“Hey, Dani, it’s me. Well, I’m all packed up and getting ready to head to college. I don’t know where you are, but I wish you were here.”
I don’t even know why I bothered calling for the millionth time this morning. Dani hasn’t returned any of my calls or texts all summer—why start now? I guess a part of me hoped that when I had arrived on campus here at the University of Pennsylvania, I would see her. That she had changed her mind about school and would be joining me. I imagine the surprise on her face when she sees me here and not on the other side of the country.
I am alone in the dorm room unpacking when I hear a knock at the door. I look around the room as if I would find the answer as to who’s on the other side. Maybe my parents had forgotten something or my roommate, Cami, left her key when she went to the cafeteria earlier. I’m not prepared though when I open the door to see Zach leaning against the doorframe.
“Hey.”
“Hey back. What are you doing here?”
How did he know this was my dorm or that I was here?
“I go to school here; don’t you remember?” His face lights up with that wicked Jacobs smirk.
I narrow my eyes at him and let out a loud sigh. “No shit. I meant, what are you doing here in my dorm room?”
“Technically, I’m not in your dorm room because you haven’t invited me in.” He shrugs, still smirking.
Ugh, what is it about the Jacobs kids that scream smart-ass? My best friend’s smart-ass comments are one of the many things I miss about her.
He raises his eyebrows at me, making a clicking noise with his mouth while waiting for an invitation to come in.
I step aside and extend my arm. “Please, Zach, do come in.”
He tips his imaginary hat. “Why thank you, Hails.”
Stepping past me into the room, he looks around.
“Nice place you got here. Can’t say I’m sad to have not done the whole dorm life thing though.”
I take a seat on my bed, and
Zach grabs the chair from my desk, dragging it close to where I sit. He does the typical guy thing, flipping it around before straddling it, and leans his arms on the back. He looks back to where my roommate’s stuff is all sprawled out over her bed.
“So, have you met your roommate yet?”
Really? Did he come here to talk about my roommate? It’s been a long, emotional day. I’m physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. I think if I weren’t so exhausted, his small talk wouldn’t bother me.
I tilt my head, trying to figure him out. “Why are you here?”
Avoiding my question, he asks one right back. “Why didn’t you call me for help? Your dad called me as they were leaving campus, asking if I would check in on you. I didn’t even know you were here already.”
Great! My dad called him and asked him to check on me. So what is this, a pity visit? He doesn’t need to step into the role as big brother—I already have… Fuck! I feel like the room is beginning to close, and I quickly stand up from the bed and walk toward the window.
Zach must see it written all over my face. He starts to rise quickly from the chair, however his foot gets stuck because as soon as he’s standing straight up, ready to take a step, he’s tumbling to the ground, taking the chair along with him.
I turn around at the commotion and instantly burst out laughing when my eyes meet his. Quickly, Zach joins in on my laughter, and before I know it, I’m sitting next to him on the floor. He’s fine; embarrassed, if anything, that his super-suave personality is flawed. He obviously has his sister’s grace. His eyes meet mine, and I stop laughing when I remember why I had gotten up in the first place.
“Is it okay to laugh?” I ask him without taking my eyes away from his.
I bite my lip nervously. I was looking forward to this whole experience, but today has been nothing but a hot mess of emotion. I spent most of the day imagining my brother helping me move into my dorm, thinking how cool it would be if we were at the same school, but then remember that had he still been alive, I would be on the other side of the country.
Zach scoots closer to me on the floor and wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his chest. “Yeah, Hails, you know I think laughter is a must. If I don’t laugh, I get angry. And to be honest, I’m tired of being angry. My anger pretty much cost us the security deposit.”
I jerk back, looking at him with furrowed brows. What the fuck is he talking about?
As if he can sense my confusion, he continues. “One night, right after all of Em’s shit was taken back to your parents’ house, I got drunk, by myself, and got so mad that he wasn’t there drinking with me that I punched a hole in the wall. I messed up my hand a bit, but at least nothing was broken.”
“Except for maybe the wall,” I add.