Bathroom Conversations (First 5 Chapters)

Prologue || G A B R I E L

My brother Cam lounges in my doorway with a far-away grin, tapping on his phone. To Kat, no doubt, his girlfriend since last spring. (Well, if they were being honest, before spring. They had one of those weird, desirous platonic relationships.) He's the same height as I am, but I'm a like a twig beside him; all gangly arms and legs. The only time I can beat him at anything is on the soccer field. He's a bit challenged when it comes to foot-eye coordination sports

"So," he says, kicking one of my roommate's boxes. Even when he's not around, it smells like Cheetos. "College."

"Sucks," I tell him, shoving my feet into sneakers. It's move-in day, and I can tell right now: it's going to suck. Why I didn't beg Cam to let me move in with him, I don't know. Independence, Freedom.

A dorm with a very large smelly guy who plays video games all day and already dropped Cheeto crumbs everywhere. Freedom never tasted so unappetizing.

"It'll get better." He says, in an uncharacteristically kind voice. He touches a stack of not-quite-glossy gamer magazines with distaste. There are suspiciously orange crumbs between the pages. "Possibly."

"Yeah. Are we helping Kat move in, or what?" I grab my ID and shove him out of the smelly, box-filled room. We pass the bathroom that's presumably mine (I haven't ventured in yet) on the way to the elevators. I am dreading sharing a bathroom with that oaf.

I make a mental note to buy some of that room spray for Bath & Body Works.

*Sequel to Balconial Conversations