Smell Of Roses

One

It's not everyday that I can say I'm happy because my family is one again. Today however, I can, they're all here under one room as a small wish me good luck party kind of thing. Today's the last day of Summer, in my family's eye that means it's the last day they'll be seeing me for a while. Considering I start back up college soon, sophomore year. I go back to campus tomorrow, then exactly one week from tomorrow school starts back.

Three petite knocks on my bedroom door distract me from my current focus. For the past three hours I've been trying to do last minute studying for first week exams. I just can't seem to let my mind focus on the text books though, no matter the time I spend staring at the words on the pages they won't enter my mind to stay.

I sigh an exaggerated sigh before pushing the desk away from the chair and standing up. I open my bedroom door to see a more than familiar face, Jason Kamper.

Jason Kamper, age twenty, light brown hair in a smart style hairdo, with his bright Amber eyes staring down into my dull gray ones.

"Ash, are you even listening?" Jay laughs, I hum in response, telling him to repeat what he said. "Both our family and friends are downstairs. Why don't you get ready and meet everyone downstairs cowgirl?"

Get ready? What does he suspect I have to put on, I've packed a good three fourths of my bedroom to bring to college with me. Am I just suppose to pull a dress out of thin air or something like that.

I guess being as close as we are he new what I would be thinking, before even I new what I was to think. He bends down and grabs a box that I hadn't noticed until now. Handing it to me he kisses my cheek and walks off to rejoin the party downstairs.

I close my door, walking to set on my bed I softly place the blue box with its white ribbon on my pillow.

"Jay, what have you done now?" I question my best friend, even though he can't hear me and I know that.

Opening the box I see a bright blue high low box, sequences cover the top of it, strapless, with matching white sparkle covered shoes. I lay that on my bed and notice there's a pair of sweatpants and a school hoodie. Stupid best friend outsmarted me again, he knows I'm not dumb enough to wear relaxed clothe to a party so of course those are for when we leave tomorrow.

I throw on the dress and heels before I take a curling iron to my already curly hair, then apply a simple layer of make up. Looking in the mirror I see why Jay always liked it when I wear blue, it compliments my tan skin tone, dirty blonde hair, and kind of makes my gray eyes, less grayish.

Two more faint knocks, placed to low on the door for them to belong to Jay, disturb my thoughts yet again.

I open the door and look down to see my messy dark brown haired brother standing looking up at me.

"Kyle, what are you doing up here bubba?" I ask.

They've dressed him up in a tux made for toddlers, blue tie to go with his white shirt, and white socks. He reaches up at me and I gladly reach down and place him in my arms.

"Mama and Aunt Grace want you down stairs." Kyle smiles, Aunt Grace is what we call Jason's mom. His dad is Uncle Hank.

Grabbing my phone, I close my bedroom door and head downstairs carrying Kyle.

Everyone's here, well, not everyone but pretty close to it.

My mom and dad, siblings, cousins, aunt and uncle, Jason, Jason's family, and even Miya Tori my roommate from freshman year. Word has it we're rooming together again this year too, in a three bedroom dorm with some new girl.