Page 1 of These Secret Years

Chapter One

SULLIVAN

FORCED FUN.

Is this what freedom feels like? Society promises great things about college in general. Independence. A chance to find yourself. Lifelong friendships. Connections. Intellectual growth. School spirit.

So far I have a roommate who’s nothing like me, hunger pains worse than a migraine, and a colorful flyer taped to my dorm room door promising “forced fun” with a mandatory mixer.

Deandre, my roommate, takes one look at the flyer, grins, then drops back to the floor in front of our beds to continue his endless series of push-ups. “It’s one way to get to know everybody,” he states when he sees the troubled scowl on my face.

“By forcing it?”

“Sure. It’s a big school.”

It’s a huge school. The University of Southern Missouri is the largest in the state. It’s known for three things—the business school, fine arts, and football.

Deandre, a wide receiver from Texas, is here on a full ride and then some. They gave him something like three cars, a new house for his parents, and a stipend with a dollar amount he said he’s not allowed to disclose, but I looked it up online, and it’s 500K a semester.

Insane.

The way they treat football players is absolutely fucking insane. How I wound up in a dorm with all of them was due to sheer lack of research on my part.

Deandre seems great, though. I’ve had no problem with him as a roommate so far, but it’s only been a weekend. He hasn’t been around much, but when he is, he’s thoughtful, neat, and has no problem striking up a conversation. He even told me to call him D.

I’m here for the music program on a full ride of my own, but my tuition isn’t being paid by the university. In other words, I’m lucky to be here.

“Are you any good at UNO?” Deandre asks, with no sign whatsoever that he’s even winded.

“Is it possible to be good at UNO?” I deadpan. “It’s just luck.”

“Bullshit. You gotta know when to use those Skip and Take Four cards. There’s strategy.”

“Why UNO, though?”

“‘Cause everyone knows how to play it.”

“I guess.”

I read the flyer from top to bottom.

FORCED FUN

Mandatory Mixer courtesy of your Type A RA.

Join the rest of Four East in the common room at six sharp tonight for Ultimate UNO.

Bring your game face and prepare to face off in an epic tournament. YOUR ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. You won’t make friends if you don’t get out of your room, so I’m afraid I must insist. Snacks and prizes provided. BYO age appropriate B.

Look sharp. First impressions count. No excuses.

Don’t be a dick.

Let’s have some fun.

Sincerely,

Gabe Kent, #401