Mistaken Identity (Short Story)

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"Filled the tank up for ya last night, girly; so you should be all rearin' ta go!"

Daphne giggled at her dorm mate's giddiness as the duo lugged her numerous bags of luggage down Morehouse-James hall's foyer; the holiday spirit was thick in the air on the lively campus, lights of red and green were laced up all over the snow kissed trees and wreaths were plastered one every building for one and all to enjoy. Christmas time was Daphne's favorite time of the year: the caroling, the food, the joy, the laughter, the togetherness... She just adored it all.

It had been almost an entire year since Daphne Townsend had last been home to Kansas City. Her brother's wedding was just the festive event that she had been longing for back at home; Georgia was so far away that sometimes she felt selecting to attend Spelman was an absolute mistake. But after saving up the tips from her job as a student waitress at the Alma Upshaw Dining Hall on campus, she was overjoyed to see that she could finally go home; something that she was not able to do the year before due to severe Missouri weather, nearly five inches of snow stormed in.

Once the last bag was settled into the back seat of Chastity's 1998 white Honda Passport, Daphne could not contain her excitement; she was finally going home thanks to her friend, when Chastity offered her the option of driving back west instead of dealing with the overpricing of plane tickets, Daphne gladly jumped at the chance. She came from a close-knit family, her mother and father were big on keeping their family together, but education was also an ideal of importance as well; once May comes, Daphne would be the first of her family to graduate from college and her parents could not be prouder. Daviyd, her older brother, opted to join the armed forces rather than attend a university, but Daphne was such an exemplary student all throughout high school that the colleges competed for her attention.

"Are you sure about this, Chaz? I mean, this will leave you without transportation for nearly an entire month."

"I wish you would stop asking me that, of course I am sure! Plus, I'm from here; I'll just bother my sister into chauffeuring me around." She giggled as she adjusted the thick black framed glasses that sat on her round, freckled face.

Chastity was what Daphne would refer to as a 'creole, Georgia Peach,' she was a laid-back southern girl with a witty sense of humor, but seemed to lack self-confidence; she would constantly knick-pick at her looks: from her naturally frizzy auburn tresses, to her freckled ridden tanned skin, and not to mention those god awful glasses she was forced to wear... She hated how she looked. Daphne often put down the negative comments and reminded her she had a unique look; Chastity was the first black girl that she had ever seen with freckles and red hair... Daphne thought she was pretty.

"Easy for you to say." Chastity would begin to deliberate; she coveted her roommate immensely; Daphne had a thick, curly obsidian kissed mane that wafted when she moved, resembling to wind blowing through it; flawless coffee toned skin, and body that would make a Greek goddess worship her. All and all, she was just simply gorgeous. Often when the two of them would go out, Chastity would gaze in amazement at how the men ogled over her perfect friend; though Daphne rarely paid attention to all the responsiveness she was receiving regards to her beauty, Chastity did, and it made her even more insecure about her looks.

"Well... I think that's everything..."

Daphne turned from the car, once seeing everything was securely in place, then pouted her full lips while opening her arms wide; shaking her head while giggling, Chastity walked up to her and accepted the warm embrace; the two of them clung on to one another for a few more moments before either one decided it was time to let go.

"Be good."

"I always am, suga."

Tapping a kiss to Chastity's bare forehead, Daphne then climbed into the SUV, thanking her friend once more before pulling out of the dormitory's near empty lot. Chastity stood there, waving at the fading vehicle until it was no longer in her sight, she shivered as the air begin to grow nippier as the wintery wind settled in and begin to whistle through the ornamented trees.