Shades of Desire

Ivy

I stand amidst my new life, finally free from the nightmares of high school. Thank all the gods that those days are behind me—this is my chance to start afresh.

Don't get me wrong; it's not that I was bullied or anything. I just didn't like it. There was no reason—just a deep sense of discomfort that lingered like an unwelcome shadow.

Now, I'm far from home, and it feels liberating. Living with my dad can be suffocating; he's super overprotective. Kinda pisses me off, really. My mom? She left us when I was one, apparently for another man, or so Dad says. Honestly, a part of me doesn't believe it, and I don't really care to dwell on it. I can't even remember her face anymore, and Dad made sure to erase her memory from our lives.

Here I am, standing and admiring my college—it's huge. I grab my suitcase and ask around for my dorm. After wandering and getting lost multiple times in this sprawling campus, I finally find it.

Unlocking the door, I step inside and am pleasantly surprised. The living area is spacious, with three doors leading to the respective master bedrooms. "Fancy," I think. Not that I'm complaining.

My two roommates haven't shown up yet, and honestly, I'm glad. I can avoid the awkwardness of formal greetings for now. I jump onto each bed to test for coziness, claiming the one in the right corner as my own. It feels just right.

My stomach grumbles, reminding me I need food, or else I might die here. I can get a bit dramatic sometimes. I quickly change out of my jeans and top into something comfy. Locking the room behind me, I head off to find the cafeteria.

Ugh, where is this cafeteria? This campus is massive! After stumbling around, I finally locate it and grab a burger and coke to fuel me through the day.

As I make my way back to the dorm, the campus still feels empty. I'm here early, just a quiet spectator in this new world.

Once back in my room, I flop onto my bed. The coziness envelops me, and before I know it, my eyelids grow heavy, and I drift off to sleep.