A/N: Hello there! If you're anything like me, you also hate super long authors notes, but I felt it necessary to say a couple of things before the story starts. First, this is my first attempt at personal, creative writing in 10 years. I've written fics here before that were so terrible I felt it an act against humanity to leave them up. With that being said, I am trying to improve my writing, so please, constructive criticism encouraged.
This story is rate M for a reason. Alcohol, sex, drugs and more will eventually materialize. If these things bother you, or are underage, this story is not for you.
Next, I am someone who writes best when listening to music, therefore music will make a common appearance in my stories. I feel they add a level of depth to situations and conversations. I don't, however, like fics that insert the full lyrics of songs into the stories, its so unnecessary. I will not do that, but for the full atmosphere of what I'm hoping to portray, I strongly recommend listening to the music I mention at the time its happening in the story. Names of the songs and artists will be included before each chapter, here in the author's notes. If my music taste is not to your liking, all good, I hope you enjoy nonetheless!
Finally, thank you so much for reading, it really means a lot that I can contribute to the immense talent found here at fanfiction. I'm determined to write this story to it's satisfying end, because as we all know, there's nothing worse than a good fic that has been abandoned. I love you!
Music featured:
"What's Luv?" -Fat Joe(feat. Ja-Rule & Ashanti) Heard outside the dorm
"Hypnotize" -The Notorious B.I.G. Heard through the walls of Edward's bedroom
Sophomore year of college was both a curse and a blessing. On one hand, I no longer had to live with Mike Newton, his empty, rotting boxes of Chinese takeout and loud, late night lovemaking sessions. On the other hand, I now had the anxiety induced stomach pains brought on by my, not my, decision to sign up for gender neutral housing this year. I say not my because it was a decision brought on by the onslaught of harassment by my best friend, Emmett. His insistence that co-ed housing would be my chance to lose my virginity was stupidly misguided and naive but I eventually gave in and crossed my fingers that I wouldn't be matched with the female version of Mike.
A female presence wasn't something I was stressed over, necessarily, I just want someone clean and courteous. Plus there was a chance I wouldn't be matched with a woman anyway. Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried about whether my new roommate was a girl, only because I just know a woman's presence was going to constantly having me on edge about myself. I was absolutely the cleaner roommate when living with Mike, but I'm no neat freak, my room had dirty socks here and there, and if I left the bathroom foul after a night of chili dogs, well, Mike never minded. I would need to transfer to another university immediately after embarrassing myself like that in front of a pretty girl. All I'm doing now is talking myself out of the decision I've made.
Relax, it will be fine, I told myself as I ran a hand down my face in some vain attempt at wiping the nerves away. The cool August air outside had me zipping up my jacket before stepping out of the taxi. I took a look at my new residence hall, a huge brown building at least 5 floors tall, alive students filing in and out, opening their curtains and windows. After I slung my backpack over my right shoulder and pulled my bags from the trunk of the taxi I paid for my ride and made my way towards the doors. The building was packed with voices and laughter as students moved around me, all trying to find their way to their rooms. The entrance was a white room with elevators on either side and halls leading to the right, left, and directly ahead of me. At the end of each hall were staircases leading up to the next floor. I watched as a lanky boy balanced 2 huge boxes on his chest up the stairs and silently thanked myself for packing light. I pulled my schedule from my jeans pocket to double check my room.
FLOOR 3 ROOM #9
I was just about to pocket the paper again when a body collided with mine and knocked the breath out of me. I stumbled a step but thankfully didn't fall on my ass.
"Oh my god, Tyler! Shut up!" a girl laughed before she'd been cut off after colliding into me. The blonde looked behind her should and gave me a quick glance before rolling her blue eyes in annoyance.
"Excuse you." she grouched before continuing her apparent shoving game with a tall boy whom I assume to be Tyler. I wish I could say things like that never happen but I'd be lying. Pretty, stuck up girls like her tend to treat myself and others like hindrances. I rolled my eyes and adjusted my glasses before turning away from the annoying pair and heading for the elevators. Once the elevator doors slid open I quickly realized why more people were choosing the stairs over the convenience of the lift.
"Ah shit, I'm sorry!" I panicked and quickly ran for the stairs at the end of the left hall as the exposed couple in the elevator continued their joining. I shook the sight from my memory and tried to remind myself that this type of behavior was typical for college. Especially co-ed dorms.
What did I sign up for? I mentally cursed Emmett for pressuring me into this. He had hurled insults at me when I was back home in Forks with him in my living room until I couldn't take it anymore.
"Come on Ed, do you wanna be a virgin forever? Maybe you'll get hooked up with some babe and finally be able to call yourself a man." Emmett had mocked as he spread his legs out on my mother's coffee table.
"I'm not going to make myself uncomfortable just for your amusement." I'd said with a sigh. At that point I'd be listening to his jokes and persuasions the whole summer. School was about to start again for the fall and I needed to finish filling out my financial aid to submit for the year. Emmett unabashedly reached between his legs to scratch himself while I finished my forms on my laptop.
"You know I'm just trying to give you a push right? Think of all the things you've benefited from because of me." He said, watching my laptop screen.
Without looking up, I replied to him, "Yeah? Like the time you pushed me to drink that whole cup of grey goose at graduation? My mom still hates me for ruining the pictures." I cringed at the memory of the entire student body erupting in laughter as I puked all over the principle before I could shake his had and accept my diploma. Emmett didn't make fun of me but 80 other people did for him. To this day I still get nauseous at the smell of vodka.
"Everyone has boring graduation pictures, you have an awesome story to tell, that's better in my opinion." He defended. "and that's not what I meant. What about the time I convinced you to work with me and my dad building fences. You have that laptop from the money you saved that summer."
"Whatever." I replied, not even listening to him as I looked over a list of available residencies on campus.
"Dude think about it, whats the worst that could happen? Some girl avoids you in your dorm? Big deal, girls ignore you all the time! At least take a chance Ed. Meet some little hottie, have regular sex 5 or 6 days a week, be actually happy for once?" he challenged.
The thought was nice, but was it likely to happen? Probably not. I groaned with annoyance that I still even had to listen to this. He was doubling down now that I was choosing my residence for the year. He was right though, what was the worst that could happen? I finally agreed and gasped for air after Emmett slapped me on the back with praise.
I shook the memory away as I approached my door, number 9. I stumbled pulling the key from my pocket as laughter, yelling and music blasted around me. It was like this last year in the freshman dorms as well, but not so quickly. It took at least a week for everyone to become comfortable enough to be as wild and loud as they were now. Sophomore year does that I guess. Everyone reuniting with their friends, settling back into school, already comfortable with their roles. I hope some day I could become as complacent as everyone else seemed to be.
I unlocked and pushed the door open into my new dorm. Immediately upon entering the room I noticed two things; first was the bass from hip hop music coming from my neighbors to the right, and the second was a small kitchen on the left. There was a small wall of 4 cabinets, a fridge, and an oven with a microwave mounted above it. Directly across from the oven was a small counter top with a sink. The other side of it seating 2 stools like a breakfast bar. I didn't bother to lock the door behind me, figuring my roommate would be here soon anyway. To the right of the entrance was a room that when I peeped in, noticed it was a bathroom. The second door on the right was a bedroom. Seemingly unoccupied so I decided to put my stuff down on the bed and look around. The bass rattled most in this room but I didn't mind it, at least for now. My bed was on the right, facing the window on the opposite wall. Beside me was a dressed and across the room was a closet. Curious to see the rest of the dorm, I walked out into the living room. There was no wall dividing the living room from the kitchen, just one big room, but it made it feel bigger. To the right was a bookshelf, and a window with a view of the front lawn where some students talked animatedly with each other, some pulled suitcases behind them and some stared into their phones. I faced away from the window to look around the room more. Across from me was the kitchen and front door, between us was a 3 seat couch and an armchair facing a tiny flat screen TV. Across from my bedroom was another door, which I assumed was the other bedroom.
Suddenly the door opened and someone stepped in holding a large box.
"Hey what's up?" the man asked as he set the box on the kitchen counter and turned to look at me.
Fuck.
Mike Newton stood before me wearing a black t-shirt that read "no fat chicks" inside the silhouette of a curvy, naked woman. Classy as always. Our faces must've reflected our detestation because we both groaned at the sight of each other.
"Oh...hey Edward." He exhaled, "Look I'm not gonna lie, I was hoping for a chick roommate."
"Nice to see ya Mike. Yeah." I replied as a mumble as I moved toward my room.
Behind Mike a soft voice rang out, "Oh. I'm sorry, is this the right room? Nine? Floor three?"
Mike and I both turned to the voice where a small brunette girl stood, suitcase in hand, looking back and forth between the number on the door and the paper in her hands. She turned her head to look at us. "I'm confused."
"Floor three?" Mike asked, pulling a paper from his back pocket and staring at it intently. Suddenly he laughed and exhaled a sigh of relief. "I'm on the wrong floor! I'm room nine, floor two." He announced, turning to lift his box from the kitchen counter. He looked around the large package to study the girl in the doorway.
"What a shame." He winked at the girl. Her face contorted into a look of disbelief and rolled her eyes.
"Bye." She sighed, walking around him further into the dorm. Behind her, Mike looked at me and made a thrusting motion into the box in his arms. With a laugh he left the room, leaving the girl and I awkwardly standing across the room staring at each other.
"Hi. I'm Bella Swan." She quickly stepped forward with an outstretched hand for me to shake. A little too slowly, I stepped forward to shake her hand.
"Cullen. Edward. Er.." I stumbled over my words. The anxiety I'd been experiencing all day was now fully hitting me as I realized I have a beautiful woman as a roommate for the next year. The best and worst thing that could've happened to me today had happened.
She smiled at me in amusement, her pink lips pulled up at one corner. The most noticeable thing about her was her large brown eyes surrounded by a halo of long black eyelashes. She had an innocent, doe like look that I immediately felt comfortable with, like someone so sweet looking could never make fun of me or be cruel. Shiny, chestnut tendrils hung in loosely in strands around her face while the rest hid, pulled beneath her gray school hoodie. I took a breath, trying to absorb the beauty before me.
"Is Cullen your first name?" She probed, looking intently at my face. Quickly, I averted my gaze, suddenly finding the thermostat on the wall to the left of me extremely interesting.
"Uh, no. My name's Edward. Sorry." I explained, embarrassed. Fucking Emmett, this is his fault. Bella laughed lightly, shrugging her book bag from her shoulders and placing it on the kitchen counter beside her.
"Nice to meet you. What's you major?" She asked.
"Neuroscience" I replied, suddenly self conscious. My field of interest wasn't exactly the most interesting. Most people's eyes tended to glaze over when I spoke about it, but I don't blame them. As a child, I'd bore quickly hearing dad talk about it too.
"That's cool. I'll be honest I have no idea what that is, but it sounds impressive." She confessed, making me laugh.
"Its like the study of the brain and nervous system. I-er..am trying to follow my father's footsteps." For some reason I suddenly wished I was majoring in something else, anything else. Bella nodded, understanding. She looked to her right, spotting my room. Before I could ask her what she was majoring in, she spoke.
"So my room?" She asked, looking now to her left. I followed her gaze to the door and pointed.
"Yes, its that one. If you don't like it we can switch, I don't mind."
She picked up her bag and wrapped her hand around her suitcase handle before striding into the second room, replying to me over her shoulder,"I'm okay, thank you. Besides it seems like the people over there like to blast their music, that's gonna get annoying."
She placed her things on her bed and began unzipping her bag. I'd actually almost forgotten the music that was blasting through the walls in my room.
"Okay.." I whispered to myself as I watched her move around her new room, opening the curtains and pulling neatly folded clothing from her suitcase. Deciding I'd stared at her enough, I moved swiftly back to my room to unpack as Bella was doing. Once my door was closed and I had a minute to collect myself, I settled into the reality of my current situation and silently thanked Emmett.