"So you're absolutely sure you have packed everything darling," my mother asked me for the hundredth time. "Yes Mum, clothes, make up, shoes, phone, everything," I sighed. "Now, phone me when you arrive there sweetie and Harriet will drop you off and then go. Is that okay?" I nodded and gave my mother a final hug. "I'm gonna miss you Mum," I whispered in her ear. "I'll miss you too baby girl, stay safe. I love you," my mum called to me as I wheeled my last suitcase out of the house and placed it in the boot.
I wiped a tear from my eye as I entered the car and slammed the door shut. "I love you too," I shouted out the window as Harriet revved the engine and pulled off the drive.
I waved and waved until my house was out of sight and eventually pulled the window up and sighed. "You okay sis?" Harriet asked me keeping her eyes glued on the road, I nodded.
Silence settled over the car as we listened to the hum of the car engine as it travelled along the country lane.
"Do you know anything about your roommate Jade?" Harriet broke the silence. I nodded my head "yeah, she's 18 like me. We've emailed each other once or twice and she seems like a genuinely nice girl. Studying physics and art, should be fine." Harriet smiled and replied, "lucky you, my roommate was horrid in university. Constantly bringing boys back and kicking me out for 'privacy'."
"Ouch," I muttered as we continued on our way to Uni.
Harriet pulled into the parking lot outside the huge building and switched the engine off. "Right, this is it Jade. You ready?" My sister asked me. "Yep," I answered as I stepped out the car and started loading my suitcases out of the car boot. "Oh by the way Harriet, the principle wanted to see me before I checked in to my room. So I need to drop by at his office first." Harriet embraced me into a hug and replied, "okay babes. Will you be alright on your own from here?"
"Yep, thanks for everything sis, I love you." I responded and with that my sister jumped into her car and sped off waving enthusiastically through the window.
I dragged my two suitcases along the gravel and through the main entrance until I reached a door which read 'Mr Knight.' I leaned my luggage against the wall and gently knocked on the door. A grunt came from the other side of the door so I cautiously pushed it open and entered.
Sat in front of me was a middle aged man dressed in a black suit with a navy blue tie. He had short brown hair which had started to fade into grey in patches. His eyes stood out the most, they were a stunning turquoise which shone bright. "And who may you be madam?" Mr Knight croaked at me. "Jade Young sir, you requested to see me," I stammered, slightly intimated by his sharp glare.
The man nodded and gesticulated for me to take a seat on the large leather sofa. "Now Jade, I have some good news and some not so good news. Your accommodation has been upgraded to a small apartment on the edge of campus with two bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and kitchen. There is also a relatively small garden which you and your... um." Mr Knight cleared his throat and started fiddling with his hands awkwardly. "you and your roommate may do what you wish with."
Slightly confused I answered, "um, that's great, I guess. What's the not so good news?"
The man sat in front of me leaned back on his chair and took a deep breath in, "your original roommate has dropped out of her courses for certain family reasons and is now unable to attend this school. Now of course we wouldn't want you being alone so we um... we have... putyouinwithmysonEthan." Mr Knight suddenly looked extremely awkward and looked away from me. "Wait... what?" I asked, silently begging what he just said not to be true.
"My um... my son attends this college and lives on a apartment on the edge of the campus. He has... um has never shared his apartment with anyone before but on these circumstances it is necessary." Mr Knight firmly stated.
"Oh no, that wouldn't be necessary sir, I don't mind not sharing with anyone." I stammered, desperate to change his mind.
Mr Knight shook his head and gave me a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry Jade, it's all arranged. Anyway, my son needs some change in his life, he can be quite... challenging but you're going to be good for him. I know it."
I raised my eyebrows at him, clearly still unhappy about the decision.
"Look, I'm sorry Jade but it's all sorted now. Only Ethan himself doesn't know. Thank you for being... understanding Jade. You may leave now." He gave me a weak smile and turned back to the papers on his desk as I stood up and left the office.
Great.
As I approached the apartment it was fairly small as Mr Knight had said however it was very modern looking with a gravel driveway and a pristine black motorbike sat on it. The closer I got to the house, the more I became aware of the loud rock music which was booming out of the open window. I wheeled my suitcases across the gravel and towards the front door. I took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door. The loud music continued and there was no answer. Again I knocked slightly louder but no reply. I tried the door handle and sure enough it was unlocked. "He-hello?" I softly spoke as I entered the building. In front of me opened up a large spacious area with two leather sofas on one side and a black themed kitchen the other side with a marble topped island. The loud music continued to play even though there was no one insight.
I gently shut the front door and dumped my bags in the middle of the floor.
Soon enough I found the source of the loud music and unplugged the huge speakers. Just as I stood up and strolled back to my bags, a figure emerged from one of the bedrooms.
As the man came into view I suddenly realised this must be Ethan and he looked mad! He had mouse brown hair which curved its way along his head and stuck up at the front. He had piercing blue eyes like his father which currently looked like they could kill me. He wore a loose blue top with the words, 'rock n' roll' printed on the front, he wore tight black jeans and navy blue vans which engulfed his large feet.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my apartment!?" Ethan growled at me.
"Hi, I'm Jade and by the way this is our apartment now," I stated and picked up my bags. "Now, where's my room?" I questioned the angry looking male in front of me. As I went to walk past Ethan he stuck out his arm in front of me, "there is no your bedroom sweetheart, this is apartment for me and only me now get out!"
I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my eyebrows at him. I noticed his eyes slowly travelling down my body so I placed my finger under his chin and pushed it up so he had no choice but to look me straight in the eyes.
"That's not what your father said," I muttered.
"I don't give a crap about what my father says, now listen, I've never shared this apartment! Ever, and that ain't gonna change today, now go!" Ethan firmly ordered.
I felt my lip quaver as I glared back at him. "Fine," Ethan fumed. He grabbed my bags, swung open the front door and dumped them on the floor. "You're not wanted here Jade!" he retorted. I stepped out the door to get my bags and as I turned around, Ethan slammed the door in my face.
I sighed and sat down in the pile of bags. The air was getting colder by the minute as dusk had fallen over two hours ago. Pulling my jacket tighter around my shoulders, I started to shiver. I felt a tear trickle down my face and drop onto the grey gravel. Minutes ticked by as I tried to decide what to do. I can't go back to the boarding house at 10 o'clock homeless. Nevertheless I can't go begging Ethan to let me in either.
After a good twenty minutes the front door swung open and a slightly kinder looking Ethan came into view. He grabbed my bags and carried them inside, leaving me sitting cross legged on gravel. Confused. When he had finished he came over to me and picked me up in bridal style. "Damn it your freezing Jade," Ethan noticed.
He carried me through a door and into a large bedroom with a black double bed and walk in wardrobe. It smelt of man in there and the floor was covered in clothes. "Your bedrooms next door but your practically blue and ice cold so your sleeping in here tonight." I just weakly nodded as he slipped my weak body under the warm duvet cover. As Ethan moved so he lay next to me he whispered in my ear, "sorry for being such a dick earlier," and he may of said more but I will never know because they were the last words I heard before I fell fast asleep.
