Irresistible

Chapter 1

  When I wake up, my alarm clock has the number 4 in a fluorescent color on it. It is 4 am, but that doesn’t affect me. Today is the day I’ve been waiting for my whole Senior year in high school. Today I would go to college. When I got the letter from Parsons, 3 months ago, I was so excited, but also afraid to don’t get accepted. So when I opened it and read “Congratulations Ms Reese Watson! You’ve been accepted to PARSONS - The New School for Design”, I started screaming and jumped around like an idiot. I couldn’t stop smiling, not even a month later. And here I am now. Laying in bed at 4 in the morning, 3 months later, and I’m still smiling. Today a new part of my life is beginning. Hopefully a better one. High school was never a place I enjoyed going to. Everyone says “High School is the best time of your life”, it surely didn’t apply to me. Reese Watson was not a name that was well known at Salem High School. I was never one of the popular kids. Maybe because I wasn’t into sports that much. Not at all actually, I am more an artsy kid. Like the few friends that I had at Salem, I love art. But now that I’m going to college in New York City, far away from my two friends Clarissa and Lauren, I don’t think I will get to spend time with them anymore.  Surprisingly, that doesn’t make me feel sad at all. I didn’t hang out with them in months, because I was working my butt off putting my portfolio for Parsons and all the other colleges I applied to together. It took me almost a year, but in the end it was worth it. I’m going to be at my dream college in less than half a day.

By the time my mom woke up, I already packed the last few things and made a playlist on my iPod for the roadtrip to New York City. I put on a little makeup and at 8am we are ready to leave. I am only taking the most important things with me, even though I know that the dorm rooms are going to be bigger than the ones at the public colleges, I want to keep my room clean and that will only work if I bring fewer things. And of course I also want to go shopping before classes begin.

When we drive through Salem one last time I can only think about being at New York and finally being able to escape this little town in New Jersey. I just want to live life and meet new people. I was always a good girl, not that it’s something bad, but I finally want to have some fun. I never went out with any guy nor did I go to parties. I hope that is going to change. Not that I suddenly want to be a “bad girl”, but like I said, I want to live life and since I’m 18 I can at least decide things for myself now.

Two hours later we are at Newport and about to cross Hudson River through Holland Tunnel. I am so excited and still haven’t stopped smiling. When I finally see a white light coming from in front of us after 20 minutes of driving through a dark, tight tube and only seeing fluorescent light, I’m relieved. Driving through this tunnel felt like an eternity. Finally out of the darkness, we arrived in Lower Manhattan. The sun is shining and the city just looks beautiful. I’m rolling the window down and enjoy the warm summer breeze that is hitting me immediately. Everything about this city is just beautiful. The old brickstone houses with the iron ladders, the trees that are spread around the city and of course the different cultures that fill the streets.

Before I know it we arrive at West Village, to be exactly in 13th Street. That is where my new home is. At least for a year.

Just like most of the houses here in West Village, the 13th Street Residence of Parsons is made out of dark brown bricks and the window frames are made out of black iron. It has seven floors total. Luckily, I already got the swipe card to my room and I also printed out a house plan. By the time I get out my mom already got my suitcase out of the trunk. I take my suitcase and go to the entrance of the building. The archway is huge. It is made out of white stone. In the middle of it right above the door, there’s hanging a big 118 in golden numbers. I’m pushing the swipe card into the swipe card reader and the little light turns from red to green. With a buzzing sound the door opens and my mom follows me inside. I’m greeted by a young woman that is wearing a shirt with the Parsons logo. I assume she is one of the resident advisors. She asks me to show her my card and after she looked up in what room I’m in she guides us to an elevator. My mom and me follow her inside and after a few seconds the elevator door opens and we are in the seventh floor. We turn right and then left. After passing several doors, we finally arrive at my room. Room 7I. I’m surprised when the door opens and I only see one bed. I must have gotten a single room. I was actually nervous about getting to know my room mate, but I’m fine with a single room. My mom helps me emptying my suitcase before leaving. “Okay darling, I think we got you settled in. I guess I’m gonna leave now.”, my mom says. I can see her eyes starting to get wet. “My little girl is growing up”, she says and at around 3pm she kisses me goodbye and leaves with tears in her eyes. I feel a little guilty, because I’m not sad at all, but now I finally start my new life. The trip and the unpacking were exhausting so decide to lay on my bed and relax a little. However this wasn’t a good idea, because my eyes start to get heavy and a few minutes later I drift into the dreamworld.