Josh and Lauren nod their approval.
“So I guess you guys aren’t the type to go to a football game here?”
Lauren shrugs. “Only if there’s free booze involved.”
“Or free food,” adds Josh.
“But I think we can all agree our sport of choice is debating the finer points of post-production,” says Charlie.
Josh rolls his eyes. “I still think it’s cheating.”
Charlie and Lauren scowl at Josh and I cover my mouth to keep myself from bursting into laughter. “I think that’s a sport I can do,” I say through a fit of giggles. “That and yoga.”
“Ah, yes, yoga,” says Lauren, staring off dreamily through the window. “Sadly, that’s not a sport here.”
“Really?” I raise an eyebrow.
Charlie shrugs. “If you can’t make a team of it, then it’s not a sport.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s stupid.”
Lauren looks at Charlie and nods. “I like her.” She turns back to me and grabs my hand. “Can we keep you?”
I chuckle. “Please do.”
“So, where do you hail from, Rachel?” Josh leans back in his chair and crosses his legs, giving me a hint of his yellow bicycle printed socks under his black skinny jeans. “I doubt it’s anywhere around here.”
I bite my bottom lip. “Your suspicions would be correct.” I smile, holding his gaze and hoping I’m not blushing as much as I suspect. “I hail from the great New York City.”
“Oh, you don’t say.” Charlie claps her hands. “But what are you doing here? Why aren’t you in Juilliard or Columbia University?”
I sigh. “That’s a long story that I really don’t want to get into.”
“You must have had classes outside all throughout high school and weird hippie teachers,” says Lauren.
I burst into laughter again, this time clamping down on my stomach to keep it from aching. “Not at all. I went to a normal school like you.”
“Ah, too bad.”
“And where are you living now?” asks Charlie.
I look at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. Ah, yes, my wonderful living arrangements.
Lauren, Charlie, and Josh all share a look before Lauren asks, “Is your living situation all good? You’re not living in the streets are you?”
“Ugh,” I groan. “I wish I was. I think the streets are cleaner than my current living conditions.”
“Really?” Asks Josh.
I nod. “My roommates aren’t the greatest.” I grimace. “Actually, they are assholes. Complete and utter assholes. Maybe I should be happy I don’t live that far away from campus, or that I even have a place after registering late and coming when everything was already taken, but I don’t really feel so lucky and I feel like absolute crap.” I look between the shocked expressions surrounding me and wince. “Sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have opened my mouth.”
“No,” said Charlie, patting my hand. “You have found us and we are here for you, Rachel. Consider us your new friend group and we won’t take no for an answer.” She winks and I instantly feel better. “Now, who do you live with? Maybe we can pound some respect into their sorry asses.” Charlie punches her fist in emphasis, erupting another fit of giggles out of me.
I inhale deeply, calming myself before I finally answer, “I live with some jocks. The one on the track team, his name is Seth and-“
“Let me guess,” Lauren interrupts, her expression worrying me as she glances back at Josh and Charlie. “Your other roommates are Hunter and Lucas.”
I nod slowly. “Yeah, how did you know?”
Charlie groans and runs her hands through her hair. “Those boys are famous on this campus.”
“Really?” I lean back in my chair as Charlie and Lauren lean closer, nearly popping my personal space bubble. Josh grimaces which does nothing to ease my worry.
“Yeah, really,” says Lauren. “They are total sex gods.”
“Really?” I ignore the shrill in my voice.
Charlie closes her eyes and nods. “Yep.”
“And they throw huge, crazy parties,” adds Lauren.
“They also share their women,” says Josh.
Lauren and Charlie whirl around to face him, leaning in close. Josh holds up his hands, as if they are shields to fend them off. “Really?” Both girls shout, drawing looks from other classmates entering the room.
Josh slowly nods. “There’s been some talk. Some fights as well.” He shrugs and quickly looks away. “Some girls are totally cool with it, I guess. Others not so much.” Josh glances at me, holding my gaze with those beautiful blue eyes. “But those guys definitely share.”
I groan and rest my face in my hands. “Last night they were talking about some girl.” I rub my face. “I thought it was just her, but they share all of them?” I look between the three. “Please tell me this isn’t true.”
Silence greets me in response.
“Don’t worry,” says Charlie, patting my shoulder. “I’m sure something will become available at the end of this semester.”
“I don’t know if I can hold out that long,” I whimper. “Those guys are brutal.”
“Well, until then you can hang out with us,” says Lauren, patting my hand. “It’s just a place to sleep and store your shit. You don’t have to hang out there.”
“Yeah, you can hang out with us at the Coffee Shop,” says Charlie, punching the air like she is some sort of artsy superhero.
I chuckle and my eyes lock on Josh. He gives me a shy smile that meets his intense blue eyes. Oh, yes, I can definitely spend a bunch of my free time with you.
“Alright class,” says a grey haired woman with round spectacles while kicking the door closed. “I don’t want to hear it, I know I’m late. Let’s just begin.”
Josh turns around in his seat and I straighten in my chair, happy to know there is one less thing for me to worry about with my new life in Aurora.
After my last class of the day I find myself standing in front of the bulletin board outside of my Finite Math classroom with flyers hanging from each inch of the display. There are dance callouts, Capture the Flag Sundays, Football Leagues, running groups, Intramural Volleyball, but nothing much on job openings.
