Inside the building I notice the palms of my hands getting humid with uninvited sweat. Seems that I'm anxious and a little scared at the same time, but it's all in a positive vibe and related to new beginnings.
I meet with Carol Donovan, the counselor of the dorms and also the tour guide of the building. With my current positive attitude and her energy of sharing all the ins and outs of the dorms, I already feel welcomed and super excited to start the new academic year.
Carol leaves me in front of my room door with a big smile saying,
"You are going to love UW, we welcome everyone..."
She starts walking away and when she is around 7 feet apart from me she says,
"Ohhh... and Valeria, my dorm is number 509." Her shoulders go up and continues.
"Just in case you need someone."
Glad that I found someone to rely on if I run into any trouble I stare at my room door noticing is number 512. I quickly start blushing with excitement... She's only a few doors down the hall. My subconscious notices.
I start putting the key in the door knob when someone opens the door from the inside. It's a guy, a very handsome tan guy. I hear a girl yelling like someone was killing her cat,
"Get out, get the fuck out Ash. You are a piece of shit." She keeps yelling and yelling...
"I don't want to see you again, so get the fuck out of my room." I think she stops because she noticed he is not moving.
"Yep, I'm the piece of shit... Actually, my real name is Ash." He looks at me with a smirk and keeps talking, but this time I don't think it is for me because he is looking behind his shoulder.
"I'll see you around this week Nia." And starts walking away.
"Asshole" Nia, who I guess is my roommate throws herself in bed and starts repeating, "Asshole, asshole, asssssssholeeee."
Then she stands up tries to fix her hair and clothing and looks at me like she has never seen a girl before.
"Oh! You must be Valerie?"
I pick up my key from the floor and say, "Valeria, with an "a" at the end. I know it's difficult to pronounce, you can call me whatever you want."
Nia looks at me and shows me all her white pearly teeth in a beautiful smile and says, "Okay, what about Val? it's short and easy to remember."
Val, really? Val? My subconscious complains and continues, Seems that I won't be able to get rid of the nickname my father game me since I was 3 years old.
My voice comes out, "Yes, Val sounds ok. And you are Nia?"
"Yes!" She put her hands on my shoulders and says,
"The one and only. Come on in, this is also your room."
She seems welcoming and sincerely happy that I was there.
"The left side of the room is mine, and of course the other side is yours. If you need to borrow anything and I mean anything from my side, you are more than welcome."
Her eyes go up an down looking at my body and she says,
"I don't think my clothes would fit you, but you can try some of my baggy shirts, think I have a few. ...Oh shit! Not that I'm implying that you are fat, but girrrl..." she rolls the "r" just like a newyorican from the Bronx.
"You have curves in places I didn't knew a woman would have any. Where are you from?" She asks with a smile.
I started coughing and laughing at the same time, it always happens when I'm put on the spot and I feel extremely embarrassed. "Pu... Puerto Rico" I answer, trying to hide my nervousness.
"What the hell are you doing here? Isn't the island like paradise?" She's giving me a look like she is completely lost of why did I decide to be in Seattle.
"Well, I'm in need of some change in my life. And yes, the island is great, but it was time for me to go... at least for a year." I respond.
"Hummm" the sound came from inside of her mouth, and they way she's looking at me is like she's trying to figure me out.
Then, after 5 seconds of her staring at me, she claps her hands together and continues offering some of her stuff.
"My dad got me the mini fridge last year, you can have any drinks you want or storage any. Also, I have tons of makeup and that fish bowl you see in the shelf on top of my bed includes different sizes or even flavors if you are in need one day."
I think my look says it all when because she looks at me like she's missing something.
"What?" She asks...
I keep looking at her and embarrassed I ask, "What's in the bowl?"
She quickly starts laughing like my question is the greatest joke of all time.
"You are funny, you are really funny." She says and turns away to enter her closet grabbing a few towels.
"I'm going to take a shower. Be out in a few minutes. Make yourself at home! After my shower we need to make plans for the week, classes won't start until next week and we have plenty of shopping and parties to go to." She says.
Shopping? Parties? Doesn't sound like me at all, especially the parties. I came to Seattle for self-growth and to forget...
You can't bring any of the old memories back Valeria. I say to myself.
Trying to wipe my head of memories that want to snap at me again, I start walking to see what the hell is in the fish bowl, when I notice the metallic wrappers I quickly bring my hands to my mouth and open my eyes like I was looking at a ghost.
"OMG! How many packages of condoms are in there?" My loud voice comes out.
Well, I guess somebody in this room is enjoying university life. And I'm pretty sure it will not be me. My subconscious tries to keep me on alert.
After 20 minutes Nia is back in the room with a towel in her body and another one in her hair. She quickly starts telling me about a party tomorrow night at a frat house.
"Ash is part of the frat house. Him and 6 other guys that live there are throwing a party to start the new year. You have to come, that way you can meet some of my fiends." She continues with her bubbly attitude.
"Don't worry I know it is scary at first to attend your first university party, but believe me this is the one that you can't miss." She gives me a honest smile.
"Wasn't Ash the guy that was here earlier?" I ask... and the way she's looking at me is like I press the wrong bottom.
"I know, it looks bad! Even if I'm supposed to forget about him... but come on who am I kidding. He is hot as sin! Did you saw him? I mean did you really saw him?" She asks me with a loud tone and didn't even let me respond.
"We been back and forth for the past year and it seems that every time we do something stupid to hurt each other, we actually can't stay away too long." She takes a deep breath... and looks at me continuing with what it sounds like an explanation of why she is with him.
"I know! It sounds stupid and a little childish, but we can't stay away from each other. Have you felt that before? Do you have somebody waiting for you at the beach in Puerto Rico?" Her questioning sounds like a way to get me to open up. But the real thing is that there is no one waiting for me... at least not in the way she thinks.
"No... there is no one." I reply quickly.
"Ok, well tomorrow let's go shopping at around 11 am and we can start getting ready for the party at 7 pm. What do you think Val? Say yes, you have to." She sounds so excited and convincing that I said,
"Yes, sure!" Sounding not too excited or convincing myself.
It's already midnight when I decide to text my parents to let them know that I arrived and that I'm already well adjusted in my dorm.
Love you
I send my parents a final text before heading to the bathroom to take a long shower to get rid of a pounding headache.
"I think I deserved it," I say to myself.
After all, I been up more than 24 hrs and right now at this moment in the middle of the shower is when my mind and body feel the effects of not eating properly and no sleep at all.
I wake up with the lovely sound of Ron Pope and his piano, his acoustic version of A Drop In The Ocean makes me feel butterflies in my stomach. I immediately start thinking my roommate is a badass, think she knows what I like already. Quickly when I open my eyes a knock comes through the door.
"Nia, are you ready?"A male voice asks.
The guy doesn't stop knocking and I notice that Nia is not in her bed. She's probably taking a shower. I start walking to open the door and the guy keeps knocking and talking at the same time.
"Come on Nia, I don't have time for your bullshit. Open the damn door." He says.
Quickly when I open the door I only see vibrant blue eyes. Staring at him I start regretting waking up this morning.
YOU ARE READING
Immigrant
Romance"Connected by tragedy, surviving for love." Valeria Robles is a 19-year-old student that decides to do an exchange program at UW. Her life from the outside seems normal but she's hiding some secrets that probably she would take to the grave. After c...
