Four Years
Sophomores
Tai rolled a yellow moving bin into his new building, already sweating in the early September heat. Freshman lived in standard dorms, featuring tiny bedrooms, communal bathrooms, and no kitchens. Sophomores were promoted to suites shared by four people, including a bathroom and kitchen. Tai had no clue what he learned last year that made him more trustworthy with an oven, but he wouldn't complain.
He followed the flow of students into the dorm, careful not to run anyone over this time- something Kari had already reminded him of. It was weird to think that a year had passed since he smashed a door in Izzy's face on freshman move in day.
And perhaps he had matured, at least a little. Tai packed roughly two thirds of what he brought last year, ditching everything he hadn't used. He also purchased a robust first aid kid, which was already tucked in place on a closet shelf in his new room.
He used an elevator to ride to floor 7, smushed too close to a stranger with their own cart. It opened to a lobby with hallways branching off either side. The right hall as he exited was for girls. He turned left, to the boy's side. His instinct was to push the door open with the cart, but he reconsidered and used his hand.
A bark of laughter escaped him when Izzy leaped back, away from the opening door. Grinning, Tai extended the arm opening the door, letting Izzy pass- and emphasizing that he wasn't about to wreck anyone.
"Thank you," Izzy said dryly. He walked under Tai's outstretched arm, ducking slightly. Tai considered needling him, but ignored the urge. Amy told Tai about her brief visit home when she picked her textbooks up from his house. Sadly, her story wasn't surprising. But Izzy's rescue, and Amy's obvious enjoyment of her time spent at his house…
"Welcome back," Tai said. "Good to see ya."
Izzy paused, blinked, nodded... Then went about his way. Tai shook his head at Izzy's back, but knew better than to be insulted, especially when Izzy crossed the lobby and entered the girl's wing.
Tai continued on. He passed Matt, who pushed an empty cart towards the lobby. "You okay?" Tai asked, noting Matt's disgruntled expression.
"TK," Matt grunted, both complaint and explanation. Tai swallowed a snort. Even if Matt was annoyed with his brother, he'd instantly switch targets to Tai if he said anything bad about TK. Tai nodded and kept moving, which was apparently today's strategy.
The room to his suite was open, so he entered. The suites featured four rooms: two bedrooms meant for two kids each, a bathroom shared by the four suitemates, and the entry room, which contained doors to the other rooms, a tiny kitchen comprised of a fridge, an oven, a sink, and two counters, and a table with four chairs.
The table was currently pushed against the wall with the chairs stacked on top, allowing space for the carts. He glanced into the room on his left and tsked. Joe was at his desk, staring into a huge textbook with his head cradled in both hands.
Tai abandoned his cart and waltzed into Joe and Izzy's room. It looked very much like their last room, save that it was larger, and lacked exposed pipes in the ceiling and painted cinderblock walls. The same black rug filled the center of the room, but no longer reached each bed. As before, Joe's side contained a desk stocked with books, binders, and study supplies. He had a new map of campus, again color coding his classes to his schedule, which was attached to the wall with pink washi tape, likely courtesy of Mimi. Each boy had kept their bed sets: solid black for Joe, solid forest green for Izzy.
Izzy's desk was again dominated by monitors, with a glowing computer tower beside it. He had swapped the standard issue desk chair with what looked like a nice office chair. The original chair was in the corner of the room by his bed, likely meant for guests.
This time, Izzy came with decorations: a printed photo of his parents and a second of him and Amy, taken in a place Tai didn't recognize. These were also attached to the wall with pink washi tape. As before, most of their stuff was contained out of sight. What seemed sterile last year was admirable now. Moving his shit every few months had already gotten old.
Tai leaned against the door frame and said, "What, are you already failing something?"
Joe twitched, then turned to him, scowling. "Of course not," he snapped. "Don't give me a heart attack."
I bet he would have one if he failed a class. Tai opted to change the subject, knowing that he'd get nothing but anxiety out of Joe otherwise. "Damn, all moved in already?"
"I started early, and I don't bring much."
Tai fought the urge to cock an eyebrow and gesture at the barren room. Despite Joe's terse response, he pushed bravely on. "How was your summer?"
The scowl cleared from Joe's face at last. "Good! Well, I mean, it was hard, but I worked at the hospital. I learned a lot, met people."
This time, Tai allowed some obnoxiousness in the form of a suggestive grin. "Mimi stayed with you, right?"
Joe rolled his eyes, but his long face colored. "Of course you'd latch on to that. But yes." Then, he stared at Tai pointedly and said, "How was your summer?"
Tai hoped he achieved the nonchalance he desired. "Lots of soccer practice and training. Otherwise, I mostly chilled at home." It hadn't occurred to him until he returned and heard everyone's summaries of their summers, but... Most of his friends had filled the time with impressive internships. True, Tai worked hard at soccer practice, but kicking a ball around was different than helping doctors.
He cast about for a new subject and noticed the mini fridge placed between Izzy's desk and bed, doubling as a night stand. Tai blinked. "What does Izzy need a mini fridge for? We have a full one."
Joe looked away from his textbook, eyes widening as he shook his head. "Don't discourage Izzy's fridge. We like Izzy's fridge. Stocking water and food in arm's reach is the only way to make sure he gets anything in him- and even then, it's iffy."
Tai scowled. "What? Damn, food is all I can think about." Joe made a hmm sound, but he was already absorbed in his book again. Tai retreated, knowing that Joe wasn't interested in further conversation- and frankly, the feeling was mutual.
Laughter reached him as he entered the kitchen/entry. Tai pushed the cart into his room and found Kari and TK sitting on Matt's bed, chatting. Matt's bed had a solid navy comforter, while Tai's was a shade of orange that Amy described as "eye watering." The room was a mess, a cyclone of unpacking, but some key items were already in place. Matt's bass guitar and amp were stationed in a corner of his side of the room, with enough space for a music stand. Tai's soccer stuff already had a spot in the bottom of his closet, and a TV was placed on top of his dresser. Most of their remaining things were in limbo, not yet sorted and put away.
Kari stood as he entered, propping herself up with her hand on TK's shoulder. She glanced into the cart and grabbed his suitcase, then plopped it on his bed. She unzipped it and began loading clothes into his dresser.
"Why don't you go help Amy?" Tai suggested. He didn't mind Kari handling his clothes, but her efficiency made him feel like a bum.
"Izzy's helping Amy. Anyway, you take too long. Mom texted that she and Dad already filled the next cart."
Tai sighed, hypothesis confirmed. While he liked college, he couldn't help but wish for more summer. He wasn't mentally prepared for the assignments, tests, and studying. Or rather, he wasn't prepared to ignore them while vague guilt and panic built over the semester. And he was already under performing, even with a task as low stakes as moving in.
TK laughed, but before Tai could clap back, he stuck his golden head in the cart and grabbed Tai's XBox. "I'll set this and your TV up," he said, and Tai swallowed his complaints. He'd take any help he could get, no matter how annoying the offer- even if it meant that TK would likely play video games instead of helping after that.
"How'd you tick Matt off?" Tai asked. Both Kari and TK laughed, and Tai grinned, amused despite himself.
"He's writing new songs, and I looked at the lyrics. I made a few adjustments. He loved them."
Which he hated. Grinning, Tai cuffed TK's shoulder, then turned his attention to his stuff.
Classes were a pain in the ass, but having his friends around... He couldn't complain about that.
Although he probably would before long!
XXX
"Excuse me," Izzy called as he stepped into the open doorway to Amy's suite.
"Come in," Amy called. Izzy obeyed and found her room in a disorienting state of disarray. It looked as if a clothing pinata had burst, with colorful dresses littering Amy's side of the room, and more variety on Sora's.
Sora appeared from behind an open closet door. "Hi, Izzy! How was your summer?"
"Fine, thanks." Truthfully, it was difficult, owing to his workload. And, of course, he faced more social struggles packed into three months than he usually dealt with in a few years. But he saw no point in explaining that to Sora, so he echoed her question.
Sora flashed a smile so lovely that both he and Amy stared and smiled back. A few months away had dulled the memory of Sora's warmth. "It was amazing, thank you! I interned with a local designer and learned so much. I was able to make connections I never could have hoped for!"
Normally, Izzy avoided small talk the way most people avoided telemarketers. But Sora's radiant happiness was, frankly... delightful. "I'm pleased to hear it."
Sora hung up a shirt, then reached for another from the pile of clothes on her bed. "Matt's band made so much progress this summer, too. It was so fun to watch!"
"I can't wait to see them!" Amy chirped. "Matt sent me a practice recording, and we've talked about some lyrics, but I haven't seen them in person."
Izzy wandered to Amy while the girls talked about Matt's band. She was hanging up clothes, so he folded her pajamas and pants and stored them in her dresser. He half-listened, focusing more on their pleasant voices than the content.
Meanwhile, his eyes absorbed the room, which was much like their old one. Sora's style was more sophisticated, with elegant, understated floral designs on her comforter and the area rug. As before, she had athletic posters taped to the wall, a bonsai tree in a blue glazed put, and wind chimes hanging from a wire jewelry rack. Amy's side of the room was bright and colorful, with a white bedspread splashed with vivid splatters, her pink netbook and bright binders on her desk, and photos and drawings taped to the wall. Izzy blinked, pulled back into focus, when he recognized a photo Dyani took of him and Amy by the waterfall in Ohio. Grinning, he wondered if she would trade a copy of that photo for one of the shots of them taken at his house.
New tones entered the conversation, and Izzy turned to the interior if the room. He froze mid-fold when he saw Hana. She grinned and waved.
"Hey, Izzy! You helping Amy move in?" She joined him at the dresser and elbowed him in the side before he could even think to block. "How sweet!"
Izzy paused, needing time to overcome the system shock. "Isn't it a bit early for a visit?"
Pure, unadulterated delight sparkled in her green eyes. Izzy stepped back, smacking his heel on the dresser. Hana turned, addressing Sora and Amy. "No one told him yet?"
"We just found out!" Sora said. "You wanted to surprise us!"
Alarmed, Izzy turned to Amy. Anything that pleased Hana so much had to be trouble, and Amy's apologetic smile was not reassuring.
Smirking, Hana thwacked her chest and announced, "I'm Mimi's new roommate!"
There was something very concerning happening to Izzy's knees. He backed into the dresser, using it for support, and stared over Hana's head at Amy. She lifted her shoulders in a subtle shrug, but her ridiculous expression was most likely suppressed grinning.
Hana, who possessed the magic ability to appear wherever their group went, no longer had to expend effort utilizing it. Now, she would simply... be there, materialized in a banal- and constant- manner.
"Well, you've surprised me," he said, because some manner of response seemed expected, and that was the least offensive one he could offer.
Hana edged closer, likely intending to elicit a more satisfying reaction. Sora asked, "Hana, how was your summer?" When Hana turned, accepting the distraction, Izzy nodded to Sora with gratitude. With Hana here, already overwhelming him, he didn't have much brain power to spare. Still, he tried to make a mental note to put effort into befriending Sora properly. He liked her, more or less, but suddenly, he began to understand why everyone seemed so fond of her.
"I took a programming class," Hana sighed. "Otherwise, great! I had classes at the dance school and private lessons."
Soon, she was entrenched in discussing dance, and Izzy returned to his task.
XXX
It was dark by the time Shuana came home to her tiny apartment. A full day of classes, play practices, meeting with Michael and another client, and smushing homework into the crevices in between left her drained- but she still had to care for Claire.
She unlocked the door and said, "Claire, I'm back." After a lifetime of wondering who might be invading their home, and in what state of intoxication or alteration, the sisters instinctively alerted each other that the opening door was not something to fear.
"Shauna!" There was a thwump as Claire jumped down from a step ladder. She vanished behind the kitchen counter, then reappeared beyond it. She ran to Shauna and hugged her around the middle.
Shauna ran a hand through Claire's black hair. "Hey, Clairebear. Are you making dinner?"
Claire's chest swelled as she proudly placed her hands on her hips. "Yuh! Come see!" She grabbed Shauna's hand, and Shauna meekly followed her to the kitchen.
The apartment was a teeny studio in the most rickety part of the town surrounding the college. Thankfully, the area was populated by broke college kids, and wasn't particularly dangerous, despite its shabby appearance. The studio was a rectangle, with a living/sleeping area in front and a kitchen in back. Doors to the bathroom and closet provided the only separation between the two. The sofa was a sleeper, and thankfully, Claire was at the age where the ritual of setting up and breaking it down every day was fun.
Claire's dinner was, unsurprisingly, lettuce topped with ripped up rotisserie chicken and a handful of cheese and croutons. As always, Shauna glanced at the sink to check for the salad spinner, which indicated that Claire remembered to wash the lettuce. Happily, it was there tonight.
Despite the simple meal, Shauna's stomach roared at the sight of food. "Good job, thank you! I think we still have soup."
Shauna wasn't much of a cook, but she made soups from purchased broth on the weekends. Truthfully, it was comparable to Claire's salads and sandwiches: pieces assembled into a whole. But it was warm, and it lasted the week.
"There's always soup!" Claire laughed. "But bread, too!"
Shauna patted Claire's shoulder. They mostly ate rotisserie chicken, bought for cheap at a bulk shopping center. Other than fruit she provided as snacks, soup full of veggies was the only method Shauna had to get something other than protein and carbs into her sister.
"Sorry we eat the same things so much," Shauna sighed. "And thanks for cooking."
"I like it," Claire said. "It's a lot better than meal bars."
Or nothing, Shauna finished privately. As dark as the thought was, it did remind Shauna that she had improved things for Claire. She smiled as she transferred the food to the end of the counter that doubled as a table. Two stools were tucked on the opposite side. Shauna poured them each a glass of water from a filter pitcher, then sat with Claire.
They ate in silence until the worst of their hunger was sated. "How was your day?" Shauna asked. "Do you need help with homework?"
"Nah," Claire replied, her answer muffled by a mouthful of lettuce. Shauna lifted an eyebrow, and Claire's cheeks worked like a squirrel's as she chewed. After swallowing, she continued, "I had class, and then art club, and then after school care. I did my homework there."
Shauna hesitated. She asked this question far too often, and she knew she shouldn't rely on Claire for reassurance. But...
Even though she had removed Claire from a dangerous home, from a mother who never cooked or shopped or cleaned or did laundry, who was usually drunk, high, or both, and allowed a parade of strangers in her home...
Well, Shauna was nineteen. She had no idea how to raise Claire, and the thought that she might be failing her nipped at her far more than the exhaustion of trying so hard not to fail her.
"You're happy here?" she asked, softly. "You don't mind being at school all day?"
Claire's public school sent a bus that picked her up in the morning, around when Shauna left for campus via a student shuttle. The only thing that made this arrangement work was Claire's after school programs- and the smaller bus that took the aftercare kids home around six PM. Often, Claire even had her homework done already, freeing Shauna up to spend an hour or two with her before bedtime.
Claire rocked on the stool and rolled her eyes. "Shaaaaaaunaaaaa," she sighed, stretching the word out with a drama only children could achieve, "I like it here. I miss my friends at my old school, but I can see them on the computer. And I'm making new friends at school."
Shauna patted her back. "Good. I'm so lucky you're such a great kid."
Claire grinned and ripped a chunk of bread off with her teeth. "How was your school?" she asked, or at least, that's what Shauna thought she said.
"Come again?" Shauna asked mildly. Claire sighed, then worked on her bite, so she could repeat herself with an empty mouth.
They didn't have much- just a rundown studio in a ramshackle college town, assembled food, a sofa bed, and lots of school activities.
But they were safe- or, as safe as anyone can be. They were together. And it was theirs.
XXX
Shauna didn't often roam the PAC's music wing. She could neither sing nor play an instrument, so she couldn't participate in their school's musical performances. That used to irk her, that a whole genre of stage performance was closed to her. But these days, with her running around from when she woke up to the moment she passed out, she didn't mind so much.
Still, one of her professors had asked a swath of actors to put away music stands that had been pushed to the side in their classroom. Shauna held two and followed the pack of students, taking the rare opportunity to zone out.
But soon, an absolute cacophony knocked her out of her much-desired haze. Somewhat reluctantly, Shauna focused and found herself in a long hallway dotted with doors. She glanced through the glass window of the nearest one and saw a boy playing a saxophone in a closet-sized room. By the sound of it, each practice room was in use by music students playing different instruments- and attempting to achieve a volume that drowned out the others.
"Man, yikes," another student said, shuddering. "I'm glad the musicians have their own wing."
There was a general murmur of consent. Shauna would have preferred to drift again, but she couldn't help gazing through the door windows. She enjoyed seeing people absorbed in doing what they loved. Most of the musicians seemed wrapped up in their practice, desperate to take advantage of their time in the room. Given how packed the place was, it probably wasn't easy to find a free one.
"Do you hear that?" Shuana turned towards the boy who had spoken, a tall, earnest kid named Aaron.
"What don't I hear," another actor sighed.
"I mean the singing." The group continued down the hall, and soon, Shauna heard it, too. A clear voice, achingly sweet, whispered in the rare lulls between instruments. Shauna was a realist, not prone to flights of fancy, but she found herself picturing a siren, luring sailors with a song that beckoned between the crashing of waves.
"Not bad," one of the actors conceded- which translated to, "That's amazing, and I instantly despise the singer."
They went on their way, but Shauna kept glancing into the rooms, curious about the vocalist. She stopped dead when she saw Amy standing in a practice room, hand cupped over one ear, eyes closed in concentration as she sang.
"Shauna?" Aaron said. Blinking, Shauna tore her eyes away from the unexpected visual.
"I want to say hi to her," she said, assembling an apologetic smile.
"You know her?" Aaron asked. "Cool. We're almost there, so I'll grab your stands."
Shauna looked him in the eye, smiled, and said, "Thank you, Aaron!" Eye contact and using someone's name could foster a sense of connection, and judging by Aaron's goofy grin, it was working. Or maybe that was just her appearance making things happen?
The group walked on, and Shauna knocked on the door to Amy's practice room. Amy's brown eyes popped open. She tilted her head and lowered her hand, revealing an ear bud. She removed it and opened the door, admitting Shauna.
Once again, Shauna employed her strategy of eye contact, smile, name. "Hey, Amy! Long time, no see!"
Amy smiled, but the eagerness- and faint signs of attraction- that she had once shown were no longer present. Her shoulders were just a touch too tight, her smile too polite. "Hello. Did you have a nice summer?"
Shauna maintained her easy grin, but only by force of will and dint of practice. It didn't matter if Amy liked her, not really. To Shauna's knowledge, the girl had nothing to offer that she could use. Still, if Shauna was giving an off-putting vibe, despite her efforts to ingratiate herself, then she needed to know. It wouldn't do to push away someone useful. And Amy seemed a bit dense, frankly, at least outside of schoolwork. If Shauna couldn't maintain Amy's opinion of her, then what chance did she have with more perceptive people?
"It was fine," Shauna said. "I worked and got a role in a summer production." Landing an actual acting gig was a huge deal, but it was local theater. She still needed a waitress job to supplement. It ticked her off that she made more waiting tables than acting, but there was more overlap between the two jobs than she cared to admit. Actually, waiting tables was harder, since waitresses didn't have scripts, and they had to dodge flirting customers.
A lot came down to acting- which was why Shauna needed to stay sharp.
"That's great!" Amy said. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Thanks. What were you up to?"
"I had an internship studying bats."
Shauna considered it a testament to her skill that she managed not to wince. "Bats?" she echoed. She must have hit the correct note of inquisitive disbelief, because Amy's smile mellowed.
"Right? I know it's unorthodox, but I enjoyed it."
In the past, Amy had cheerfully prattled, meandering from subject to subject with little input from Shauna. But that was all she offered now before leaving space for Shauna to contribute.
"Your singing is amazing." Shauna said it to warm Amy up, knowing damned well what performance artists liked. She ignored the fact that she was being much more honest than usual. If Shauna had a voice like that, on top of everything else...
Well, I guess no one can have it all. Her gaze flicked over Amy, her plain face, the awkward way she held herself, and knew any comparison between them was moot.
When Shauna's focus landed back on Amy's eyes, something had changed, something she couldn't quite describe, let alone name. Amy seemed intensely focused, like a hunting dog pointing- but also dreamy, like she could see things that Shauna couldn't. Inexplicably, Shauna wanted to step back, away from her.
"Thanks," Amy said, and the moment was gone, as if Shauna had woken from an odd daydream. But though Amy smiled, she didn't seem particularly gratified. "I'm practicing for a graded performance."
"Already?" Shauna asked, shaking her head. "Yeesh. Is it onstage?"
Anyone could attend onstage performances. Shauna sometimes sat in on them, usually acting performances, to scope out her competition. But sometimes, just for a change, she watched dancers or listened to musicians. She had never happened upon Amy performing, although Amy had attended a few of her shows.
When Amy nodded, Shauna asked, "Do you mind if I stop in? I'm not sure if I'll be free then, but if I am, I will."
Amy blinked. "Oh, sure. No pressure, though."
There was a knock on the door, and Shauna turned to see Aaron waving. "Oh- I have to go. Good luck!"
"Thank you."
Shauna slipped out of the practice room and rejoined the other students. Amy's performance wasn't a priority, but she'd check the PAC schedule. If she was free, she might watch.
It never hurt to spread a little good will, and who knew? Maybe Amy could point her in the direction of whoever taught her to sing like that. It had to have been someone, right?
She ignored the follow-up thought that no one person had taught her to act. Her skill was cobbled together over her life, part natural gift, part constant practice and research, and a huge percentage raw need. It was an integral part of her- and frankly, she wouldn't teach it to anyone else, even if she knew how.
Shaking her head, she shifted her attention to the group's conversation, which was suddenly more comfortable than her thoughts.
Author's Notes: The group is all corralled together now! With the closer quarters, we might see some relationships developing- Tai and Joe, perhaps? Izzy and Sora?
So, the Shauna story is next! After that, Izzy and Amy will step back from the spotlight for a while. I'm planning to put a lot of attention on Tai, who has a lot of things on his mind lately. I'd also like to see more of Sora- I want to develop the less ideal sides of her personality, since I have a bad habit of ignoring those and really showcasing her strong points. If I'm going to give her growth in the story, which she absolutely deserves, then we need to see where she's starting!
And, with Hana close at hand now, things will surely be lively!
I hope you'll enjoy the sophomore year! Please remember to review.