Old fears

Soon after, we crossed the Apartment's Gate, Jessica and Aimee got separated from me as they went to the female building, while I headed to the male building. We were greeted by the receptionist clerk who handed me my dormitory card with the C305 key holder in it. The male Housing Building was musty but cozy. There were various rooms with armchairs and couches to accommodate all the Midnight Sun students, residing in the building, in case they needed a place to chill and relax; in the main reception room, there was also a massive fireplace for people to gather around the fire in winter season.

Naturally, in a building as old as this one, there were no elevators. Dormitory C305 is on the third floor. So, I started my trek up the flight of stairs, and by the fifth step, I was already exhausted. The stairs were impressive to behold and horrible to climb. They were antique-looking marble double set of stairs, with red carpet covering the flight of steps. Fortunately, they weren't really steep. I made my way through them, until I reached the third floor. There were only three dormitories in this floor and mine was in the middle. The others were C304 and C306; I noticed that each door was a white-painted piece of wood with a golden sign marking the different rooms. The wood had an intricate decoration to it. It looked fancy to me.

I approached the C305 card to the door, it clicked, and I stepped inside. Okay, I expected better when I saw the building outside, but what I saw didn't disappoint me. It was old, and it smelled damp. But there was a huge window with a sitting area overlooking the Campus parks. I loved the detail. To each side of the dorm, there were two double-sized beds. In front of the beds, we had some oak wardrobes; It seemed I was in luck today, because we didn't have to share with Jacob, there were two of them and they were massive. There were no TVs however, but who watches TV nowadays? To the side walls, there was a desk that joined with the wardrobe and the bed all in one piece of furniture; I found it to be a nice touch. And lastly, there was a bathroom, which was pretty standard, but on a positive note, it had a bathtub instead of a shower and a large mirror.

As I started to settle in and arrange my clothes and dorm belongings I had brought with me from home, on the wardrobe and the desk, I heard the door click. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, my heart racing. I knew, perfectly well, what it meant. Jacob Harrison had found his way to our shared dormitory. I turned around, and he entered the room nonchalantly and confidently, his gaze fixed on the windows.

"Oh wow, I like the windows," he remarked without even bothering to check if I was already inside.

My introverted instincts kicked in, and the first thing I did was slowly recoil into the corner, hugging my arms and staying quiet. That was when he noticed there was someone else in the room.

"Oh, you must be Levi Winters, my new roomie," he said. Naturally, he pronounced my name wrong.

"It's Leh-vee, but yes that'd be me," I corrected him, my voice flat and barely above a whisper.

"The room's not that bad, when I saw this old looking building, I thought it'd be worse," he made small talk.

"Mhm," I replied, my palms clammy.

As he settled his stuff on his side of the dorm, I checked my phone hoping to see if Jessica had messaged me. We had exchanged phone numbers earlier, because why not? I was anxious to get out of here. It would be pleasant to take a stroll on the Campus parks, for example. Classes start on Monday, so we've got an entire weekend to acclimate ourselves to our dormitories and our roommates.

I had no new notifications, so I lay in bed. My thoughts swirling as I tried to calm myself. I focused on my breathing, inhaling and exhaling. The soft, warm sheets provided me with a small sense of comfort. I kept reminding myself that no matter how similar Jacob might be to my school bullies, he wasn't one of them, at least he hadn't proven to be like them, so far. That thought encouraged me to try to strike a conversation with the new guy. After all, we were going to have to spend our next school years together, so unless one of us dropped out, we were gonna have to find a way to coexist. It'd have been better if we started off on the right foot, even if it meant pushing past my anxiety and the lingering shadows of my past.

So, I sat up in bed, glancing around the room and saw him agitated, after arranging all his belongings. I took a deep breath and tried to steady my thoughts. Think of something to say. I reminded myself that this wasn't an impossible task and that I must push my prejudice out of my mind. What does this guy even like?

Umm, I assume you're a Buffalo fan?" I asked, fixing my eyes on the first item I found of his.

"Oh yeah, you're asking about my jacket. It's actually my brother's. It brings me good memories, now that I'm away from home," he replied, his face softening as he spoke.

That response caught me by surprise, I had assumed he'd be all muscle. It piked my curiosity and made me want to ask more about him and his life.

"But you didn't answer my question though, do you like the Buffalos?" I pressed.

"Yeah, I do. I watch them play with my brother and some friends all the time. I heard they're playing later this afternoon. A few friends and I are going to watch them at the bar around the corner. So, if you wanna co…" He stopped mid-sentence when my phone ringed.

"Give me just one sec," I said, startled.

I was taken a little aback, and also little surprised by what he was about to suggest. I took my phone out of my pocket, and I noticed Jessica was calling me. I answered and moved towards the window, resting on the cushions by the sitting area. She asked me if I wanted to join Aimee and her to take a stroll around the campus parks and feed the ducks. I agreed and ended the phone call. When I turned and glanced around the room, Jacob was gone. I looked down, and I felt my chest tightening with guilt. He had been about to invite me over to watch some football. And sure enough, I didn't like football, but he had been considerate enough to include me; after every assumption I had already made about him. I made a mental note to talk to him that night.

I readied myself to leave. I grabbed a crimson jacket from the wardrobe and slowly made my way to the door. I opened it with the card, and while I closed it, I couldn't stop thinking about Jacob. I still felt ambivalent towards him, and despite my lingering uncertainty, a nagging feeling suggested that he might be more complex than my initial impressions had led me to believe.

I went down the stairs, and when I reached the ground floor, only the receptionist was there. I was hoping to find him among some of the new residents, but for some reason, there weren't many other students lingering in the area. Exiting onto Melian's Ave, which, subsidiarily, had the Irish cafe and bar, I figured it was where Jacob would be likely enjoying his Buffalo football match with his friends. On the corner of the avenue, there was also a Starbucks, one of my favorite spots for relaxing or reading, either with friends or just me.

I headed towards the female Housing Building, and I noticed it was a daunting, and imposing structure similar to the male one, but with some distinct differences. The receptionist here was a male, as opposed to ours being a female, and it featured a cafe area that ours lacked. The main reception boasted green decor, while ours featured a mix of blue and dark purple tones.

I found Jessica leaning against the entrance door, apparently waiting for me. I didn't immediately locate Aimee and wondered if she was coming at all. So, I approached Jess and greeted her, resolved to inquire about it:

"Hi Jess, how are you doing? Just waiting there for me, huh?" I said playfully.

"Oh yes, we didn't know how long you were going to take. Who knows what you can be up to?" she replied, half-smiling.

"Well, here I am, at your service." I said, waving an imaginary hat at her. "Where's Aimee, by the way?"

"Oh, she just received an important call from home. That's all she said," Jessica answered, frowning.

Something felt off about that response. But just as I was about to ask Jessica if she knew what was wrong, if there was anything actually wrong, Aimee exited the building. She was a girl who appeared to be about twenty years old, give or take, with black sleek hair and slanted dark eyes. She had round features and seemed to have a kind disposition. Although I didn't know her very well, I definitely wanted to change that in the future.

"Hi Levi, what's up?" Aimee greeted me.

"Hey, not much, just meeting up with you of two," I answered, trying to seem cool.

"Are you okay, though?" I inquired.

"Yeah, all is fine," she replied, looking away and then lowering her gaze.

Something was definitely wrong, but for the time being, it wasn't my place to press the topic any further.

After leaving the Housing Buildings, we crossed the Apartments Gate and entered the campus.

We walked along a winding path lined with trees still heavy with leaves, their branches swaying gently in the warm breeze. The fragrance of the prairie filled the air, mingling with the last hints of summer blooms. It seemed like a long time until we settled ourselves on the soft grass next to a tranquil pond, home to ducks and geese, under the shade of a large willow tree.

Thoughtfully, Aimee had prepared sandwiches for all of us. I thanked her and took a bite. It was unnecessary to say that they were delicious, and I ate with gusto while I watched Jess feeding the ducks with crumbs from her own sandwich.

"So, tell us about yourself, Levi. What do you like to do?" Jessica asked, her enthusiastic tone suggested that she was genuinely interested in my answer.

"Well, for once I love to read. And I also enjoy playing my violin, watching movies and shows, and photography," I replied, taking a bite off my sandwich.

"I knew it!" Jessica exclaimed. "You have the look, you know?"

"I know I look like a nerd. No need to rub it off," 

"Oh, I'm just joking," she replied, while playfully hitting my shoulder with her knuckles.

"That's so cool," Aimee replied laughing, and resuming the conversation. "I'd like to see some of the pictures you take."

"Oh, of course." So, I unlocked my phone and showed her. She seemed very impressed, but I didn't think they were such a big deal. One was of my pets, and the other was of my little brother making a silly face.

"They're great pictures. You're very talented," Aimee complimented me.

"I agree, you have a great future ahead of you as a photographer and a nerd!" Jessica added, her enthusiasm and laughter were contagious.

"Okay, enough about me," I said, blushing. "Now, you should tell me about you, since you're such a cool person and not so much a nerd like me. Jess, what shows do you like to watch?" I asked, taunting her.

"Oh, recently I've been in love with Heartstopper. The way those two boys fall in love with each other is just so magical," she said, seeming pretty happy with herself and her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I was taken aback by this comment, feeling a little vulnerable, so I knew the show and I loved it, as well, but this was not the time for any confession. I nervously combed my messy hair and tried to play it cool and seem like nothing major was going on with me. I worried they might have noticed my reaction. It was still too early for them to know about me. So, I answered:

"I've never heard of it. If it's great, I'll add it to my watchlist," I lied.

"Definitely," said Aimee. "I've watched it too and enjoyed it as well, but I'm more into fantasy and time travel shows. Have you watched Dark on Netflix, Levi?"

"That's like my favorite show of all time," I said, the grim mood receding and my enthusiasm returning. "It's a TV series for enlightened minds," I replied, smiling and feeling very glad to be connecting with someone else, outside of my family.

We chatted for a while longer, getting to know each other better. It felt very nice to make some new friends, especially after feeling so alone and isolated. As the sun dipped down below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the sky, we decided it was time to head back to our dorms. I walked back with Jessica and Aimee until we reached the female Housing Building, and we had to part ways, unfortunately. Time had flown, as usual when having such a great time with others.

"It was nice meeting you, guys. We should hang out again soon," I said, smiling and ruffling my hair.

"Definitely. Have a good night, Levi," Jessica said, giving me a hug which took me aback, but after a few seconds I hugged her back.

I walked back to my dorm room, feeling a bit more hopeful about my new life at Midnight Sun University. Upon entering my dorm, I hoped to find Jacob there so we could discuss about the little incident we had had earlier, but he hadn't arrived yet. So, I settled down in my bed, grabbed the current book I was reading at the time, readied myself to get lost in its pages, when I heard the door click. This was it; I needed to address the topic. My heart started racing, and I felt dizzy. I sat up, just as he entered the room.