Polaroid - 5 Seconds Of Summer

Chapter 4- Friday

When we returned to the dorm room, I sighed and sat on the edge of my bed. I watched in interest as the two girls bickered aimlessly, bumping hips as they walked into the room. Jess sprawled across her bed, facing up at the ceiling. My eyes raked the numerous vinyl records hung on the wall, recognizing a few.

Lila took a seat beside me, pulling her legs up and crossing them in front of her. "So, how do you like campus so far?" she asked, leaning back against the wall and mindlessly fingering my bed sheets. "It's, nice. Really big." I sighed, tossing my head back to join in with Jess in the pointless staring.

"Yeah, you'll be fine though. It's Friday, you don't have lectures tomorrow, right?" Jess asked, tilting her head to look at me. I shook my head, brushing my hair out of my face and fluffing a pillow by my legs. "Sweet. We're going shopping." she said, closing her eyes and facing back up to the ceiling. I looked at Lila, and she smiled. "That is, if you want to." she said, and I shrugged.

Why not? Better make some friends while I can.

The rest of the day passed by pretty quickly, the name Ashton or any of the boys only coming up once or twice. Soon enough, it was time for bed. I pulled out my phone and called Nicole, breathing a sigh of relief when she answered on the second ring.

"Ja," she said, and I smiled. "Hey, Nikki." I grinned. "What's up babe?" she asked, and I heard her bed in the background squeaking; I could perfectly picture her laying on her back on her old creaky mattress, her legs propped up on the wall in front of her.

I laid back in my own bed, looking over at Jess as she sat against her wall, the screen of her laptop illuminating her face in the dark room. "Nothing, just got in bed." I sighed, rolling onto my side to face my blank wall. "Oh, how exciting." She said sarcastically, and I could just see her smirk.

"Well what about you, miss-I-have-a-more-interesting-life-than-you?" I giggled, pulling my thick comforter up and over my shoulders. "Ah, you know. Just sitting in bed." she said, and I snorted. "That's what I thought. I'm not the only one that doesn't have things planned at 10 at night." I said, and she snickered.

"I'm actually waiting for Jackson to pick me up." she continued, and I gasped. "No!" I said with a smile, and she squealed. "Yes! Yes yes yes yes! He finally asked me out! He just hadn't had enough time to see how awesome I was. But now he does, and boy, isn't he lucky," she bragged, and I laughed. "That's great! Oh my gosh, you have to tell me everything. I'm so excited for you!" I praised, and she giggled. "Me too! But I have to go gorgeous, I'll tell everything in the morning. Love you!" She squealed excited, and I assumed he had arrived.

"Sure thing, talk to you then. Love you, too!" I said, pressing the end button and staring at my screen, her contact name still showing. Oh, how I would give anything for her to be here with me. I would give anything to just hug her again, smell her soft scent, or help her get ready for her very first date. I still can't believe she didn't tell me this earlier.

This distance thing is really getting to me. It's only been a little bit, but without my best friend, I'm no one.

I sighed and hooked my phone up to its charger before placing it on my dresser. I took a deep breath as I faced my wall again, staring at the white paint and imagining how I could decorate it.

As the time ticked, I tried desperately to get some sleep. I don't know how long it was before I heard Jess softly close her laptop, shuffling as she set it on her desk. "Night." she whispered, and I didn't reply, hoping that if I pretended I was asleep, it would happen.

I don't remember falling asleep, but I was soon enough woken up by the light pouring into the room, and soft talking filled my ears. I was confused and a bit startled at first, but I slowly blinked as I realized where I was; in my very own dorm room on my new campus.

I groaned as I rubbed at my eyes, turning on my side to face Jess. I was surprised, scratch that, confused to see one of the boys from yesterday on the bed beside her. And beside him, was Lila. Her legs were perched over his lap, and his hands played with her ripped jeans.

"Good morning!" Lila cheered, a huge smile on her face. "Morning." I replied quietly, pulling my blanket further up my chest. I looked between Lila and Jess, not directly eyeing the silent boy between them. "Oh, yeah. This is Calum." Lila explained, and he raised his hand in a simple gesture. "Hey." He said with a small smile, and I smiled back.

"Good morning star-shine, the earth says hello." Jess recited in a joyful voice, pulling her earbud out of her ears and setting down the essay she was previously working on. I simply smiled at her as I stood, carrying my blanket over my shoulders like a cape as I walked to my dresser.

"You still up for shopping?" Lila asked, standing from her spot and leaping to my side. "Sure, I guess. Why not?" I said halfheartedly, and Calum stood from his spot. "I'll see you girls later." He said, walking towards the door and looking at Lila a second longer than I found normal.

"Is there, like, a thing between you two?" I asked Lila after the door shut, and her face erupted in flames. "No, n- we're just friends, no." She stuttered, falling onto my mattress with a sigh. "If by 'just friends', you mean you're both totally in love with each other but don't want to admit that you secretly eye-fuck all the time, then yes, you are 'just friends'." Jess said with a smirk, standing and stretching her arms behind her.

"Shut the hell up, Jess." Lila shot back, hiding her face in her small hands. Jess laughed loudly as she walked to the bathroom, and I grabbed a pair of jeans. After changing, I chose a fair pink cardigan to wear over my white tank, and slid on my white flats.

An hour later and we were finally ready to go. Lila and Jess led me to the parking lot, one of the only routes I was familiar with having brought my belongings in from my dad's truck. A car horn beeped as we got near, the engine of the bright red Mustang revving to life.

Jess unlocked the doors and jumped in the drivers side, while Lila popped open the back and slid in. "You can get shotgun, newbie." she winked, closing the door behind her. I smiled quickly and opened the passenger door, stepping lightly into the nice car.

The black leather squeaked under my thighs as I sat down and pulled my seat belt over my chest.

As Jess pulled out of the lot, Lila reached from the back and grabbed at the radio. She flicked to a station I didn't know, and loud music blared from the speakers. Jess and Lila smiled and sang along to the obnoxiously loud song, motioning along with the heavy guitars and intense drum solos.

We arrived at the mall thirty four minutes later, and Lila leaped out of the car. "Come on, we have work to do." Lila and Jess smiled at each other, leaving me standing confused in the middle of the parking lot.