Baby

Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Frat

unedited

Time had slipped by without us noticing. Soon enough, we found ourselves standing in front of the Rem building. Along the way, we had engaged in a conversation that highlighted the strange coincidence of my chance meeting with her mother at the airport.

"Maybe fate destined us to be roommates, like soulmates!" Beverly suggests curiously, reaching for the door handle and opening the entrance. I chuckled in response.

Stepping into the spacious room, my eyes are immediately drawn to a grand chandelier overhead. "That's where they take the student ID photos," Beverly explains, gesturing to a specific area. As we proceed further into the room, we're greeted by the woman from the front desk. "Hello, what can I help you with today?"

"My roommate, who just arrived here this morning, hasn't received her ID yet," Beverly informs her.

The woman nods and glances down at her computer, her fingers dancing on the keyboard as she types something. She looks back at me and asks for my name.

"Baby Sinclair." I tell her.

Her eyebrows arch a little, then she gives me a smile. The woman looks down again to type something, then clicks the enter button. "Here you are! Just have a seat over there, by the camera. And then just sit up tall for me, okay?" She points to the chair I'm meant to sit in.

I respond with a quick smile and nod before making my way to the chair and taking my seat. For a moment, I glance over at Beverly, who is busily tapping away on her phone and smiling to herself.

"Okay, look right into the camera and say 'Oak Hill'!" the woman cheerily instructs. I smile and do as she says, though, the intense flash of the camera is a little blinding, but it's over quickly.

The woman then tells me, "Once the 3D printer is completed, you can take it and you'll be all set to go." She returns her attention to her computer, tapping away at the keyboard. As I approach Beverly, she suddenly looks up from her phone, her expression one of excitement, puzzling me for a moment. However, soon it becomes clear why.

As we approached the building, Beverly suddenly interrupted the silence with an outburst of excitement. "My friend Callan, who's a sophomore in a frat here, just asked if we wanted to go to their party tonight," Beverly exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

I scrunched my face a bit, "Uh, I don't know-"

Her face twists into a pout as she pleads, "Come on, Baby, I promise! We're going to stick together and have so much fun! Let's make some wild college memories together!"

I was struggling to tell Beverly 'no,' but maybe she had a point. It wasn't as though I had a plethora of close friends. Maybe part of the blame rested with me. I'd spent most of my life as the shy kid, never quite fitting in. And the people around me? They'd consistently said I was unlikeable, among other things.

But I reminded myself that I was no longer willing to accept the label of 'unlikeable' or to doubt myself. And just as Beverly said, I could create some new memories in the upcoming chapter of my life at Oak Hill.

I let out a heavy sigh before slowly nodding my head, signaling my agreement.

Beverly squealed so loud, the woman at the front desk shushed her and told us to leave if we were done. Glancing down, I notice that the ID has already been printed, so I quickly grab it and offer a sincere apology to the woman.