Love Is In The Smoke

Learning To Walk And Other Pretty Dirty Secrets

Warning: Mature content ahead.

ABIGAIL

Days passed, and I began to lose myself into the novelties and horrors of college life. I guess I had watched too much shitty college cinema where people sat with their interracial group of friends laughing and joking all the time and every Saturday night meant a party, because I was yet to see or be a part of any of this. My days were spent attending classes from morning to afternoon and later going out with the girls from the apartment or reading Dostoevsky when none of our plans worked out.

And if you're wondering if I still remembered a random hot guy I saw on the first day of college, I did not.

My housemates were nice and funny and they actually reflected the side of America I had grown up watching on TV. You know, drinking beer literally all the time and always finding even the most unfunny thing in the whole cosmos worthy of endless laughter.

There were Vera and Cindy, the most daring pair of twins I bet there was on the planet. There was Aria, the weird mathematical genius; she believed everything in the universe could be explained in mathematical equations. Then there was Cheryl, the snobby, spoilt bitch; she was my arch nemesis in particular, because I was richer than her and my closet was way better than hers could ever be, I mean, that's what she said.

Weird?

You don't say.

And then finally there was Natalie, whom I'd met on the first day of college, before the introductory lecture, and whom I got transferred into my apartment the very next day. I had connections, alright. The wonders the name Christopher Parker did, you won't believe if I told you. Anyway, so, Natalie was a very lovely girl and we were friends right away. She came from a mediocre family and her parents were one of the nicest people I'd ever met.

Natalie understood me and even my usually scary psychic hallucinations. She hugged and comforted me when I told her I was orphaned at 14, and went nuts when it came out that I came from a billionaire family. I calmed her down. I loved her.

"This, Nat, is Eddy. Well, Meredith, actually. I don't understand my family and their obsession with biblical girl names," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Show me," she said, scooting over to my where I sat with my mac open, "She your sister?"

"Uh huh."

"My God, she's so beautiful. So beauty, I mean, it like runs in your blood, just like that?"

I smiled.

"And this," I continued, "this, is Christopher. He owns the company right now."

There was a delayed reaction, so I looked at Nat. Found her staring at the screen with her mouth hanging open.

"Natalie?"

"Why aren't you guys like the hottest family on Earth already?" she screamed right into my ear so loud my tympanum contracted and died.
"Fuck, I haven't seen a sexier man in my life, Abby. Shit, I'm sorry, he's just so...never mind. Is there any chance of, like, him and me?" she blushed, her last statement barely a whisper.

"Oh, poor Nat, no," I said, laughing at how adorable she was, "he already has a girlfriend. And no, he's not a player. But don't worry; I'll be sure to get the message through myself whenever he's not taken."

A big stupid grin adorned my face.

"What message?" Nat said. She was obviously still affected.

"Forget it, Nat. C'mon, let's go out. I'm hungry."

I got up, dragging her with me into my room. She was almost my size, just a little chubbier, so all my dresses fit her nicely.

"Pick whatever you want; I'm just gonna change into...this. How's this one, tell me?"