I Blame Wattpad for My High Expectations of Men

Chapter 1 - Living the God DAYUM American Dream.

~Beginning of Long Ass Flashback~

~Eight Years Ago~

"Woah."

"Yup. There it is, Kells. The University of California, Santa Barbara."

"I can't believe it. I mean, we're finally doing this, Lola," my best friend since diapers, Kelsey Fayer, says as she turns to face me.

"You ready?" I ask her, the first of many unpacked boxes that we're currently holding finally beginning to take a toll on me.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she responds, and with that, we finally enter the notorious campus and head over to the residence hall that's to serve as our home for the next four years: Manzanita Village.

Ever since we enrolled in Niles West High School back in Chicago and took a class trip to UCSB with our business teacher Mr. Coleman that same year, Kelsey and I dreamed of attending the infamous college together. Upon our first sight of the vibrant, lively campus, we instantly fell in love with its environment and not to mention its programs. Specifically, the voice program for Kelsey's impeccable singing talent and film and media studies for my love of the film industry. Four years later and here we finally are, living the God DAYUM American Dream.

"I'm so glad we decided to take care of everything so early in the year," Kelsey says as she goes to unlock our double. "I don't know what I'd do if we weren't rooming together."

"You can say that again," I agree as I set my boxes down on my side of the room — yeah, we had already taken care of deciding which side was whose, too. "Who else would put up with our shit?"

We chuckle at my humorous but very true remark.

"Bet. Although, the lazy me does kind of wish we signed up for a four-person suite now that we have all that shit to bring in from our cars."

"Yeah." A deep sigh leaves me. "But think of it this way...the faster we get it all in, the sooner we can go out."

"True," she beams. "Last one to bring her stuff in does the first week's laundry!"

And with that, we rush out of our room and to our cars, already earning the prestigious awards that rightfully declare us as our residence hall's 'weirdos' as we dodge the incoming students who dare to get in our way.

***

"Have you spoken to your mom or Luca," — my older brother by four years — "yet?" Kelsey asks as she finishes touching up the last of her makeup. Not that she needs any of it. She's, quite literally, the definition of gorgeous.

"Yeah, I called Mom when I beat your slow ass back to the dorm while you were still bringing up the last three rounds of your shit," I tease her. "And I texted Luca that we've settled in. He said he'll call me tomorrow, so we can have an actual conversation, though. You?"

"Called my parents while my 'slow ass' was still bringing up the last three rounds of my shit, like you said," she playfully retorts, "and spoke to Jason this morning."

Jason is Kelsey's brother, and Luca's best friend, who also happens to be four years older than us as well. It's pretty weird, actually. Our moms were always close, but who knew that their friendship extended to the point where even their pregnancies were synchronized?

"Have you heard from the others yet?" I ask Kelsey as I stuff the last of my essentials, and perhaps the most important, inside my red Fjällräven Kånken backpack: a fresh pack of Sour Patch Kids.

        Trust me, no matter how grown of an adult you may be, you can never have enough Sour Patch Kids.

"Yeah! Skylar and Theo arrived in Albuquerque yesterday, the twins were already up in UCLA by the crack of dawn, and Spencer made it to Denver about two hours ago. Oh, and as of half an hour ago, they have all confirmed that they're coming on Saturday."

"Well of course they're coming, Kells. Not only is this UCSB's 'Week of Welcome' week which means parties, parties and more parties, but it's also your nineteenth birthday on Saturday. They wouldn't miss that for the world!"

Kelsey's beautiful but faint smile plasters across her face at the sound of my words, and I don't blame her. It was hard on all of us when the group first parted, but we promised to remain close no matter what distance was to come between the seven of us.

"Is it always going to be this hard, Lola?" Kelsey asks, reading my mind.

"I miss them, too," I admit, not really knowing how to answer her question without making her even more sad. But I've been a direct person my whole life, and I wasn't going to stop now. "But we made a promise to one another, Kells. A promise that I know we all are going to keep."

Unlike others.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she shrugs, dabbing at her watery eyes that she always claims is just her allergies acting up on her again.

"Damn right I'm right." I swing my arm over her shoulders, causing another, more stronger, smile to appear on her face this time. "Now let's go! The celebrations have already started down by the Storke Tower!" 

I all but push her slow ass out the door so that I can lock our room.

"Alright, alright, I'm going! Sheesh woman!" She chuckles as I double check our locks once more, and off to the Storke Tower we go.

It takes us a good ten minutes to get to the tower but as soon as we spot the hyped crowd and scattered activities that are taking place, the walk proves to have been worth it.

"Look at this place, Lola!" Kelsey calls to me, and I do.

I do a 360-turn at the scene around us, and thank my lucky stars that Spencer and Kelsey ended up convincing me to go on that business trip four years ago, otherwise I wouldn't be here today.

"It's amazing, Kells!" I tell her as I complete my turn. "What do you want to do first?"

"Well, our fake ID's don't come in 'til tomorrow, so," she turns to face me, "food?"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I ask with a very unattractive eyebrow raise, but when Kelsey mirrors my actions, I know it's not long before we both yell out, "Santorini Island Grill!"

We head on over to the Mediterranean haven, have ourselves some bomb ass Gryos Pita sandwiches with sides of Volcano Fries and by the time we get back to our dorm after exploring every inch of the campus as if it were our first time stepping foot on it, it's already midnight and we're off to bed.

"Goodnight, Lola."

"'Night, Kells."

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*Author's Note: Let me know what you guys think of the first chapter and, of course, vote if you feel like it's worthy of it! Stay blessed :)*