Fierce(2)

“Yeah, I can’t wait to make myself at home here,” I say, nodding, trying to make it sound genuine.

“Wow, you sound excited,” she says with a sarcastic undertone.

“Sorry, I do like that you’re my roommate. Honestly, I do.” I sit down on my bed and she sits down next to me. “But I think I just made the worst and most laughable entrance ever.”

“What happened?” she asks.

“Oh … you know … a leaf blower … my hair … the usual crap.”

She snorts. “Well, that’s just you being yourself.”

I shake my head and smile. Evie nudges me with her shoulder and winks. “Oh, c’mon. It’s not like they’ll remember you for it. Who’d remember girls like us anyway? We’re the nobodies. The ‘invisible.’ Nobody’s going to blink at us.” She makes quotation marks with her fingers.

I laugh. “You got a point there. ‘Not being anyone’ makes life a lot easier.”

Evie lets her head rest on my shoulder and I sigh.

“Dork for life and proud of it,” she muses.

And then we both burst out into laughter. We fall flat down on the bed and Evie puts her arm around me like she usually does when it’s just the two of us. I don’t remember her any other way. We’ve always been this close. Ever since I met her in high school she’s been my best friend. Both teased, we sought comfort in each other’s presence. Dorks have to stick up for each other. That’s the only way to make it through that thing called puberty.

I’m so glad we’re both past that now. I expect college life to be different. A lot better, maybe.

Someone clears his throat, and I immediately push myself up on my elbows.

“Am I interrupting you guys? I can come back later, no problem.”

“Brody!” I scream, and jump up from the bed. He’s standing in the doorway. I run to him and wrap my arms around him.

“I get that you’re happy to see me, but no need to crush my ribs,” he says, almost choking on a laugh.

“Sorry,” I say, releasing him from my grip.

“So, had a look around campus yet?” he asks.

“Yeah, I did the tour yesterday. I can’t believe how huge it is!”

“I know, right?”

We look at each other, and I can’t help but squash him between my arms again. I haven’t seen him in such a long time. It feels like it’s been forever since we were at the same school together. I never liked that he was three years older than me, but when he left to go to college, I was even more distraught. Suddenly, my best friend was gone, and I had to fend for myself.

Luckily, I met Evie not long after. She’s been my only friend since. I think I can safely say I have two best friends. Although I don’t really know if it’ll be the same now that I’m here. Brody looks so different now, I can hardly tell it’s him. I hope things will be the same like always, though.

“Hmm …” he mutters. “Seems ages ago since I was last a newbie. Wasn’t the greatest experience.”

When he sees my scaredy-cat face, he chuckles a little. “Relax. You’ve got me to back you up. I didn’t have anyone to show me around, to help me out when I needed it. But you two have me now.”

Evie rolls her eyes when he looks at her. “Don’t go thinking you’re a mogul now.” She walks up to him and pinches his cheeks. “Still little Bro-bro to me.”

He scowls at her, and she laughs.

“And now for the formal introduction: Autumn Blakewood and Evie Carder, I hereby welcome you to campus.”

“Why thank you, generous lord.” Evie makes a bow, and I muffle a laugh behind my hand.

“It’s tradition. Well, it’s not like you understand any of that,” he says, snorting. “Evie Peeved.”

She frowns and nudges him forward. “Okay, that’s it. Out.”

“What? Can’t take a joke?”

“I hate that name.”

“Exactly. That’s why it suits you perfectly.”

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have other stuff to do besides talking to an annoying dork.” She storms out the door and walks through the hallway.

“You’re a dork yourself, too!” Brody yells, laughing out loud.

“I know. That’s why it’s even more pathetic!” she yells back, laughing too. Then she disappears through a door with a ‘ladies’ sign above it.

“That’s what you get when you push her buttons,” I say when Brody directs his attention back to me.

“No, you push her buttons.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I say, and I put my hands on my waist.