, Cat." She turns to the mirror, twisting a strand of blond hair around the curling iron in her hand. "Are you planning on going home with someone tonight, or do you want to leave together?"
There's a comfort in agreeing on the game plan before we leave. That way, we know to watch out for each other and ensure that we both get back home safely. I mull her words over for a second considering if I want to find a hook-up tonight, but it all still feels too new and unsure.
