In Another Life

7 - "Just anywhere away with you"

7 - "Just anywhere away with you"

Looking back, Ava was glad that she had gone that weekend because the next few weeks had her in a tornado of work. She knew that college was going to be tough. It just hid behind the 'free' time and self-made schedules and the freedom of living alone.

She also knew that most of the stress was caused by herself because most of her housemates didn't seem to care half as much as she and some of the others did. She supposed it gave the house some balance. When Ava and her group seemed to get caught up in their heads and were stressing more than working, the others would call for a movie night and dancing. And when it seemed that the others were determined to party their year away, Ava had help wrangling them into studying.

As the weeks went by and the weather cooled down, the girls grew closer. They weren't always together and they didn't get along all the time but they had a lot of fun and living in one house with so many people had led to some crazy times.

Today was not one of those times.

"Okay, who the f**k finished the milk and didn't write it on the list?"

"Seriously, Vania, I've asked you like ten times to please watch your language."

Groans were heard from the dining room. "Jess, just chill. We're all adults here. Let us speak the way we want to," Tina said, her voice hoarse from lack of sleep.

Jessica grumbled but kept silent while Vania still fumed. "I still haven't heard an answer. Seriously, you guys, this is getting out of hand. Lynn and Haley went shopping yesterday! You guys have got to be more responsible."

Ava silently agreed but rushed upstairs to grab a box of longlife milk before the coffee pot could get done. She would commit mass murder if she didn't drink at least a cup in the morning and sue her for needing her milk with it.

She came back down to hear Vania almost screaming at Polly. "Nobody f******g cares if it wasn't you because you don't drink milk, oh my god, Polly!"

"Woah, no, Vania, that is not okay. Here, have this," Ava said, shoving the milk into her chest before glaring at her. "And now apologise to Polly because no matter how right you are that we need to be more responsible, that is not how we speak to people. Come on, man, that was not nice."

"This is what I meant," Jess mumbled then looked away when Ava turned her glare on her.

Vania looked contrite and took a deep breath before actually sincerely apologising to Polly. This was honestly good for all of them seeing as the two were roommates and Aunty Suzie was visiting Vania so she was on edge for good reason.

That reminded her.

"Lynn, did you manage to get the tampons I put on the list?" Ava asked, craning her head over the edge of the arched doorway of the kitchen to look at Lynn who was already getting ready to leave.

The girl nodded and waved vaguely towards their storage cupboard before grabbing a bagel from the box on the table. She shoved it into her mouth and mumbled a garbled goodbye before rushing out the door. Her boyfriend was probably waiting for her.

Ava sighed and poured herself the much needed coffee when the machine beeped, almost groaning in delight. She had become way too addicted in her year abroad and she was not ashamed to admit that her coffee tastes ran expensive after someone had introduced her to the best tasting coffees ever. Unfortunately, those coffees were not native to her home country and she had to either suffer or choose to splurge on something. She chose the latter and she guarded it with her life. It was the one thing she did not share.