3

W aking up the next day in a new place should be weird, but since I've been doing it my whole life, the only weird part is that my parents aren't here. I know they're with me in spirit and all that, but not having them physically here is still so strange. I no longer wake up to the smell of Mom's coffee in the air, while Dad complains about her stinking the whole house up. It's the little things I miss the most.

I reach over and grab my phone off my bedside table. I have a text from my new roommate.

When we were assigned to our dorms, we were given our roommates contact information with the option to communicate. I chose to tentatively reach out and test the water. After all, I would be living with this person after only ever living with my parents. Not to mention I've never really had a chance to make friends, so I'm hopeful Zoey and I can continue to build a relationship. If not friends, at least amicable acquaintances, but hopefully friends. So far, we've hit it off pretty well. We like a lot of the same things, and we've been in constant communication since I texted her that first day.

What I wouldn't give to be on a last-hoorah-before-college road trip with my parents.

Well, now that she won't be here today, I have some time to explore. I hop out of bed and pick out some cute but comfy clothes. Pink is my go-to just because it's my favorite color and it makes me happy. It also looks so good with my silver hair. I tie it all up in an obnoxious, messy bun on top of my head, pulling bitty strands out by my ears on a reflex. We never found out why my hair was so prematurely silver, but I've chosen to embrace it. Plus, it looks killer with my ice-blue eyes, and who am I to argue with nature?

I'm kind of glad I have this day to myself. The campus is even nicer than I expected. When I looked up the college and the surrounding area, it seemed kind of old and run-down. Although, in person, it's really not that bad. Sure, it's a little old; a lot of colleges and universities are, but they keep it clean, and the landscapers take their job very seriously. I haven't seen a flower or blade of grass out of place.

The school colors are red, white, and gold, and I love that they've incorporated school-colored flowers everywhere. Something so simple brings out just a little extra sunshine and happiness. I love flowers. Flowers of all kinds. They're all so beautiful, colorful, and unique. While Mom and Dad were always photographing mostly animals, I would gravitate towards the flora and fauna native to the given area.

The natural beauty of things has always just amazed me. It's always blown my mind how the most strange and beautiful things simply exist with no one regularly caring for them. From cacti to flowers and trees, it all just speaks to me, and I can't get enough.

After I finished ogling all the floral arrangements, I found a cute little coffee shop on the corner of campus that makes the yummiest iced coffee I think I've ever had. You would miss it if you weren't paying close attention.

There's a little strip of shops, and it's almost hidden between the collegiate gear shop called Swag and a textbook shop with a giant sign that just says BOOKS. Each of those storefronts is so full of sale racks and signs that you could easily miss the entrance tucked into the alcove.

The door is all glass and covered in window chalk. There are smiley faces, flowers, hearts, and coffee cups painted all over the door. Right in the middle, in funky lettering, it says Cool Beans. I didn't know which flavor to try, so I got one called Wheece's. It was a white chocolate peanut butter combination that tasted like heaven. I knew I'd have to come back and try all the flavors! The barista was a nice girl who looked to be around my age. Does she go to school here too? Maybe we could be friends? Oh! Maybe if I have the time and energy, once I get settled, maybe I could work here too!

I spend the rest of the day wandering around, familiarizing myself with the buildings, places to eat, and potential study spots.

I chose photojournalism as my major. I loved the life I lived with my parents, so why not keep living that life as an adult? My hope is that one day I can be even a fraction of the photojournalists my parents were. Maybe travel the world and see even more of nature's beauty.

Zoey is majoring in photography, so we should have some classes together. She's also here on a full-ride scholarship, like me. I know it shouldn't matter, but it makes me feel better that my roommate isn't some excessively wealthy social elitist. I'm not broke or anything, by any means. Mom and Dad both . . . they . . . they both had— d eep breath in, hold it, release— they both had life insurance to make sure I was taken care of. I'd give the money back to have them back any day. I don't WANT this money. I never even knew they were covered for stuff like that. I'm sure it was all Dad's doing.

It's finally getting easier and easier to think about them, but every now and then, the grief and anxiety hit me like a tidal wave. I'm forever grateful my therapist gave me the tools I needed to understand how to survive those waves of emotion and come out on the other side.

The next morning, I'm woken by the door to my dorm being opened and whispering voices filling the space. Peeking over my shoulder, I find Zoey and her parents trying to move things quietly into the small dorm room.

"It's okay, I was starting to wake up," I try to say without my voice sounding like gravel from sleep. Zoey lets out a small squeal, bounds straight to my bed, and wraps her arms around me like we'd done it a hundred times. "I'm so sorry we woke you, but I'm so excited to see you! Wow, your hair really is silver. How much upkeep does that take?" she said with a contagious smile on her face. I loved that she rambled a little, since I had a tendency to ramble a lot. I feel like every little thing we have in common can help a new friendship take off on the right foot.

I rub my eyes as I sit up, followed by stretching my arms above my head. "Good morning, Zoey and Zoey's parents," I half yawn.

"Good morning!" they all reply cheerily at the same time.

"I'll just get dressed, and maybe we could grab some coffee before getting Zoey all moved in?" I asked as I rummaged through my drawers for what I'd wear today.

Zoey spoke for everyone, bouncing on her toes. "That sounds perfect!"

You could tell Zoey's parents weren't really ready to leave her when the time came. They'd stalled at every opportunity today, and now that it was getting dark out, they were really leaving, and they were struggling.

How would my parents have handled a day like this? Moving me in? Leaving me without them for the first time in my life? Shaking the somber thoughts from my head, I let them have their moment. I head over to the small cabinet over my desk and take my vitamins, making a mental note that I've got two months left, so I'll need to figure out where to get them myself afterwards.

Out of the corner of my vision, Zoey finally closes the door and wipes at her teary eyes for a minute before slapping her smile on her face and making her way towards me. I wonder if that's a new-person smile to make friends or if she really smiles like that all the time. I hope it's all the time because it makes me want to smile too.

Zoey is radiant. Not just visually, but her energy too. Being around her just makes you want to be happy. She's quite a bit taller than me, probably five foot five, give or take. She has long, straight black hair, nearly reaching her waist, and gray eyes that give away her every thought. She also has the cutest little heart-shaped birthmark on her jawline.

"So, what should we do with our first official evening as best friends?" she asks as she plops down on the edge of my bed. The shock only lasts a second before I regain use of my brain.

"B-best friends?" I ask with watery eyes.

"Well duh! I mean, we've been talking all summer, we have loads in common, we had a great day together, and we live together for the foreseeable future. I don't have any friends here either, so unless you're secretly like a serial killer or something, then yes, we'll be best friends, so why not label this thing now?"

This time I initiate the hug and nod into her shoulder, "I'd like that very much."

We said we were going to watch Twilight and snack, but we've talked through the whole thing, and now the credits are rolling. What an amazing night, though. I knew everything would be okay, but this is better than okay. It's great. It's more than I ever expected.