"Why did you guys pick lavender for the living room?" Emma asked, the scent of fresh paint thick in the air. Whitney handed her a paintbrush, its bristles stiff and new. Emma had only arrived a few minutes ago, but her dark gray t-shirt already had a few cheerful splotches of the pale purple color on it. Claire and Whitney had already arranged a few boxes in the center of the room, and half the wall was painted in a calm, soothing shade of lavender.
"Well, Whitney let me pick the color of the living room, and I agreed to let her choose the colors for the kitchen," Claire said, carefully setting a small, modern lamp on a side table.
Emma's eyes glanced over to the other side of the studio dorm. The kitchen cabinets were a deep, earthy green with gold handles, and the countertops were white with sleek black appliances. The two distinct color schemes somehow complemented each other, a perfect reflection of her friends' personalities.
"How are you guys liking living together on campus so far?" Niki asked, moving a few decorations around. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a messy bun, but a few loose strands framed her face perfectly, making her look effortlessly stylish.
As the friendly conversation continued, Emma began painting the wall, her brush making long, even strokes. The repetitive motion was meditative, and her mind began to drift away from the room, back to the knife she'd found outside her house yesterday. The memory of the cool metal in her hand and the irrational fear that had followed sent a small shiver down her spine. She couldn't shake the image of it lying in the damp grass.
When she got into the house, her parents had already gone to bed, so she didn't want to worry them. She had simply put the knife in an unused kitchen drawer, but the uneasy feeling lingered. Before she fell asleep, she had sent a detailed text to Ms. O'Connor, explaining everything. She knew it might be nothing—just her overreacting after the tense night with Reina—but she also knew it was better to be safe than sorry.
"I'm gonna go grab a snack from the vending machine in the hallway. Do you guys want anything?" Niki's loud stretch and the creak of her shoulders snapped Emma out of her trance. She realized she had been staring at the same spot on the wall for a full minute, her brush still.
Everyone began listing the snacks they wanted, and Niki nodded, a playful smile on her face as she headed out the door.
"Emma, are you okay?" Whitney's voice was soft, and she took the paintbrush from Emma's hand, placing it gently back into the paint bucket. They had finally finished the main walls. Whitney led Emma to the old couch by the window, and they sat down as Claire walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.
"Why do you ask that?" Emma asked with a sigh, leaning her face against her hand. Whitney raised a knowing brow. Claire walked back into the living room, sitting on the floor and taking a sip from the bottle. "Because you seem out of it today," Whitney said, leaning back against the cushions.
"Yeah, is it your parents or something?" Claire asked, her tone concerned.
Emma quickly shook her head. She didn't want to tell them about all the drama going on in her life. They had just started college, with packed schedules between classes and work. She was about to deflect again when the front door burst open.
Niki walked back in, her arms full of chips and a triumphant grin on her face. "Guess who just got a hot college guy's number?" She used one hand to wave a small slip of paper around.
Claire laughed softly behind her hand. "You, but that's not surprising," Whitney said, laughing and shaking her head.
"Well, this may surprise you: Guess who also got invited to a college party tonight?!" Niki tossed bags of chips to them, her energy filling the room. She plopped on the floor beside Claire, tearing open her bag of chips with a flourish.
"So, are you going?" Claire asked, taking the conversation away from Emma's struggles, a small kindness that Emma appreciated more than she could say.
"Only if I have my girls with me..." Niki looked over at Emma, her eyes sparkling, and Emma tried to make herself look as small as possible on the couch. "All my girls, Emma. That means you, too." She grinned and crossed her arms, a silent dare in her gaze.
Claire grinned, looking up at her as she set the bottle on the table between them. "Sooo, are you gonna come?" Niki leaned her elbow on the table, watching Emma's uneasy expression with a playful smile.
Mia note- Are you guys party people? personally I am not lol
YOU ARE READING
It Started With Hello
Romance***** Emma Pear knew she wasn't the most popular girl in high school. Her nose was usually buried in a textbook, and her grades were as spotless as her reputation for always following the rules. "Nerd" was a label she'd long since embraced. Her pare...
