Scholars | c.s

6

We separate ways when we locate a Wilko and I trail around picking up random boxes and units for my new dorm. When me and Cole eventually reunite, we spend a majority of the afternoon in awkward silence. I check my watch for the fifth time as we approached the car park and it feels like the tiny hand still hasn't shifted.

Catching the corner of my eye is Cole violently stabbing his car key button with aggression.

"Shit, shit shit." He groans.
"Oh no. Did you lose th-"
"Yes Valentina. I lost the car."
"How did you lose the car?"
"Do you see how many cars are in this car park? Try and tell me you can't figure out how I managed to lose the car."

"Okay fine. What do we do?." I ask sitting on the pavement.
"Well you can get up and stop acting like we're homeless for a start. There's a bus that takes us directly back to campus."
"Where is it?"
"I don't know I've never had to use it, but it can't be more than a few minutes away."

    *******
"We've been walking for like 20 minutes, where are we?"

"Valentina. If I knew the answer to that question, we wouldn't be in this situation. It would help me out a lot if you would shut up while I try and work this out." He says staring at his phone.

"Ugh, No!" I exclaim in a sudden outburst.
"You know at first, I felt like I was doing something wrong because for whatever reason you seem to hate me, but honestly, I'm not even the problem here. It's just you. You're the problem. It's like you want dislike me and if the others weren't my friends, you obviously wouldn't even give me the time of day which, trust me, doesn't bother me in the slightest but I really have no clue what your issue is so if you're not going to say it.. Shove it far up there."

He simply laughs and shakes his head.
"If you're finished? They're not your friends. And stop flattering yourself I don't even know you, let alone hate you. You're being dramatic. It's not necessary."

"You're just. Unbelievable."

"You know," he starts , "you're right that if Khayla and Fliss didn't like you, I probably wouldn't look at you twice. That's life you don't need to have a cry because one person doesn't want to have sleepovers and go panty shopping with you."

"I was just trying to say it would be easier for everyone if you were a bit nic-"
"We might all be in first year," He cuts me off "but you're still new here. Khayla and Fliss are like my sisters and this is the way things work here."
"I'm not asking to be like that-" I begin
"I didn't say you were. And you couldn't be even if you wanted too."

For the first time since this argument started, I genuinely have nothing more to say to him. It's true that if I wasn't Fliss's roommate and I wasn't getting along with Khayla so well I would never be friends with someone like Cole. I don't think I'd even want too. But the point is, these may very well be the people who I spend my time with while I'm here and I don't understand why it's such a big deal for him to just try and get along with me too.

"As much as you want to believe I am, I'm
not a bad guy." Cole starts breaking the silence, "So if it makes you feel better about yourself, tell me about you." He says plainly.

"No."
"Well I tried." We carry on walking in silence for some time and I pull out my phone before realising that in the midst of this bizarre freshers week, I hadn't taken down anyone's numbers or details.
"I can't believe you haven't kissed anyone." Cole starts out of nowhere.

"What are you talking about? I have."
"Yeah right." He sniffs putting on a high pitched voice, 'never have I ever kissed someone', sorry but what the hell was that?" He says laughing.
I can't help but join in with him laughing at my own idiocy.
"I was under pressure," I whine.
"Yeah I was embarrassed for you."