Eyes On The Prize

2 | Riley

There is something about this place that just screams, my parents. This is most certainly there sort of scene and I guess for the next 5 years, it'll be mine? 
I pulled into the campus carpark to see about a thousand other people doing the exact same thing, the difference being they had their parents here to help. It was just myself and I

Dad was working on some sort of big proposal at work, Mum and Emily were off shopping for the unofficial marriage taking place next spring
My sister loves all of this attention, the walking around looking for a future husband, the wearing dresses to impress not please unwanted attention, the prim and proper young ladies we were raised to be 

I on the other hand, I've never been the best at this sort of thing but I guess over the years I've adapted to it 
Take my outfit for an example. If I had had my way, I would be lounging around wearing jeans and a t-shirt for the move in day but no..
My mother approached me this morning with a bran new selection of dresses that I had to take with me and one specific one I had to wear today.. because Yellow is our family colour

I got up the second flight of stairs to see my dorm room door wide open, I guess my roommate had beat me to it
As I walked in, I was greeted with a girl in nothing but a towel as she pranced around the living room of the room only making me furrow my brows further

Her dark black hair dampened from the shower she'd obviously just had, the towel sticking to her body from the water still residing on her body

The moment she looked at me she went wide eyed until a smile reached her face

"Roommate?!" She gushed rushing over to hug me dampening my dress slightly 
"I think so? You do uh" I started before looking back at the door
"You do realise you left the door wide open right?" I asked and she nodded

"Of course, I was waiting for you" She smiled before putting a few paces between us
"I'm Thalia" She smiled offering her hand, I nodded placing the box down taking her hand too
"I'm Riley" I replied 
"And Miss Riley, what is the choice of poison?" She asked perching on the arm of the sofa
"Poison?" I asked making Thalia nod 

"Your major?" She continued, of course that is what she was talking about, what else would it have been
"Oh, medicine" I answered

Medicine wouldn't have been my first choice. In fact my first choice wouldn't have been anything Barnard had to offer
Whether my parents like it or not, I've always had my heart and my head in another place. They put both Emily and I into dance as children
It was their way of us touching our feminine etiquette with Ballet but the more time we spent there, the more in love I fell with everything Dance as a whole had to offer

But that was stripped away the moment Emily followed their routine.

"How about yourself?" I asked 
"Law, my brother and my mother are lawyers so I have to keep that family tradition going" She shrugged

Dare I say it, but maybe Thalia feels the same way I do about the family pressures we were born into?

--

"Love?" A voice called making me instantly smile, Thalia and I poked our heads out into the living room to see Spencer walking in with a smile on his face and roses in his hands
"I know you had a boyfriend Riley but fucking hell I was not expecting that" Thalia nudged making me chuckle 

The pair of us walked out to greet Spencer, he placed the flowers down placing a gentle kiss on my lips before turning to Thalia
"You must be Riley's roommate" Spencer said offering his hand to shake
"Thalia" She answered making Spencer nod
"Spencer" They answered 

I won't lie, there was a rather awkward tension to the conversation. One I had never experienced with anyone I introduced Spencer to or anyone who Spencer had introduced me too 
"Are you lovely ladies ready to go?" He asked, I looked at him confused
"Go?" both Thalia and I asked at the same time
"Well yeah, it's your first night here and all Freshman are required at the beach bonfire" He answered, I looked at Thalia and from the look on her face she had no idea about this either

"So what are you doing going if it's for freshmen?" I teased making Spencer roll his eyes
"Someone's got to keep the townies away from you guys" Spencer said
"Townies?" Thalia asked

"Yeah, there is this group of teenagers that live here in town that tend to come to all the school events, there community college doesn't offer it to them so they crash ours" Spencer said 

"What's do bad about that? It would be nice to meet the people who grew up here?" I offered making Thalia nod in agreement
"No trust me Riley, you don't. They aren't the type of people we associate ourselves with. They'll do all they can to get you into trouble, they'll only be in it for the money too" He said making me look at him confused

Spencer and I both come from families with money, that's not uncommon for students here. I think everything that comes here does but Spencer's parents had it drilled into his head that we are of high domain then people without money.
That is something I strongly disagree with

Money doesn't define anyone's worth