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My only plan for college was to not disappoint Kenzlee. She believed in me and Lars enough to write a check for our futures, and I refused to be one more person in her life that has let her down. That girl had enough disappointment to last a lifetime, and I refused to be added to that list. While I wanted her to be proud of me, it was more than that. I wantedusall to make her proud; someone that selfless deserved it.
Apart from all that, my biggest concern right now was Alexandria. While I was here to look out for her, I knew that it wasn’t going to take long before she had a flurry of new friends and guys going after her. Even if she wasn’t ‘fresh meat’, Alexandria Grant was beautiful. Though she didn’t resemble any Disney characters like Kenzlee, Alex had these incredible ice-blue eyes that were almost hypnotizing. They were going to be the perfect icebreaker for anyone that wanted to get to know her, and I had to find a way to make sure that she didn’t forget about me. No matter what, I refuse to let Alexandria become a college statistic. I wanted her college experience to be all positive, and I was going to do whatever I had to in order to make that possible. Hell, I wantedallof our college experiences to be positive ones. I wanted to hear how Talon and Kenzlee were doing great, and when the time came, I wanted to hear Lars and Edie talk about how they were also doing great in college.
Now, did I sound stingy to wish that for all of us? Maybe. Still, there was nothing wrong with wanting happiness for all my friends. Kenzlee had given us all a chance to do something more with our lives, and that’s what I wanted for all of us.
Plus, there was also my temper to consider. While Talon had been the fighter, and still had no problem throwing a punch, he’d done it for money; he’d done it for Edie’s future. So, he’d been the pragmatic one, Lars had been the easygoing one, and I’d been the one that had struggled with his temper. When it flared, I loved nothing more than a good fight to follow.
So, yeah, nothing had better happen to Alexandria, or else I was screwed.
Chapter 2
The reality that grounds us.
Hunter~
One week down, and things were feeling a bit more manageable. Classes started on Monday, and I wasn’t feeling as intimidated as I’d been when I’d first gotten here. I had spent the past week checking out the campus, plus driving around town to get a familiar feel for the place.
That was another thing that Kenzlee had insisted upon when we had all agreed to go to college. Alexandria had already had a car, so she hadn’t been an issue. However, Kenzlee had purchased a car for Edie, then buying a car for me and Lars to get around. After graduation, Edie had agreed that she and Lars could share her car, allowing me to have my own transportation while away.
So, with my shit all set up in my dorm, feeling more confident with getting around campus and town, the only thing left was for me to find a job. Mom had suggested that I wait until a few weeks, so that I could be realistic with my workload versus my free time, but I knew that if I waited, most of the jobs would be gone. I wasn’t the only student here on hopes and dreams. Besides, I wasn’t afraid of hard work or sacrifices. Again, the example my father had set for us had been a good one; one that worked in my favor now.
When college had become a reality, I had chosen to get my degree in computer engineering. No matter how people felt about technology, it was here to stay. Like money, it made the world go around, and I had no desire to become internet famous for putting my business out there as a way to make money. That shit was crazy to me. While I had nothing against social media, making my living from exposing myself to strangers was not anything that I cared to do. Not only was it dangerous as hell, but I already knew that the world was shit without having to invite negative and toxic people into my life.
At any rate, having a regular job was my goal in life, but I wanted one that paid well. Again, it was important for me to make Kenzlee happy and not squander the opportunity that she’d given us all. So, computer engineering had felt like the right choice for me. Plus, with my temper being what it was, a job where I could just do my own thing seemed ideal to me. Yeah, I might be sitting in front of a computer all day, but at least I wouldn’t be surrounded by idiots.
“Still plan on job hunting this week?”
I looked up from my laptop to see Baron walking into our room, fresh from the showers. Now, while I wasn’t into guys, it was hard not to notice just how big this dude was. I was six-foot-one and had my own set of hard-earned muscles, but I still felt small next to this Viking. Baron Memphis was six-foot-four, had blond hair, blue eyes, and could barely fit through the door. Whenever he sat on his bed, the entire frame screamed for help, and it made perfect sense why he was here on a football scholarship. He played the linebacker position, and why wouldn’t he? He also wasn’t a bad-looking dude if you liked that blonde hair/blue eyed combo, which most girls did.
What surprised me the most about him was that he had no tattoos. Sure, I was stereo typing a bit, but he just seemed like the type that would have tattoos. I had several of my own, so maybe I was projecting. Still, you didn’t see many athletes without tattoos these days.
“That’s the plan,” I answered.
“Man, I wish I could get a job,” he stated conversationally. “I mean, I know there’s no way in hell that I’ll have time, but…it feels weird not working.”
Baron’s childhood had been similar to mine. While he’d had both his parents in his life growing up, they’d been one paycheck above poverty themselves. Like my family, they’d been too rich for assistance, yet too poor to make anything happen. Families like ours spent their entire existence praying that the car didn’t break down, that no one got sick, or that the refrigerator didn’t die. Unexpected expenses like those would keep my parents up at night, calculating how to make things work, and Baron’s family had been the same. Though depressing, I was glad that I’d been paired up with someone that I could identify with. It was going to make my first year way more easier now.
“Football is work,” I pointed out. “Hell, if things go according to plan, it’ll be youractualjob when you graduate from here.”
Grinning, he looked over at me. “Thanks for that, but I’m used to cashing paychecks. I’ve been working since I got my work permit at fifteen.”
“Well, that’s what the off-season and summer are for,” I said, shrugging. “And if you need anything, I can always help if I’ve got the money.”
Baron started pulling some clothes from his side of the closet. “While I appreciate that, you’re not looking for a job just so that you can give your money away, Hunter.”
“True,” I agreed. “But where I come from, you help your people when you can.”
Baron turned back around to look at me. “Isn’t that ironic? Poor people will give their last dollar to other poor people because they know what it feels like to be without. Meanwhile, you’ve got rich shits that won’t give you a nickel if they can’t write it off on their taxes.” He shook his head. “It’s a damn shame.”
I immediately thought of Kenzlee. “Not all rich people are greedy or stingy.”
“If you know one, then you’ve met a real-life unicorn,” he snorted. “In my experience, they’re not very nice or giving.”
Instead of getting into a debate about generosity, I said, “Well, the offer still stands. If I got it and don’t need it, then all you have to do is ask.”
“I appreciate that, man. Really.”
“No problem,” I assured him before going back to my laptop. I’d been searching Want Ads before he’d walked into the room, hoping to find something that I could land right away. Not only did I need money for future tuition and to live comfortably, but what if Alexandria needed something? Yeah, she had her parents and cousin, but if she needed money in case of an emergency, I wanted to be able to have it for her, instead of forcing her to have to wait for her parents or Kenzlee to transfer it to her.
