Behind Classroom Doors

LXXIV- Roommate

July 25th

"Well, this is it." I say as I set the last of my stuff down on my bed. I took the left half since my roommate isn't here to claim a side yet.

Seth sits on my bed and looks around. "It's better than my room. My roommate looks like the definition of emo. Not that I'm judging but, we have two different personalities. I might look into getting my own apartment." My parents offered to help me get my own place but I declined. I'm actually kind of excited about living in a dorm.

"Well if you're looking for a roommate, Hunter is still back in Colorado."

I sit down beside Seth, "Hunter really? I don't think he'd be interested in moving here."

I shrug, "You never know." The last time I checked, Hunter has no idea what he's planning on doing. As far as I'm concerned he's still figuring some things out.

"Yeah maybe..." He looks around at my stuff. "Do you need help unpacking?"

"Actually I think I'm okay, but I appreciate everything." Seth gets up to leave, I stand and walk him to my door. "I'll see you later?"

He smiles, his dimples as prominent as ever. "Of course, after all I'm just the next building over." He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me in for a hug. I'm glad he's here with me, I'm glad I'm not alone. "Oh and happy birthday, Livia."

"Thanks, now get out of here." I laugh as we pull away. He says goodbye and when he walks away I close my door.

It's hard to believe I'm actually here, in New York. It's hard to believe that Jenny and Jake are still in Colorado taking care of their beautiful baby. Not to mention Becca and Luke probably in Britain by now. Everyone is so spread out but I couldn't be happier with the decision I made to come here. I finally feel a sense of freedom and I'm reeling in it.

Wherever Shawn is, I hope he's happy. I hope he feels the same way I do, and I hope we cross paths again. After the wedding, I didn't think I could handle not knowing when I'd see him next. Yet here I am, trying to move on from everything that happened just recently. No one here knows me, it's exhilarating.

The doorknob jiggles and the door opens to reveal a very small girl about my age. "Oh, you must be my roommate." I hold out my hand for her to take.

She hesitates but takes it, "Uh hi, I'm Katie Hanson."

"Livia Gardner."

She steps in with just a duffel bag on her shoulder and a suitcase behind her. "Liv is a cute name." Katie walks over to her bed to set the duffel bag on. She has shoulder-length brown hair and a petite frame. She also has blue framed glasses that she's pushed up twice so far.

"Oh, it's just Livia." I correct her.

Katie nods, turning to me. "Well it's nice to meet you. Are you from here?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm from Brookview in Colorado. What about you?"

"Yeah, I've never left New York." I suppose her going to NYU was a given then. I grew up with two parents that travel so it's pretty hard to imagine staying in one place forever.

I turn to my bed and begin unpacking my things. "Maybe you could show me around then? I'm from a small town so this is drastically different." I know Seth is going to help me adjust as much as possible but he won't always be around.

Having a roommate who's lived here her whole life is almost like a godsend. "Sure." She smiles. "I'm a waitress at a small diner down the street. We could start there and maybe get some free pie out of it."

I laugh, "I love pie." Especially when it's free.

The walk from campus is surprisingly short. I could get used to just walking everywhere, it's no secret I'm not the most experienced driver. Plus, I still have to get my license changed to New York. The thought of driving in such a big city gives me anxiety so I won't be rushing to get that license change.

The diner is just a little whole-in-the-wall. Despite that, it's still extremely busy. Servers are running around at their tables, pouring coffee and taking orders. They're so fast I don't know if I'd be able to keep up.

"Hey Katie, here to pick up a shift?" A tall woman in her forties asks.

Katie smiles at her, "Actually I'm here for pie, table for two?" She gestures to me beside her.

"Got it, I think Ashley has a booth available in the corner. Seat yourself." The waitress winks and hurries off.

Katie guides me to a corner booth in the back. "How long have you been working here?"

She shrugs, "Since I was sixteen. It's always this busy so tips go pretty far."

I look around, and watch the bustling. It's a quick but calm atmosphere. I can see how Katie would like to work here. Maybe I would too.

A server walks up to us, looking down at her notepad. "Hello, I'm Ashley and I'll be serving you today- Oh, hey Katie." Ashley waves at the both of us. She seems younger, seventeen maybe.

"Hey, this is Livia my roommate."

I wave back. "Oh that's so cool." They make small talk for a moment before she takes our orders and rushes off.

Katie talks about her classes and how she's been planning on going to NYU since the sixth grade. She mentions how close to home she wants to be and that she's never been out of New York. "I don't know how you did it." Katie shakes her head. "You must miss your family."

"I do." I admit. "They travel a lot for work though, so I grew up knowing what else was out there for me."

"That makes sense. I wish I had that mindset."

Just then Ashley comes up to us with our pie. "It's on the house. That very hot gentlemen over there paid for it." She points to someone sitting at the counter and walks off. He's wearing a dark suit and looks very familiar.

Wait a minute...I remember those green eyes. "Do you know him?" Katie asks.

"Yes-I mean, no. I met him over spring break but it was very brief." He makes eye contact with me. I'm pretty sure his name is Jack-something. From what I remember he owns his own company.

So what's a rich man like him doing in a small diner like this? "He's walking up to us." Katie whispers sort of in a panic.

Within ten seconds he's standing in front of us with a stoic expression. "Livia right? We met on opening night a few months ago."

I barely remember him. He seems nice so I smile, "I'm surprised you remember."

His expression stays the same, "I don't forget a face." I take a moment to look at his face. It was dark when we met but his eyes are what popped to me. At first glance he kind of looks like Shawn.

Maybe I'm just crazy because I miss Shawn. "This is Katie, my roommate."

Jack holds out his hand for her to shake. "My name is Jack Briers, It's nice to meet you."

"You too." She shyly replies.

Jack takes his hand back, "Well I should get going. You two enjoy your pie and maybe I'll see you around." It's not a question, he sounds too confident. Maybe it's because he's a businessman but there's something different to the way he looks at me.

I shake it off, I've been in New York a day.

"That was kind of weird." Katie mentions.

I nod in agreement.

Once we're finished we head back to our dorm to unpack. Classes start in less than a week so I need to get as prepared as possible. Without Dean this might actually be my year.