Year One

chapter 1

FALL

Three yoga mats laid side by side, staking claim to the majority of the west-facing living room on the first Monday morning of the semester. The subtle lapping of ocean waves emanated from a small pill-shaped speaker on the coffee table. With varying degrees of fluidity, limbs—long, short, and somewhere in between—spiraled back into a strong warrior two, landing perfectly parallel to each other.

Breaking the synced routine, a hand clenched, knuckles going white before fingers splayed open and wiggled with restless energy.

"Girl, I am supposed to be releasing my anxiety, not absorbing yours," Kia hissed. A slight tremble in her breath robbed her words of their weight. Her thighs burned, and it didn't help that her best friend was mentally worlds away, yet somehow, still maintaining her pose as if it were no more work than sitting in a chair. "Not all of us are in college for the aesthetic," she mumbled.

"I heard that. And I am trying to release."

A thump sounded in front of them both, directing their heads forward.

"I don't want to do this anymore. How do you do this every morning? Or better yet, why do you do this every morning." Their third roommate was new to Olivia's ways.

"It helps my creative flow," Olivia sighed, dropping her arms and propelling herself into motion.

A devilish grin took residence on Audrey's round face. It hadn't taken the junior long to figure out her cousin's rich best friend. "Do you have a call with Spencer tonight?"

Spinning on her heels, Olivia bit into her lip. These days, it was hard to hide her smile at the mention of her long distance boyfriend.

"He needs to come back and help you release some of that energy," Kia muttered as she pushed herself off her mat. "Because there is way too much."

"You need to teach me your ways," Audrey pleaded, crawling to the edge of her mat. Her round hips settled back onto her heels. "Ever since I've moved out here, I've been trying to get myself a man. Strong, confident, loyal," Audrey's hands waved in front of her as if she was conjuring such a man from thin air, "...sexy."

"Watch it," Olivia warned.

Laughing, Audrey dropped her hands. "You might have this whole free-spirit, whimsical thing going on, but I would not mess with you. I haven't even met the guy, but by the way you feen over him, I just know I need one of those."

"I hardly mention him."

Audrey sucked her teeth. "You don't have to. That phone doesn't even get half a ring in before you're walking away from us all like hey babe."

"I do not sound like that," Olivia said, right as a sherpa throw pillow flew at her roommates' face.

Unfazed, Audrey pressed on. "You want to know what you do sound like?"

"I don't, actually."

Breathy moans poured from Audrey's lips, her chest heaving dramatically. From the corner of the room, already deep in her medical books, Kia fought to suppress a cackle.

"One more strike before I kick both of your asses out," Olivia called over her shoulder. Throwing her towel over her arm, she rolled her eyes at the sound of giggling coming from the living room. Kia and her mini me could laugh all they wanted, but long distance was going great.

Two months down, and she and Spencer had already nailed a routine.
__________

"Hi baby." The words came out of her mouth, and Olivia winced.