The Way I Loved You

Chapter 1

I don't usually wake up crying.

I sniffled as I sat up, and I rubbed my puffy eyes with one hand while fumbling for my phone with the other. It was 10:41 pm, and I groaned when I realized the mess hall would be closed by now. I would have to cook again. I was contemplating on whether I should order something or just get up and cook something simple, when I heard a sharp knocking at my door. I ignored it. I was really not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. But the knocking grew insistent, and I finally got up with a sigh and pulled the door open.

My eyes burned with the sudden intensity of bright light in the hallways, and I took some time to register the woman who was smiling at me. She was wearing a pretty floral dress tied with a ribbon at the waist, her curly hair up in a bun and before I could say anything, she thrust a large wicker basket towards me.

"Oh dear, have you been crying?" She said, and I rubbed my eyes. I know I looked a mess, but I was too confused to do anything.

"Who–

"I am Mrs. Alden. My son, Isaac was just assigned the dorm room right across the hall." She pointed at the room in front of mine. No. 304. "So, I figured I'll meet the people around and tell them to look after my Isaac. But dear, are you alright? Your eyes are really red." Her eyebrows scrunched up and looking at her concerned face, I wanted to cry all over again.

"Oh, it's nothing." I sniffled and tried to smile as widely as possible. "I'm Yeva Roberston....umm....please come in?"

She bustled over to the table in the center of the room, and kept the wicker basket down. I walked over to the kitchen and filled two glasses with some water as she looked around the room. I'm glad I pushed myself to clean the room yesterday. I handed her a glass and she accepted it with a 'Thank you, dear.'

"Your room looks really beautiful. Look at those photos! And my, what a huge stack of books you have! When did you arrive here?" She sat down on the chair near the table while I took a seat at the end of the bed. I combed back my hair with my hands and pulled it up into a ponytail to look a little more presentable.

"I arrived here a month ago." I said and sipped some water to soothe my parched throat.

"Were they allowing students to stay before the semester started?"

"Yeah, my father had to go somewhere so he talked to the Dean about dropping me off a little early." I shrugged and smiled but her eyes just looked at me with pity.

"Were you all alone for the last month?" She asked.

"I don't mind being alone. Besides, I had plenty of time to bribe the mess workers into giving me the best portions." I laughed a little and she smiled too. She put down her glass and started unwrapping the basket.

"Have you eaten anything yet?"

"I, uhm, I was just planning to cook." I said, and she smiled wider than before.

"I'm glad I came at the right time then! I brought all this homemade food, but Isaac is being a little bitch, and won't take any of it." My eyes widened at the sudden use of the curse word, and she immediately started shaking her hand after looking at my confused face.

"Oh dear, don't be mistaken! These are not leftovers. They are freshly made. Come here, come here." She beckoned me over to her as she pulled out Tupperware containers out of the basket. She arranged them on the table and pointed them out to me one by one.

"So, this one is homemade mac and cheese, my special recipe, don't keep it for more than 3 days. This one is an Indian dish that I tried making. I don't know if you like Indian but give it a try. It's buttery and creamy and tastes like heaven but you have to eat with these breads here to get the real flavor. You better eat it today, it won't taste half as good tomorrow." She winked at me before continuing. "This here is a jar of kimchi that I made, it tastes really good with ramen. And this box contains tofu stir-fry, Isaac's favorite." She set the last box down with a sigh, and I could feel her hands shaking a little as she gripped the edges of the table. Over the past few days I've become somewhat of an expert in recognizing the signs when a parent breaks down before leaving their child behind in this dimly-lit, stone-walled building, but I was at a loss on what to say to her as a consolation.