CHAPTER NINE: Rosalind
I made my way back to the dorm feeling empty. I needed to see my family for dinner tonight and wanted time to get ready. My mom would interrogate me about the boys at school. Yes, she called them boys like they weren’t going to graduate and be on their own already. I couldn’t let her find out anything about Sterling.
When I walked in the door, Violet looked at me from the pile of books on her bed.
“Good… morning?” She said as I shot her a look.
“Hi,” I told her as I dropped my purse and sweater on the desk before stretching. I worked muscles that I didn’t know I had last night. I felt Violet watching me and knew that she wasn’t happy with my vague answer earlier.
“So, you ended up falling asleep. Was that after you fucked him?” Violet asked as I gave her a sharp look.
“There was more to it than that. We were studying and had dinner. We just got tired and fell asleep.” I denied her insinuation and went to sit on my bed. “I already have to prepare for my family dinner later.”
“Family dinner?” Violet asked as I nodded. I thought that Sterling probably had the same dinner with his own family, but we didn’t talk about that. It wasn’t like we’d ever visit one another.
“Yep,” I replied as I dropped back to my pillows. I missed the feeling of being wrapped in Sterling’s arms, but I’d never admit that. I relaxed for a while in silence before I got dressed to drive to my parent’s house. I wore some new black slacks and another cashmere sweater in a maroon color. I had all my underthings on this time and loosened my hair, looking in the mirror. It was kinky curly, and I rolled it into a low bun to secure it with a pretty clip. Mom was into more formal dinners and I lined my lips with some matching lipstick before I grabbed my purse.
“Hang in there.” Violet told me from her closet as she turned to smile at me. I assumed that she was going out to dinner with someone.
“I’ll try,” I replied as I opened the door. I headed to the parking lot and unlocked my green Range Rover, slipping inside slowly. I glanced across the street to see Sterling headed to his car dressed in slacks and a button up shirt, spinning his keys in his hand. I smiled and started my engine as the radio filled the cab, listening to the words. Why did music always have to resonate with me so much?
I backed out and headed to the house, noting that Sterling was a few cars behind me. I turned the radio up and tried to think about my family in a positive way. I was strong with my siblings and cousins, but my parents were the warmest of people. Dad always thought about business and making more money while Mom seemed to focus on my meeting a rich guy that would marry me and allow me to birth and raise his children.
I wasn’t opposed to the idea of getting married, but I wanted my own career. I didn’t want to be barefoot and pregnant for the next ten years of it. I wanted to have feelings for somebody. I thought briefly about Sterling and knew that would never be accepted.
I took the freeway for a few miles to their neighborhood that overlooked the water, turning the several streets before I parked in their long driveway. It curved around and offered room for a lot of cars and plenty of space for anyone to leave. The brick house was sprawling and single story with ten rooms that housed the four people that lived there. Dad had a gym in the basement and the other rooms were set up for guests and a family office. It was a beautiful home, and the view was stunning, but I didn’t feel warmth here. I got out of the car and walked to the front door, smiling as my little sister Sabrina opened it.
“Hi, bug. How are you?” I asked as she wrapped her arms around my waist. She was nine while my younger brother was turning twelve in a month and I adored them.
“Good. Thanks for coming over. I missed you,” she told me as I smiled.
“I go to school really close. You know that, right?” I asked as she sighed.
“You don’t live here.” She had a point.
“I know but soon I’ll have my own place and you can some stay the night with me. We can do all kinds of fun things in the city!” I told her as I glanced up to see Mom coming through the living room. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hello, sweetie.” She hugged me, kissing my cheek the way that she always did. “How are you?”