Thorn (n.h)

XLIII

Songs: "Pompeii" - Bastille "Demons" -Imagine Dragons "Wake Me Up" -Avicii

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*3 months Later*

I always hate highway driving, it gets tedious and within five minutes my eyes are popping closed and open. I flip on the radio and search for the classic rock station, a few bags in the backseat shift. I was on my way to campus, the new year starting and I was moving into a new dorm room, meaning a new roommate. 

When I do reach campus I sigh heavily when I see all the people here, yes it was moving day but still, it's crazy! I'm one of the few juniors who are still living on campus, so since Housing tries to pair you with someone in your level, I didn't have many options. Usually by junior year of undergraduate school, students end up living off campus with a friend or significant other, sometimes alone.

I tried living with a significant other and I'd swear everyone at college knows how that turned out.

Pulling into a parking space I step out and see a few people I recognize from the parties last year mulling around. The trunk of my car pops open and I grab the three bags back there and go ahead and start walking them up.

"Rose!"

I turn abruptly in the dorm hall to see Zayn chasing up after me, I hadn't seen him in at least a month.

"Hey, Zayn," I smile when he catches up with me.

"I was calling you all the way up," he laughs and leans onto the wall beside him.

"You  mustn't have been calling that loud, I didn't hear a thing," I rebuttal and he smiles.

"Have you gone to see him lately?" my heart drops at his choice of conversation starter and I begin nibbling on my cheek.

"Not lately," my voice escapes as a whisper as I look down at my feet.

"Me either, I feel sort of bad since he's being released tomorrow," Zayn plays with his fingers and I can't help but watch him fidget.

"Are you taking him home or is Greg?" I ask sincerely, Zayn smiles and pushes himself off the wall.

"We always end up talking about Niall don't we?"

"Well, he is leaving rehab after that incident he pulled, we are all a little worried," I sass and shift a bag on my shoulder, "Look I really gotta get these bags down, they are all stuffed, do you mind?"

Zayn takes hold of two as I lead him downt he short hall and to my new dorm. The door is already ajar so I slide in slowly to find a girl sitting with her back to me. I clear my throat and her head whips around to look at me.

"Oh hi!" she says getting up from her desk and coming over to Zayn and I, "hi, I'm Eleanor, psychology major," she pulls me into a hug and smiles at Zayn.

"Rose, film history," I nod and look at the two beds, one already claimed by Eleanor so I dump my bag onto the other.

"Sorry I already chose, I'm just used to being closest to the bathroom," she explains as I take the bags from Zayn.

"No, you're fine, I really have no preference," I notice Eleanor is eyeing Zayn so I introduce him, "he's a really good friend."

"So, not to be rude but," she pauses and looks at the both of us, "not boyfriend?"

"No, my boyfriend isn't really in the picture at the moment," I say and look at Zayn, "well, text me later if you find out anything," we hug and he exits.

"So, you've gone here since freshman year?" Eleanor asks as she sits on her bed and rifles through some of her bags, sorting things for sure.

"Yup," I nod and look around the room, I'd never been in this dormitory before. I'd lived in the freshman one, the females only one, and now I'm in the mixed dorm, both boys and girls.