Scarlett, the Found One

Chapter 4: Scarlett

The prospect of attending a party filled me with dread that could only come from the depths of hell. The thought of being surrounded by sweaty bodies, and the possibility of waking up next to some sleazy character from Ypsi who only showed his face at college parties, made my skin crawl. 

But that's what college was about, right? Letting loose, making questionable decisions, and living for the moment. Sure, UofM had its fair share of that vibe too, but it was nothing compared to what I could've been dealing with back at Vastoria.

The word "home" felt strange on my tongue. It had been five years since I last set foot there. eight years since I had seen my parents.

 Did I miss them? 

I wasn't sure. But I did miss my aunt, uncle, and Maya. Yet, after so much time had passed, it felt awkward to admit it. It was like there was an unspoken distance between us, and thw longer I waited the more awkward things would be.

 I tried to make up for it by sending them a text every week and visiting on holidays...sometimes, but it never felt like enough. I longed to see my little cousin Charlie, to see how much he had grown. He must be as tall as a tree by now, just like my uncle. He was around five years old, if my memory served me right.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Charlotte's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, her figure draped in a white bath towel as she breezed into the dorm room.

 "This semester blowed. I just need a night to let loose and forget about how much I want to blow my brains out from class." I confessed, a hint of longing in my voice.

 My phone lit up on my bed. I hated getting texts from people. Especially since I was effectively standing up my study group and being an asshole.

I unlocked my phone and begrudgingly tapped out a response in the group chat.

"Sorry guys, got caught up helping my roommate study for her exam. Good luck!"

I felt shitty for lying, but I also didn't want them to think I was flaking —even though that's exactly what I was doing.

"Thanks, Christina! Good luck with everything :) "

Their replies were sweet, if a little on the nerdy side. I promised myself that I would make an effort to hang out with them more...even if it's just studying statistics.

"I think that guy from my chem class is gonna be there," Charlotte chirped, her eyes lighting up like little stars in the night sky.

Charlotte had a penchant for discussing every type of man you could find on a college campus—tall, short, cute, ugly. It used to annoy me to no end but I warmed up to it. She was a guy's girl and that was okay. I knew that I was no better than her in that case and while I may not have talked about it - I got around too.

"You mean the one with the skin rash and crooked teeth?" I raised an eyebrow.

Charlotte groaned, adjusting her blond locks. "It's not a skin rash, it's a birth mark and his parents left his braces on for too long! He's not ugly just...unconventionally attractive."

"If someone called me 'unconventionally attractive,' I'd jump off the nearest ledge," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Charlotte rolled her eyes and cranked up her Bluetooth speaker, filling the room with Megan Thee Stallion's "Hiss."

I opened the Uber app and ordered a ride. "Our ride should be here in ten minutes," I announced, feeling a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

After finishing our preparations, we dashed down the stairs to the building's exit, the damp condensation on the windows indicating the steamy night outside.