3. CONVERSATION STARTER

3

CONVERSATION STARTER

Summer

When we have everything sorted, they help me with my bags to my dorm, which is a cool eight floors up. Not looking forward to the day something happens to the elevators. When we get to my room, we hear some music next door. It would seem I have a rowdy neighbor.

"Looks like you won't be sleeping much," my father comments.

The door swings open and Jocelyn Flores by XXXTentacion comes spilling out. Please don't be an emo kid, I don't have the energy to deal with a morose person.

As my dad fights with the lock, my neighbor comes out and I'm happy to see she does not look like an emo kid. The gorgeous brown girl has eyes so big and bright, they look like they're twinkling. With a bright smile, she approaches.

"Hi!" she says, a slight Indian accent jumping out and I smile at her. I love different accents so much. A plus in my book already.

"Hello, young lady." My mother greets her and my father opens my door.

"You must be my new neighbor. I'm Hazel from Toronto." She extends her hand, and I take her hand first. She seems enthusiastic and forward. I am going to need as many friendly people and acquaintances as I can gather.

"I'm Summer, and these are my parents."

"Nice to meet you." She shakes their hands.

"Are you a freshman too?" my mother asks as we roll my bags inside.

"Yes. Actuarial Science major," she says with a big grin.

Somebody is happy to be here. And now I feel like I am the underwhelming one.

My parents' faces morph to being impressed, bordering on pride. The fuck? I give them sideways glares when they look at Hazel like they wish I was her.

"Well, we have a few bags, but I will come around when I'm done," I say when we walk out.

"You don't need help?"

"Nah, it's the last trip. We'll manage." I smile.

"Alright, nice to meet you. I will take good care of your daughter," Hazel offers.

My parents laugh. "Good to know."

After we finish carrying my bags and they help me with the little things, I see them out after they say bye to Hazel.

"Is there a way you can still take online classes instead, Su?" my father asks as he bear hugs me for an extended time. I let him because I'm their first bird to flee the nest.

"Dad, it's not happening. These college parties aren't going to go to themselves," I joke, but his frown says he takes it seriously. I mean, I'm not kidding, but I am.

"You are going to make your father kidnap you and I really want to go to the spa this afternoon," my mom says pulling me into her arms. I just chuckle and she kisses my cheeks after.

"Hey, tell your boyfriend that he had his time, it's mine now and I remember everything he told me, and my pepper spray is restocked."

"I should have gotten you a taser too. I'll mail that when I get home," my father says from behind mom, and me and my mother laugh.

"Don't laugh. These college boys can be creeps. Remember to never go to parties alone and look for decent responsible friends. Always cover your drinks."

"I mean Hazel is probably going to be one of my friends. She looks responsible." I shrug.

"She looks like a nice girl," my mother says.

"Yeah, well let's leave before we start cramping your style."

I twist my face. "Dad, nobody says that anymore. Seriously you should get Nana to teach you the things."

My father rolls his eyes, and we move to the car. They hop in and I wave them goodbye, watching them go. It feels like the end of an era and the beginning of a new journey. I inhale deeply and exhale before turning back to my room. I have the whole weekend to chill before classes start on Monday.

I go to my room and change into a crop top and shorts to feel comfier. Then take nana's cookies and I go find Hazel. I figure the container will be a great conversation starter.

I knock on her door and she opens a few seconds later, wet with a towel around her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'll come back."

"Oh, nonsense, come in." She waves off my protest, then pauses. "Unless you're like a perv?"

I chuckle. "Last time I checked I wasn't. But you can perv on me too." I gesture to my legs and exposed stomach, and she chuckles, ushering me in. She already has everything settled and decorated. Pictures of her family and her friends.

"Make yourself comfortable," she says behind me, walking to the other side of her room.

I remain next to her board and peruse all the notes she's made. This girl is organized. She has her calendar up with dates already marked with her tests, assignments, exams, when she's free and when she's doing everything. I feel so left behind.

"You have quite the schedule," I comment, clutching the tin tighter.

"Yeah, it will kill me, but it will be worth it when I have that penthouse in New York, and I stick it to my cousin." The hostility toward the cousin rolls off her.

Turning, I arch an amused eyebrow, waiting for an elaboration.

She shrugs. "She's in med school, and there's always been a war between me and her in the family. You know how things are in our communities."

I nod. Indeed, I knew. The 'healthy' competition in families of color.

Some people break their backs, and their mental health suffers just so they can get that job, that degree, that apartment, that car. Just so they can prove themselves in their communities. Although each community has its own brand of this culture, it's there in all black and brown communities.

"So do you know anyone here yet?" I ask after a moment of silence.

"You are the first person I've met other than the girl I met on the plane yesterday. I don't mean to put pressure on you, but college shows tell me that this means we are going to be friends till old age." She grins and I laugh. I like this girl.

"Unless you turn out to be a psycho who steals my boyfriend, we'll be fine."

"Boyfriend from high school?"

"Oh no, I'm…kidding about the boyfriend. I'm very much single," I say a bit embarrassed.

"Don't tell me you are a cliché freshman virgin who is here for all the college boys and the wonders they have to show her?" she jokes as she finishes moisturizing her body.

I laugh. "Um, no. The virginity train left me at the station long ago. I had a boyfriend." I omit the 's.' I don't need that enquiry yet. "Things didn't work out a few months ago."

"I dumped mine over the summer," she says nonchalantly and I have to turn again. "I was coming to college to meet all the cute boys; I wasn't going to let him weigh me down. Do you know how hard I worked to get here? I'm here for the full experience."

"You sure you'll have any time left? Your schedule is pretty hectic." I gesture to said schedule.

"I will make time, my darling. Like the parties before classes start. Maybe we can find one tomorrow?" she suggests, and I feel her approaching me.

"Um, I don't know, maybe." I don't know if I'm in the mood for crowds yet.

She stands next to me as we gaze at her work of art . "You not into parties?"

"I am," I lie. "I just wanted to relax a little, you know?"

"But the best parties start this weekend."

"Is this the peer pressure I've heard so much about?"

"Yes." Her hands grab the container I was starting to forget about. I haven't even used it as a conversation starter.

"What's in there?" she asks suspiciously.

"Guess?"

"Um, I'd rather not because in my family some of those have old documents my grandmother keeps, and some are basically a drawer for wool and buttons. I don't know your family, so could be a bomb in there."

I cackle.

"There are actual cookies here. I brought this as a conversation starter. My grandmother always forces them on us. Don't laugh at the container. It's basically a family heirloom."

She laughs anyway opening the tin. "Oh, come on, I understand." Her eyes do that sparkling thing again. "These smell delicious." She takes one and heads to the study table and I follow to take one.

"Soda or juice?" she asks heading to her fridge.

"Soda, please. No sugar if possible."

"Oh no, ma'am. I am a vibrant 19-year-old. This is a house of sugar."

I laugh. "Fine, give me the poison then."

We sit and talk about high school and just the general low down on our lives. Though I very much avoid the topic of boyfriends, which Hazel doesn't seem to mind much. She tells me about her experiences, though. In the afternoon, we walk to a local restaurant not far from the campus.

She tells me the salmon was ridiculously good and I just have to taste it to believe. I'm a bit of a salmon snob.

Although not the best I've had but still really good.

When we are done, we leave, but she has to run back a few minutes later to pee and I wait for her at the benches outside because it's hot as hell in there.

Dangling my feet off the bench, I take in my new home.

Students going in different directions. Some fast, some slow, some looking like they have no fucking clue where they are going and it's not even the beginning of semester yet. Some are already drunk and it's not even 9 p.m. I sit there, waiting for Hazel who is taking her time, almost going to find her when she comes back.

"Were you taking the deuce of your life in there?" I say.

She giggles. "I'm a lady, Su, I don't deuce. And no. I just met the most gorgeous boy I've ever seen. We made eye contact and…" She trails off and I see hearts in her eyes and can't help but giggle.

"Is he still in there?" I'm curious to see this most gorgeous guy.

"Nah, he left. He just came to pick up an order, he's gone. He was in a hurry."

"Did you at least make googly eyes at him and seduce him?"

"No," she sighs. "He walked away when I was trying to say hi."

"Rude ass bitch," I say as we start walking.

"Maybe he was dealing with something. He looked sad. But he looked like he was straight from a wet dream. My clit almost jumped out, it wanted to kiss him."

I chuckle. "But it's no excuse for being shitty. You not even dating him yet, but you already making excuses for him. This is not what cousin Prisha would settle for."

She pokes at me, and I jump before she runs after me. I run all the way back to our dorm. Where we spend the night in our pajamas having a Netflix marathon.

We end up deciding to spend the weekend not at parties. Opting for some shopping at the mall on the other side of town and the salon on Saturday.

All in all, it's chilled vibes.