Been You

Chapter 1: GRWM

ELYSANDRA'S POV:

I open my eyes and sit up on my bed. I normally am not much of a morning person, and would have been hitting snooze on my alarm for the first out of many times this morning. But not today. The "first day of school" adrenaline rush won't let me. I get out of bed to go brush my teeth in the bathroom. I look down to turn the cold water on to run my toothbrush under. As I look up, I see not one, but two faces in the mirror, making me jump what feels like twenty feet in the air from fright, before my mind works out that it's just Justin, my best friend. I begin to regret giving him an extra key to my dorm right now. As I try to catch my breath, my bathroom fills with Justin's laughter. I could kill him.

"You should've seen the look on your face, oh my god," Justin says between laughs. I jokingly punch him in the arm.

"It's not funny! You gave me a heart attack!" I say, grinning. It was kinda funny. "What are you even doing here? I haven't even brushed my teeth, yet."

"In what universe do you think I'd miss walking you to your first day of classes? Now, what if some girl tries to put gum in your hair again? Nope, can't have that," Justin says, shaking his head in mock disapproval, as he twirls a finger in one of my curls.

I roll my eyes at him, "J, we're not in kindergarten anymore, I don't need you to save me from the bullies anymore. Besides, you know I don't have to leave for another hour, why are you so early?"

He pauses, as if he'd been caught. I knew something was up. "Stop deflecting," he finally says after some thought. "You need to be getting ready. I will not have you late for your first day of classes, young lady," he says, playfully scolding me.

I throw one of my hand towels at him laughing, "Oh my god, can you not! By the way, it is so unfair that the hockey team gets to skip orientation," I say while brushing my teeth. "Maybe I should play hockey," I muse. Justin laughs and jokingly pushes my shoulder.

"Don't hate the player," Justin shrugs. I wash my face and walk over to my closet, as Justin follows. There are two outfits hung up in my closet. I hold them both out for Justin to choose. He grabs the hanger with the white t-shirt dress and red flannel and says, "Definitely this one."

I strip out of my pajamas to change into my outfit. Justin has seen me in my underwear plenty of times; he's my best friend. But for some reason, he averts his eyes. Why is he acting like this? Whatever. I pull the dress over my head, and tie the flannel around my waist. I slip on my red huaraches and walk over to my vanity. Thank the universe, I don't have a roommate. I sit, and begin to do my hair, spraying it with a water bottle to loosen up my curls. I add product, and put the top half in a bun, leaving the rest out. As I'm laying my baby hairs, Justin says, "I will never get tired of watching you do that. They look like little galaxies on your forehead!"

I laugh, "Shut up!" I do a quick winged liner and lip gloss because Justin was right; I am running late. I grab my bag and begin to walk out the door. Justin follows. As soon as the door shuts behind us, I realize. "Shit. I forgot my key."

"Still regret giving me your spare?" Justin teases, waving his key to my dorm in my face. "I guess I'll have to walk you back from class too."

"Or, you could unlock the door now, and I can go in and get mine!" I say, in the same teasing tone.

"Nope. No time for that, get moving!" he says quickly, slapping my ass.

I roll my eyes, and say, "I really hate you, sometimes."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he says, pushing me towards the stairs.