Ramshackle House
Chapter 1: Freedom Feels Like Lonely
I'm back! Haven't written anything in a while, seems like I can't stick to one idea and I only get the urge to write right before a class, but I wanted to do something. Plus, my roommates went home for the weekend. That's really where the idea for this came from, my being alone all day. The title's from a Joe Nichols song, nothing in the plot is though. The song in the story is Turn Off This Song And Go Outside by The Lonely Forest.
Edit: I've changed the name to this to fit what I plan to do with it, as it should be getting a few new chapters. The story name is now from the song Tunnels by The Lonely Forest, while the old name is just for the chapter now. I'm hoping to get up a second chapter sometime this week.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the title song. I do own the idea, as I did most of it today.
They say college is freedom. The first time you can really get away from your parents, make your own rules, and do what you want. Mitchie understood this, but it had never really affected her. She'd never really wanted to get away from her mom, and she'd always had the trust to mostly do whatever anyway.
She so loved just being alone in her room with her music and TV, it seemed it would be a huge adjustment going off to live with two other girls in a small room, even sleeping in the same room as them. Luckily for her though, she was able to stay with Caitlyn, one of her best friends from high school, and they got to be fairly good friends with their other roommate Gianna too. As their Hall Advisor said once, she never really talked to them since they were always so content, just having fun on their computers.
All of that was partially why, with both of her roommates gone home for the weekend, freedom felt like loneliness. It was only Gianna's second trip home all year, as she lived quite a ways away. Caitlyn, on the other hand, was going home because when ordering a book for herself online, she'd accidentally sent it to her house. Well, that and her boyfriend was going to be there.
Friday wasn't so bad, she was only alone for the afternoon. That happened most Sundays when Caitlyn and her boyfriend locked themselves in the bedroom to 'talk'. Mitchie had chosen not to try verifying that claim.
It was Saturday when she really started to feel the fact that she was alone. She was entertaining herself on the internet when she looked to the clock and was startled to learn that she'd been in her room for nearly twelve straight hours, not counting her time spent asleep. Once she realized, the fact made her anxious. It felt sad, in a way, to not have anyone to talk to or anything better to do. At least it was almost time for dinner.
Dinner was what finally forced her out of fortress of solitude, and for some reason she'd never truly understood, the cafeteria, or 'residential restaurant', as it was marketed, that was attached to their hall was closed on weekends. This usually meant that she and Caitlyn would walk to another one about twenty minutes north of their room. Now though, it would be just her, so before leaving she threw in her headphones, distracting herself with her music and thoughts.
The hall outside her door was empty, which made it hit her even more when she got to the lobby that the people there were the first she'd seen all day, making the loneliness take hold even more. She shook her head and focused on the songs.
About halfway there, she randomly found herself behind a group of people, one of whom just happened to be Sarah, one of Gianna's friends she'd talked to a few times. Sarah, her new boyfriend Richard, and a couple of unknown random guys, or URGs, as her high school friend Allison used to call them due to the acronym and the fact that 'it's the most intelligent thing any man in history has ever said'. Unfortunately for Mitchie, they were just going to the library, so after a short how do you do, she was alone again, but with slightly lifted spirits.
As she walked, she marveled at the fact that even at a big university with over 20,000 students, she could still find herself in an area with no other inhabitants. It seemed like they'd all just left for the weekend. Taking the rare opportunity, she began lightly singing along with the song playing, something she didn't dare do in front of others for fear of being poorly judged. Thus, whenever she did happen to pass another lonesome soul, her volume lowered to no more than a breath, inaudible to any except herself. It was in this fashion that she eventually reached the 'restaurant', finally removing her musical distractions as woman at the entrance podium scanned her ID and let her in.
There were more people in the dining area, but still no familiar faces, so Mitchie picked out a small, out of the way table, claimed it by setting down her jacket on one of the chairs, and went for some food.
Caitlyn would be jealous of her. After the other girl had skipped dinner last weekend and missed her favorite fried shrimp, here Mitchie was having it without her again. Between that and the chicken sandwich, she almost started wondering if she was eating too much, but it was her only meal of the day. She had to make up for lost food. After doing so, and after stuffing her pockets from the bowl of mints, a habit she was still trying to break, she threw her headphones back in, heading out.
For some reason, which she'd never quite understood but never cared enough about to question, they had always taken a different route home than the one they used to get to the diner. This had Mitchie walking down another seemingly empty street, being passed every now and then by some car that hadn't gotten the 'stay away from Mitchie' memo.
Eventually, she reached the point she'd always liked the best about these trips, a small path that led through a semi-wooded area. It was the most like a forest path you'd find on the large campus, and she always found comfort in the fact that not many people seemed to use it. Also, she loved watching the little squirrels that were always digging around in the area.
As a bonus, when you emerged from the tree cover, there was a lake set off to the side of the path. Mitchie watched it for a moment, feeling the urge to just stay and watch it more. Then she noticed a picnic table around the edge, and decided there was no harm in sitting on it for a while. After a short time, she realized it would likely be more comfortable on the bench a few feet away, and moved there, wondering how she'd failed to notice all of this on previous trips. Sitting there, she saw lots of things she figured she must simply walk past usually, even the fact that they'd turned off the fountain in the middle of the lake.
She lost herself for a while, laughing at the little rustlings the squirrels made as they dug in the leaves, and watching the sun's reflection fade behind a building. As she sat, she marveled at how no one being around could be so much more pleasant in nature than locked up in a room. When her favorite song came on, she sang softly, watching the chubby rodents scurry around.
Welcome to my heart and soul And though I'm young life's been short So turn off, turn off this song And guys in bands When faced with truth Turn off, turn off this song Yeah you turn off, turn off this song
Miserable excuse
But tell the world of all the pain I've caused
I hope you don't forget these songs
I'm only twenty-one
I feel as though we can relate on some
Of these words I've written down
Find someone to love
Turn off this song
You can listen to it later
And go outside
With vintage shirts and hundred dollar pants
Often think we do what no one can
We see ourselves above the rest
I realize there is nothing I can do
Amount of talent or gift to bring
That is greater than the orphan song she sings yeah
Find someone to love
Turn off this song
You can listen to it later
And go outside
Find someone to love
Turn off this song
You can listen to it later
And go outside
And go outside
And go outside
And go outside
The song finished, and she took the buds out of her ears, feeling a compulsion to follow the music's directions. She felt simply content. Her only wish was to have a cute girl to share the nature with.
As she thought that, she spotted one, walking down the path around the other side of the lake. She watched as the girl followed the pavement, only to be disappointed as she was met by a young man, who kissed her.
"You have a really nice voice." Someone spoke from behind her, and she jumped slightly, wondering how she hadn't heard them approaching through all the crunchy leaves on the ground.
"Oh, you heard that?" She questioned, trying to act as if she hadn't just had a mild heart attack.
"Yeah, it sounded like you were really into it, so I didn't wanna interrupt."
"Well, sitting out here, it just kinda felt like the perfect song for the situation."
"It is really nice out here. Do you mind if I sit with you?" The other girl joined Mitchie once she nodded. "My name's Alex, by the way. What have you been doing out here?"
"Nothing really," Mitchie chuckled, "I'm just watching the lake and the funny little squirrels hopping around."
"Ooh I love squirrels!" Alex exclaimed. "They're so tiny and chubby!" Mitchie agreed with her, and the two girls happily watched the rodents dig for their hidden nuts for a while.
Before too long though, it began to get colder. Alex huddled a bit closer to Mitchie, who noticed the other girl hadn't brought a jacket. She took hers off, wrapping it around her. Alex smiled at her, but unwrapped herself. Mitchie was confused until one side of the coat was placed back on her shoulder, with the other still on Alex as she scooted closer. She laid her head on Mitchie's inside shoulder, and they both went back to watching the lake in silence. For the first time that day, Mitchie simply stopped thinking, enjoying the moment with the cute girl she didn't need to know to be comfortable with. She almost dreaded her roommates' return the next day.
Last night I saw three socks on a staircase. It wasn't even anywhere near the laundry facilities. Strangely, all I could think was James Woods from Family Guy going 'Ooh, piece of laundry' instead of 'piece of candy'. They're still there. I don't know why. If you have a theory, you should tell me in a review. ~SGM