Chapter two

I woke up feeling fresh. The sun was shining, the birds singing, the leaves falling. Today is the perfect picture day. Speaking of picture, today mom and I were going to go to Hallmark Institute of Photography to get my dorm assiginment and jazz my room up…Or, at least, my half of the room. The other half will be for my room mate. That, I'm also really looking forward to…granted that my room mate will be a good person. You know, normal, no sacrificial offerings or eating bugs or getting pumped every other hour. Someone I can study with. Can talk with.

Plus, it wont hurt to get some back ground check.

Mom shuffled into the kitchen, still in her leopard print silk pajamas. She looked at me and smiled, stealing my cup of coffee and taking a loud sip. I glanced at the time. "Mom, you do know that we have to be there in about..Oh, say, thirty minutes? And it takes you forever to get ready."

She shrugged, "So?"

"Ugh. Sooo I'm sure that there are millions of other people there. I'm positive that my being late will not be a great first impression. And punctuality is everything."

"Calm down calm down."

I started, "Aaand we have to pack everything- I already packed my clothes."

"So?"

"So we still have to pack all of the room decorations to-"

"I already packed them."

I blinked. "You already packed them? When?"

Another loud, obnoxious sip of coffee, and by the sounds of it, the cup was running low. "Last night…when you were asleep. Or whatever you were doing."

"I was typing a recommendation."

"Why? You're already in collage. What's the point?"

"It's a just-in-case, ma."

"A just-in-case?"

I gave a nod. "Yes."

She stared at me over the rim of my mug.

I rolled my eyes, "Mom, go get dressed."

Mom slid the mug across the counter and sauntered off. I grabbed my cup and peered into it….empty. There wasn't even a single drop left. Not ever the dark rim of coffee residue that's typically at the edge and the bottom. Nothing. Good lord, what did she do, lick it off? With a sigh I slid off my stool and went to place the mug in the sink.

The wind blew lightly through the window behind the sink. I closed my eyes and breathed in the air…Was it me, or did my heart give a little sad pang? What's going to happen when I go to collage? Will I be able to go lay out on the grass from twelve till night? Will I be able to just relax and enjoy the day? Especially these days? Or will I be stuck inside? Study study study, work work work, pass pass pass. All work and no play…Well, surely, a photography collage cant be that dull. It's not your typical collage….

It was so beautiful outside. The trees were tipped with reds, yellows, deep and golden browns…densly green in the thick of it. The branches twisted out, spiraling, strong. The sun touched the earth with a gentle warmth and the leaves were bended outwards, as if to take in the sweetness of the sun, to breath in the freshness of the air…."Okay, let's go."

I turned around, watching mom walk out the door, her back straight. I could understand her stiffness. I sighed, gave one last glance out the window, and followed her out.

Mrs. Purdy, one of the many counslers here, pointed down the corridor to the left. "Down here is for strictly females- showers, hair stuff, all that jazz. Strictly. Females." She twisted her head some to give me a stern sideways glance. Mom and I exchanged looks when she turned around and mom mouthed, "She's got a stick up her butt." I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Again, Mrs. Purdy gave me a look. I straightened my face and nodded as if I was as serious as her.

"Up ahead, you will see room 214, along with all the other rooms around. This here is your room." She walked ahead of us quickly so she could pose and wait for us at the door. "Here is your key."

"Um, do you know who my room mate is?"

She looked at me quizzically, turning her head to the side. "Room mate?"

"Yeah? I do…get a roommate…right?"

She shook her head. "No…you requested that you get a single room to yourself. You even paid the extra cash."

"Wait what-"

"Extra cash?!" Mom barked at the same time I asked.

Mrs. Purdy's eyes flicked between my mom and I, nervous. Of course, she's one of those people who expect everything that they plan and they do to run smoothly. "Y-yes. Didn't you?"

"I believe you've got Emma mixed up with someone else," mom scowled, moving her head.

Mrs. Purdy nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes. I will look into it. Um, well, others are supposed to arrive very soon…Here's your key. Uh…have a great day now." She did an about face- on heels- and marched off, stiff.

Mom watched her walk away, eyes glinting. "Finally, we got that hoe bag off our backs. Now we can have some fun."

My eyes widened and I gasped, "Mom don't say that."

"Why?"

"Because it's evident she's never gotten her any."

Mom laughed and snatched the key from my hand. She wiggled it in the lock and opened the door. "Oh, Emma, this room is just…perfect for you. Do you see that window? It's so big honey you can see everything out here."

She was right. The room is perfect for me. The window was amazing. And the view…took my breath away. A small smile pulled at the corner of my lips. Maybe things wont change.

Just maybe…

Mom was standing outside the room, looking off into the distance. Her back was as stiff as cardboard. Her jaw was clenched. "Mom, mom are you okay?" I asked, walking out beside her. She sniffed. "You promise to call me?"

"Promise, ma."

"Everyday?"

"Everyday."

"And please, find yourself a decent boy."

I rolled my eyes, "You know, most parents would say concentrait on the school work."

"Well, that's bull shit."

I laughed. She checked out the time. "Um…hey, baby, will you be fine here for an hour or so? I have to, um, get something…"

I scrutinized her, growing suspicious, "Sure…what do you need to get?"

"Nun-ya," she kissed me on the forehead and walked away quickly. I sighed and turned to my room…what could I even possibly do for two hours? My feet took me to my window, and I glanced out of it. "Can this thing open?" I muttered, beginning to feel around the edges and top for any notches or little levers. I couldn't find anything. "Fine. I'll just break lift if up." Using the heels of my palm, I pressed them into the black metal top of the window and lifted up. It didn't budge. After about several poor attempts of trying, I was beginning to grow frustrated. "Well, lift, dammit," I growled, bawling my hand into a fist, ready to break the damn window.

"They say patience is a virtue."

My spine went straight. How come I recognize that voice? Or, at least, the arrogant timbre of it? I twisted around and glared at him balefully through narrowed eyes. He smirked, "Wow, you look happy to see me."

"Are you stalking me? Lemme tell you, just because a girl says thank you doesn't mean that she likes you."

Chase walked my way in slow but long strides, "Here, let me get this for you."

"I've got this under control, but thanks anyways."

He snorted and easily shrugged me off to the side. In one swift, easy motion, he had the window open and he breeze in. As much as I honestly hate him, I still felt kind happy…Not because he opened the window, but because the window was open. Still, saying thank you was kind of a obligation. He moved to the side, up against the wall fecklessly, his arms over his chest. I leaned out the window some, but thought better of it. Who know, this guy may push me out.

What was he even doing here anyways? "You can go now."

"What?" He asked, "No thank you? No, 'hey, I really appreiciate that you opened that window for me seeing as how I've been trying for a good thirty minutes', none of that?"

"'A good thirty minutes'?"

"I've been watching you the whole time," he shrugged as if it was nothing.

"Okay, creeper…." I muttered, looking out the window. For a whole five minutes there was nothing but silence, and he hadn't left. I could feel him there. He's not leaving with out a thank you. My jaw clenched. "Thanks….by the way."

He laughed as if he's won the game. "You're welcome."

He still didn't leave.

I looked away from the bliss to the nightmare. "Yes? Why are you here?"

"You didn't know?"

"Know…what?" I asked wearily.

His smirk widened into a full fledged, mischievous smile, "I'm a student here and Hallmark Institute of Photography."

My breath stopped, my expression froze. "Seriously?"

"No doubt."

"Great."

Chase chuckled and pushed himself off the wall. I watched as he strode to the door. "Well, I didn't come here to make small talk," he began.

"Good I didn't honestly want to talk you to in the first place."

"I just thought I'd say hi to the neighbor."

"What."

"You heard me. I'm the new kid on the block."

I twisted my head some. "You mean to say…."

He nodded, "I'm right next door to you." Chase walked away, where, I didn't give a damn. I was too busy getting pissed.

Great.

The kid next door.

Just my luck.