Just the beginning

Packing up and starting my new life

Chapter 1
Song for this chapter: Never grow up by Taylor Swift.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The day had finally come. Today was the day I was finally off to college, ready to start my new life not a care in the world.
The past week wasn't what I'd call the best week of my life because my boyfriend of 3 years broke up with me. His name was Drew and I honestly thought we would last forever but as everyone says "there is no such thing as forever". I am slowly recovering from the breakup and I think getting away from this town and moving to California to start college will really help me forget about all the bad memories I have here.
Drew breaking up with me isn't the worst thing that has happened in my life as when I was only 3 years old my father packed up and left my mother and I without a care in the world, I don't remember him and I don't really want to either, he is the last man I want to see after what he did.

"Riley dear! Are you ready?", my mom shouts up the stairs at me as I take one more look around my childhood room before I leave it behind for the first time in my life, I have never been outside the state of Michigan because mom could never afford a holiday after dad left. "I'm coming down now mom!" I yell as I haul my bags down behind me. "Come on then, this is going to be a long drive" she says as I go out the door and hop into the passenger side of her car, putting my bags in the backseat, all set for the almost 4 hour drive to the state University in California.

After a long 4 hours later we finally arrive, I take in my surroundings of the massive campus. I am guided to my dorm and when we reach it I open the door and practically leap at the bed as a result of my long journey. "This seems nice enough, spacious, nice furniture, comfy bed, television, free wifi, and a good view" my mom says as she looks out the window of my dorm grinning. I get up off the bed and shuffle towards the window and look out only to see a court with the boys basketball team playing at the moment, some on the sideline have no shirts on because of the extra warm spring day and I have a feeling they are who mt mother is eyeing up. "Mom!!! Stop this isn't cool, your double their age!!", "I'm sorry honey I was only joking with you!!" She replies. After sitting down chatting for a few minutes it is time for mom to leave, we say our goodbyes and I tell her how I will obey the rules and attend all my classes and most importantly that I will be home to visit as soon as possible.

When I hear the door click from her closing it behind her I walk towards the window again, this time as I look out a tall, brown-haired, fit boy catches my attention, I look at his fit body and his muscles when he flexs to jump up and catch the ball. I quickly turn away as I see another boy looking in the window at me smirking, he saw me staring at the other boy, this is so embarrassing he is probably his best friend and he is going to tell him that an ugly, nerdy girl was dying over him looking out the window at him.

As the day drags on I begin to get more and more excited for my first class tomorrow, I really want to try make friends and most importantly, meet my professors. Thinking of which I really need to get myself organised and make sure my timetable is correct and sort out my study plan for the next few weeks. Some say I don't have a life outside of study and education but I don't actually feel the need to go to parties every weekend and get wasted and fuck some random guy. I'm not like that, I would much rather sit in my pjs watching netflix alone or simply studying and getting my work done.
At 4:30 I hear a knock on my door, I close my book I have opened and go towards the door. I peep out through the small hole and see a tall boy with a basketball in his hand, I can't quite make out his face. Seconds later he knocks again and this time I open it only to see Drews best friend Darren, Darren and I used to get on really well before he packed up and went to college a year ago. "Oh my god Darren!! I haven't seen you in so long!" I scream at him with pure happiness as I throw my arms over him for a hug, he gently hugs me back saying, "I know, I just heard you were coming to this university and I thought I would pop by, well I was out with a few mates playing basketball on the court when I just by chance looked in the window and saw your mother looking out. So I knew straight away you were here and decided to pop by and see how things are!" , "Oh Darren, I told her not to be looking out the window I knew someone would spot her but I'm so glad it was you otherwise you wouldn't know that I am here and I wouldn't have seem you!!" I gush out as fast as I can because of how excited I am to see him after so long. "So you don't attend classes here? No?" I question while giving him a confused look. "No I'm in the university down the road a bit from here but this one has better facilities for sports so I asked the head of this campus if I could use these sports facilities, after all most of my friends are here anyway so I get to hang out with them." He tells me as I invite him in to sit down on the bed with me. "Oh okay well if your here often then I hope I'll get to see you more often this year, I've missed you so much, you were practically my best friend" I smile at him while telling him this. "Yes we will definitely hang out more often now, and you can meet my friends, there's a few girls and they are really nice, you'll love Marissa." He explains as I go on to telling him about life without Drew and how I am a happier person now than I was before with him, he listens and replies and I am grateful for this well needed catch up conversation.

They say time flies when your having fun and I certainly believe that at this moment as it is almost 11 o'clock when Darren leaves, he has been here since 4 this afternoon, just catching up and filling me in on his recent relationships and what college students do at the weekend, which is indeed party. He invited me to a party this Friday night, I thought it might actually be a good idea so I could get out there and meet people and have a good time, which I haven't had in a while, all I need now is an outfit I'll go shopping this Wednesday after classes. Not today or tomorrow because I need to get settled in first.

At 11:30, after spending the last half hour checking over everythig making sure I have everything I need in order for tomorrow ready, I change into my pjs and climb into bed. It's a bit lonelier here than I thought it would be, I've spent my whole life dreaming about this day, moving into my own dorm or apartment, dorm in this case. I tuck myself into the bed and think back on when I was a little child and my mother would snuggle me up making me as warm and comfortable as possible, but now I am here alone tucking myself in and turning on my night light.
Maybe I'll get a room-mate soon, then things wont seem as lonesome. I check my phone making sure my alarm is set for 7am and then turn onto my left side and slowly fall asleep, dreaming off a certain brown haired boy I really wouldn't mind meeting. Maybe he will be at the party or maybe he is Darrens friend, either way I want to get to know him, and if he's a bad boy, maybe this good girl might just be the one to tame him, I'm not as good as I seem, 5 seconds of summer once said, "Good girls are bad girls that haven't been caught", yeah I study and shit but I do actually know how to live, I surprise some people, and it teaches them, not to judge a book by its cover.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Soooo this is my first book and just give me a chance please, tell me what you think and if the chapter is too short Ill try my best to make longer ones in the future, after all this is only the first chapter and it hasn't got going yet, by chapter 3 we will be well into it and the chapters will be longer. I actually have high expectations for this book and some surprises if it goes well and people read it but until then just read and enjoy, trust me this isn't going to be too clichè haha. Anyway sorry for the long authors note i just had a lot to say they wont be this long the whole time.

Thanks xo