There was a boy in her room.
Just this time Cath didn't bother looking at the number of the room she was in, because she knew.
Pound Hall, 913.
All of the empty rooms she had passed to get here had looks alike and empty all in the same way, but this one was alike and empty in a different way. This was Reagan and Cath's room. Theirs. They had it last year and this year they had agreed to live together like just.
Who knew where Reagan was.
That was what Reagan did, she was always off somewhere, only sometimes did she drag off Cath with her. Sometimes the boy in her room was with her or sometimes the boy with Cath.
"Which Simon Snow posters do you want to be hung up over here?" Levi asked raising one arm out to the wall, "I kinda think this one would look good. How the light shines in here and all."
Cath walked into her room from the doorway and placed a box of boxes of fruit snacks under her bed. While Levi was occupied with judging which poster looked best with the lighting she hid a box of protein bars in the back of her wardrobe.
Cath turned back to Levi with his beaming smile, "Awe, you remembered how much I love Blueberry Bliss that you hid a whole bulk box in your closet to treat me to later, how sweet of you, sweetheart." Levi's voice dripped sarcasm, and he smothered Cath's face into his armpit while he tried to give her a tight loving hug. The same armpit that had just been exerting sweat over moving Cath's boxes in.
Cath squirmed out of his grip, laughing at herself and Levi. "Oh no, these are all for me. Me, Levi. I plan to eat these myself because where you work, they branched out and serve not only Blueberry Bliss but Cranberry Crunch."
Levi replied with a look that said 'Oh but yours are free 'cause you've already bought them.' "Just you wait Cather, one day you'll offer them to me. It will be the end of the year, and you'll have extras that you don't want to take home cause you convinced your dad that you needed this box. You'll be embarrassed to take home so many extras."
Cath scoffed, "How do you know, I won't be stuck in this room all of the weekends writing for Professor Piper?" Cath stood there with a hand on her bedpost smiling knowing she had proven a valid point, even though she knew she had too many boxes, but before Levi got a chance to answer, there was a knock at the open door.
"Hey Cath, Wren has gotten all situated in her room and said it might be best if I leave as soon as I can so I can catch you before you have to go to the second year parties," Her dad was standing in her doorway with tears in his eyes. Just like last year, but more.
Cath quickly left her bed and embraced her father. "Dad I won't even be going to parties. When do I ever really?" Her dad was looking a lot better than he had last year. He drank decaf coffee every morning and went for a run. He was so used to running now that he runs 5 miles every day.
When he gets home I have breakfast made for him most of the time, but sometimes when I'm up late writing for Professor Piper, Wren makes the meal. He goes to work, comes home and we eat dinner together, given that we're all home. I used to do the shopping with his debit card, but since we were leaving we've gotten him used to shopping for himself. Nobody ever ate the frozen meals, so eventually, they were tossed.
Cath only worries about him getting bad all over again once Wren and herself leave. His depression might spike, or he might start getting all of his meals from QuikTrip, or he might stop taking his meds. 'Okay I guess there's a lot to worry about, but I'm not as worried about them now.'
Cath hugged her dad for a while and he held her tightly. "I'll be back this weekend because I realize I forgot my last Simon Snow book on my dresser. I'm sure the other girl who likes her boyfriend in Omaha forgot something at home too, so maybe she'll have to drive home." She pulled away at her father and looked at his face. "Now you tell Fucking Kelly an amazing pitch and make sure you go to sleep before midnight if you can. Okay?"
Cath paused making sure her dad planned on listening to what she said. He nodded. He did. "Also, if you go to QuickTrip and walk out with two plastic shopping bags, I'll be disappointed, just go to Kroger's." Cath pulled in her dad tightly again and held him for about 4 seconds before she quickly pulled away. She had tears in her eyes.
It was her dad's time to speak. Cath didn't know what to say. "I will Cath," now he looked over at Levi, so Cath's eyes followed her dad's, "Promise me that you will try to get her out of this dorm and talk to people. Make sure she writes for that Piper." Levi didn't say anything, but smiled and nodded quickly and a lot. "I've got to go sweetie. If I don't leave now..." He let that unfinished sentence hang. He pulled in Cath very tightly again and pulled away. Just this time his arms fully disconnected from around his daughter. "I love you Cath."
"I love you too, dad." Cath knew she had tears in her eyes and didn't think she cared. Her dad brushed her hand across her cheek to brush a tear Cath didn't know she had shed. Cath looked down at the hand confused. "Bye." He left the room quickly looking back at Cath before his head left the room.
Levi came up behind Cath and placed a hand, gingerly, on her arm. Cath turned around her body and wrapped herself around Levi, relishing in the safe feeling she felt.
He felt like home.