hobbledehoy

You're Going To Kill Yourself, Ass-Butt

To get meals on campus, basically you spend fifty bucks on this card that allows you to have 100 free meals that semester. I wasted my money, I've never used the stupid card. I always make my ramen noodles in my dorm, then take it down to the cafeteria to eat.

For some odd reason, I find it more embarrassing to eat alone in my room, than to eat alone in a public place. It's like the whole world wonders where you are when you're not there, but no one cares when you are.

Life's a peach.

I was wearing my seventh favorite sweater today. A thinner one, my Mother made it for me; it's lime green with a large gold circle in the middle, and in the circle was a large H.

Some may find it a bit weird, but I liked it.

"You know, it is Hawaiian Haystack Day," A familiar voice says from behind me, "Which means you don't have to eat those ninety-nine cent death noodles."

I spin around on my stool-like chair and smile up at the beaming Merlynn, whom I had met yesterday.

"How is the haystack any better?" I challenge, while fixing my napkin that had become a bit crooked.

Merlynn sighed, plopped her tray down on the table, and sat down across from me. My first thought was how messy and unorganized this girl was, and she didn't even seem to notice. Unable to control myself, I reached over to straighten things up—like wiping up the pudding that had split, sitting the apple upright, and fixing her crooked napkin.

"Well, it's Hawaiian," She explains, watching me work with a raised eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure everything they eat is healthy."

"I'm not even sure the haystack originated from there..."

"Hyrum, I love you, really," Merlynn says, catching me completely off guard, "But can you please stop palming my crackers?"

I look down and see that I have indeed been stacking up her crackers in an orderly fashion without even realizing it.

"Oh, sorry," I mumbled sheepishly, and decided it was best for me just to sit on my hands, "My bad."

"Don't sweat it, I'm just messing around with you." Merlynn says playfully.

"So... How do you like Pine Parks so far?" I ask, changing the subject to make myself feel less awkward.

"It's very... important? Is that the right word?" She asks herself, pondering over it she replies, "Everyone acts as if they are a man on a mission. That whatever they major in is the most improtant thing in the world."

"Is that bad?"

"It takes a lot of fun out of being a college student."

"What are you majoring in?" I ask, while scooping a large bite of beef-flavored ramen into my mouth.

"Theatre! I want to be a actress, then a theatre director some day," Merlynn answers, her excited expression made me smile, "What about you?"

I didn't answer right away, I always get a bit embarrased when I'm asked this. I start tapping on the table with my fingers, and the ground with my toes. Does it feel a bit hot in here? Maybe it's just me

"English. I'm a Writer." I say as proudly as I can manage, because even though it wasn't considered the most ideal career here, I still love it.

"A writer, huh? That's hot!" She giggles, "You look like one."

This sparks a little interest in me, because I have never been told that I (or writing) was hot, and no one has ever told me I look like a writer.