I quickly changed, and now I’m waiting outside of Ace for Red. There are a few people sitting around, but no one is really paying any attention to me.
I’m suddenly wrapped in someone’s arms, completely caught off guard. Before I can get into defensive mode, Red jumps back with a guilty look on her face.
“I’m sorry. Too far, I’ll step back now. I was just excited for today is all,” she rambles.
She’s lucky I didn’t hurt her. I check myself over, making sure she didn’t do that to place anything on me. I come up clean which has me releasing a sigh of relief.
“Personal space Red, okay? I could have hit you.”
I try to keep my voice firm, but the guilt in her eyes makes my voice a lot softer than I wanted. My god, is this what it's like to have a female friend? I don’t know if I’m ready for this.
Glancing over I hope it’s coincidental that we are both wearing denim cut-off shorts and a vest top. At least mine top is white and hers is pink. Well and the fact that she’s all freshly curled hair and girly sandals. While my hair is in a standard ponytail and I’m wearing my favorite combat boots. Similar outfits but complete opposite ends of the bar.
“Let’s go, before you change your mind because you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”
With that she loops her arm through mine and begins to drag me along.
How does she always get me to let my guard down like this? It blows my mind. It’s the whole sunshine vibe she’s got going on, and I’d rather be basking in her sun than dealing with that asshole from earlier.
Seems I’d be wise to choose my battles carefully, but he was just a prick. Sadly a body as hot as that obviously belongs to a jackass. He had my nipples screaming to be touched and my core throbbing for attention. If he’d not been so fucking overbearing and in my face I’d have definitely followed my body’s idea. Completely unfazed by the fact he may have been with someone else this morning, but here I am, left unsatisfied.
“So, what’s on our to do list then?” Red asks, breaking my train of thought.
“Well, I need a new laptop and a few books for certain classes. That’s it really, and coffee, lots of coffee and cake,” I smile.
I can’t help it, her smile is infectious.
“That’s all doable, do you wanna grab coffee first, then when we’ve finished getting your things we could get some food?”
I don’t miss the hope in her voice and find myself nodding in agreement. She squeals, literally squeals, and I don’t know how she manages it with her arm linked through mine, but she’s clapping too while doing a little skip.
She drags me along to the center of campus where everything is, and I’m surprised by the layout. There is a full row of shops, maybe twenty in total, ranging from designer brand clothing stores to top of the range electronic outlets. All the buildings are quite small, almost quaint, and the cobbled pathway makes me feel as though I’ve left the country.
Her hands are going in all directions, as she points things out to me on our way to the coffee shop.
There is a small square of restaurants and cafes with the same vibe, with a small intricate fountain in the center. From Italian restaurants to a Starbucks.
A large building sticks out, which Red said is the main campus cafeteria. It’s all glass walls and steel panels looking completely out of place, too modern amongst the rest.
Red doesn’t let go of my arm. I can see her brain working overtime, and I know when we do eventually sit down she’s going to bombard me with her own questions, before I have chance to ask her any of mine.
She’s happy to get coffees to go, although her face scrunchies when I just have a straight black coffee, compared to her Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino.
Cold coffee, who even does that?
Me, apparently. Seeing as I’ve promised to try one after classes finish tomorrow.
Heading into the electronic store, I pick up a new laptop easy enough, there were limited options but all top of the line. I have my own laptop back in my room, but it’s not the kind of thing I can be casually strolling around campus with.
Not when I have access to the black market and the dark web on there. Featherstone knows, but if someone managed to get their hands on it I’d be screwed. I don’t know who actually stands behind the Featherstone name either, so I don’t fully know who’s aware of my extracurricular activities.
The bookstore is the next stop, and after grabbing far too many books for my liking, we are finished. Thank god.
We stroll through the cobbled street making our way to get food when I see the look on Red’s face and it's blatant that she’s desperate to say something.
“Go on, spit it out.”
She’s got the ‘dear in the headlights’ look.
“Well, erm, I was just wondering if you read the manual fully? I mean you are beautiful, so beautiful as you are. It’s just, they can be strict with the rules, and as your best friend it is my duty to help. I don’t want you to have issues tomorrow on your first official day, not when I can make sure we avoid any unnecessary confrontations. It’s not like you need it. Not at all, but I don’t make the rules and ...”
“Red, just get to the freaking point,” I interrupt, waving my hand at her.
“Oh, sorry, it’s just that make-up is mandatory,” she rushes, and it takes me a second to process.
Oh, thank god, she had me stressing with all her rambling then.
“Don’t worry I saw, and my mother took the liberty of filling my room with half a make-up store too so no need to stress. I wear it when I need
