Code: Love

Chapter Two: Catching Up

"Monie," Olivia shouted when Simone picked her the FaceTime call. She had just left tennis practice and was a sweaty mess but didn't miss a call when it came to Spencer, Olivia or Jordan. Her homesickness was draining her and she was having a hard time adjusting to the different environment.

"Hey," Simone said flatly, forcing a smile.

"What's wrong? Bad day at practice?"

Simone sighed and threw her bag on her bed, "I don't know if I can do this, Liv."

"Do what? Tennis?"

"No, this whole thing. I've met a lot of cool people but it's not home. It's barely been two months and I still feel like I want to drop out," Simone replied, her tone the saddest Olivia had heard in awhile.

"Don't drop out, Simone. Give it some more time. You were so happy at Bringston when we visited. Just stick it out and if you aren't happy by December then make your decision," Olivia suggested.

"Is that Liv," a voice shouted from behind Simone.

"Yes, Keisha," Simone laughed, rolling her eyes and handing her phone over.

"Hey boo! When are you coming to visit us," Keisha sang into the screen. "Or are you extra busy over there with that fine ass Spencer?"

"I'll visit next semester. Right now I'm too busy to leave the campus to even go home and that's literally minutes away," Olivia explained. "With dance company and my classes, I'm swamped. But I promise to be there next semester when I'm used to this busy ass schedule."

Since their visit to Bringston, Keisha and Olivia had become friends. Simone was grateful she had at least met a few people during the college visit before making the journey to Atlanta for her freshman year.

"Well I have a breakfast date with Spencer so I'll let you two go," Olivia said.

"Aw, I love black love," Keisha gushed, blowing kisses at the phone. "Talk to you later, girl!"

"Bye crazy. Love you, sis. I'll text you later," Olivia responded, blowing kisses back.

"Love you too," Simone said before ending the call. Olivia worried about the sadness in her eyes. Simone had never looked that down since she'd known her.

————

Breakfast in the Commons on a weekday, especially Fridays, was hectic. Spencer pushed through the crowd until he found an open table.

"We should have gone to Charlie's instead. This place is a mess," Olivia grimaced, squeezing into her seat at the table. "Should be clearing out within the next ten minutes though."

"Yep," Spencer replied, putting his phone face down on the table. Frustration was set on his face, his brows meeting in the middle of his forehead.

"Bad practice," his girlfriend, question, splitting her muffin in half and pushing the other half his direction.

"Your brother is trippin. We got into a fight at practice."

"You two sure fight a lot lately. What's going on besides my brother being a brat," Olivia asked, reaching across the table for Spencer's hand.

"We're both under a lot of pressure but Jordan is flipping out about Simone not being here. It has to be that that's got him acting like an asshole 23 out of the 24 hours in a day. Thinking about calling your dad up," Spencer explained. "Before I end up beating his ass."