In Another Life

5 - "So here's to new beginnings and here's to breaking free."

5 - "So here's to new beginnings and here's to breaking free."

Life in boarding, because that was what it essentially was, was great. They were lucky because they didn't have a matron but that had been a close call. The owner of the house had been so sceptical about a bunch of college students staying in her house, she'd suggested staying with them for a few weeks! It was only due to her son's quick thinking that they'd been saved. She would be checking on them regularly but they were safe. For the time being.

Adam: 😂😂😂 Wow. I was wondering why it was so weird that eleven girls were living in the same place together despite it not being a sorority. But now that I've heard about ol' Mrs Talbot, I'm not even surprised. Clay says that he stayed in that same house when he was a freshman and they were the first and last group of boys she ever accepted.

Ava: 🙄 Why am I not surprised that someone knows her?....OH and tell Clay that every1 here knows about his freshman yr. Bcz of them, we all had to sit through an hour-long lecture of rules.

Adam: 😶 That's balls 😂 ... Why is she even keeping kids if it stresses her out so much? Better yet, why did you choose to even stay there?

Ava: .....

Adam: I hate that. Stop it. I can't read your mind, princess.

Ava: Well! It's not my faut that you aren't using your logic! Did yu forget all the great things I told you this house has. AND the rent is dirt cheap. I don't even have to work this yr, Adam! Just study and chill. And my roommate is letting us all use her Netflix account so guess who's having awesome movie nights!!!!!!

Ava: *fault and we aren't kids!!!!!!

Adam: You're just glad that yu can watch reruns of Sherlock and B99 and whatever other shows you've currently started watching. OITNB is way too porny for you. You're too young!!!! 😋

Ava: I hear judgement from a man who binged HIMYM with me. So 🤐 and tell me what's happening next weekend.

College was great. Perhaps Ava was one of those people who were weird about it but she enjoyed the lectures and the new challenges, she stayed out of most drama and despite it being difficult to make friends on campus, the girls staying with her soon became thick as thieves. They were a mixture of ethnicities and cultures, from all over the country and it was surprising that some had travelled so far from their hometowns just to go to school. She guessed that after travelling the world for a year, she was just glad to be close to some sort of family.

She also cried in her second week. But that was mostly sympathy crying.

"What's going on?" Ava whispered, having come back from the laundry room to find all the girls huddled around the Turkish girl in the middle of the common room. Her name was Ayeleen, she was tall, broad-shouldered and the sweetest girl to walk the earth. And her beautiful grey eyes were streaming tears.

Ava swore softly and quickly joined the huddle of girls, all trying to comfort her.

"She's missing home. She tried calling but no one picked up and I don't know what happened. The next thing we saw, she was in tears!" This was from a little Italian girl named Bertina who had the strongest New York accent she'd ever heard. Tina was short and strong-headed and always knew what was going on despite everyone having known each other for barely two weeks.

Ayeleen was wrapped up in Rada's arms, her sobs having simmered down little hiccups. Rada was rubbing her back and whispering soft nonsenses at her but in her light Russian accent, the words sounded kind of dangerous. It was almost comical if it hadn't been for the mood. Which had turned well-nigh sombre.