Talent(less)

I: The First Week

The heat swelled as I slammed the trunk of my rickety car shut. I struggled a few times because of the amount in it but I eventually got it closed. Why did it have to be so hot in mid-august? Who decided that we would move in during the hottest week of the entire year? Questions like that had been running through my head for the past week as I watched the news report the upcoming weather, but now that it had actually approached that day, I was asking myself those questions with a few more swear words thrown in. I kept them inside my brain, however, as to not rub off on the girls. Shoving one last pillow between my tv and the luggage in front of it, I stepped back only to be tackled to the ground by my sister and the others. The twins, Poppy and Penny, looked like they had tears in their eyes. "Don't go" one said.

"We want you to stay," said the other. I patted their heads in comfort as Marina, the oldest of the three, stepped towards me. She picked up Poppy and Penny came to her side.

"We'll miss you, Cove" she said, and I smiled. "Don't forget to come visit. You're not so far away as to use that excuse". Damn, she was right. I was leaving for a college about two hours south, in the heart of a big beach town. I personally don't like the heat or the gratey sand, but it was the closest college that accepted me. My grades weren't the best so not many did. Life of a talentless weirdo in a nutshell.

I dove down to kiss the top of Penny's head and then did the same to Polly's without getting too close to my sister's. An older brother kissing his 16-year-old sister's head is just weird. When they're young like the twins, it's different. It's a symbol of caring. "I'll come visit. It's why I chose the school I did."

"I know," Marina said. "Drive safe, and don't say hello to Pearl."

"I won't. Promise." The twins were crying now, and it hurt me to see them like this. It had to be this way though. "Be good girls," I said, looking at them head on, "Don't give Marina much grief."

"What's 'grief'?" Penny asked and I ruffled her hair.

"I guess if you don't know what it is then you can't give it to her. Let's keep it that way, okay?"

"Okay!" The two replied in unison. I was going to really miss them. As I got in my car and began to drive off, I waved to the girls. Polly got down from my sister's grip and ran to the end of the driveway, watching me as I faded into the distance, music blocking out all my sadness and grief. It was a long drive after all. No need to be stuck with my emotions that amount of time. That would be bad.

Two hours and some change later (thank you traffic) I arrived, AC blasting, and all of the water I had drunk along the way turned into sweat that was currently staining my favorite light gray t-shirt. Perfect. After going through the cumbersome check-in process, I drove through the university to find my dorm building. There were palm trees everywhere, and plenty of students wandering about in tank tops and swim tops, and overall beachy attire. Some were carrying boxes, others surfboards and towels. We weren't too far from a pretty big beach so there's no surprise there. I drove further in, seeing large brick buildings and a big stone quad where a massive fountain looked inviting. Some students were sticking their feet in and talking, holding various drinks from I assumed the coffee shop that I had passed earlier, conveniently located close to the academic buildings. Finally, I reached the dorm building section of the campus. It was really modern compared to some other parts and there was even a rack outside most dorms for surfboards to be locked up. How one locks up a surfboard I had no clue. I didn't care, though, as I would not be surfing. I tried once when I was eight, and I almost drowned, so no thanks. I hate the water...

Eventually, I found my building and parked in the lot behind it. There were plenty of others doing the same, and there was a group of seemingly older students checking out dollies and carts to lug stuff around on. Man, I was glad for that. Luckily, I had somehow gotten a first-floor room so there was no climbing stairs for me. Unluckily for me, I had not one, but two roommates. Fuck roommates. With some hesitation, I asked for a cart and began to pile things onto it. More and more I was becoming thankful for the cart. With it, my seven or eight trips would easily become more like 2-3. While piling a few boxes onto the cart, my eyes locked with someone for a moment. He was tall, tan, and blonde. The epitome of the surfer stereotype, which fit as he was carrying a massive surfboard as he talked with a bunch of girls. They all seemed to be clinging to him in one way or another. I even saw one of them push her chest onto his bare arm, and as she was only wearing what I could describe as two tiny triangles and string, it was practically skin-to-skin contact. Gross, I hate those types of people. They're totally fake, and it's awful. They only ditch people in the end when they find someone more popular to hang out with. Before I looked away he winked at me. Startled, I instantly ducked my head back into the trunk. At least that's what I wanted to happen. Instead, when I moved down to avoid his gaze I hit my head on the edge of the trunk and fell down, dizzy. "Fuck" I grunted, rubbing my hand on my forehead. Stupid. For some reason I half expected him to come rushing over to help me up, but there's no way anyone would do that for me. I'm a nobody. I stood up and brushed the asphalt dust off my jeans before slamming my trunk shut and moving towards my dorm. I could feel the guy stare at me as I walked away, his teal eyes not leaving the back of my head. What a creep.