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“Definitely ease us into the caviar.”
???
An hour later, Thayer and I have mostly unpacked and moved into our new rooms. We sit around the coffee table with Six and Nera, biting into warm slices of delicious pizza as we trade stories.
Their friendship reminds me of the one I have with Thayer, the sarcastic banter flying back and forth easily between the two of them.
I ask Nera to take a photo of me taking a sip of my beer. I text it to my mom with a short message.
Me:First (legal) drink. I love my roommates already. Love and miss you too.
Mom:Enjoy, sweetheart. I’m so proud of everything you’ve accomplished.
My chest squeezes at those last words.
Making my mom proud is the most important thing to me. I want to show her that all the sacrifices she’s made for me over the years haven’t been for nothing, that I’m going to make a name for myself. The reminder of that self-imposed pressure is what usually triggers my anxiety.
I heart the message and put the phone face down on the couch next to me. Hitting it off with the girls has made my first day on a new continent surprisingly easy emotionally. I’d expected to feel more lost and adrift. But while I miss my mom, the dominating emotion I feel is excitement.
“What about boys?” Thayer asks. “Are there any cute guys?”
“Forgot about Carter already?” I say sarcastically.
“Who’s Carter?” asks Nera
“My boyfriend. And I’m asking for you B, not me. Although if you have a whirlwind romance with a European hottie, I will secretly hate you.”
“Thayer thinks my vagina might seal up because I’ve never had a boyfriend before.” I say to the girls, rolling my eyes.
It’s not like I haven’t done anything before. I’ve made out with a few guys and let a couple feel me up, but I’ve never wanted to take it further with any of them. Whether it be emotionally or sexually.
“I haven’t either.” Adds Sixtine.
Nera snorts. “That’s only because Phoenix has made it clear that anyone who comes near you will be pissing blood by the end of the night.”
“Who’s Phoenix?”
“Oh, just her arch enemy.” Nera replies flippantly.
“He’s not my arch enemy. We used to be best friends.” A shadow passes across Six’s face. “He hates me because he thinks I betrayed him. It’s a long story.”
“Got it, well we’ll stay far away from him then.”
“Stay away from his friends, too. The three of them have known each other their whole lives and they run RCA. You don’t want to get on their bad side. In fact I’d say that your best bet is staying far away from them altogether. You don’t want them to notice you, believe me.”
“Who are the other two?”
“Rhys Mackley and Rogue Royal.”
“Rogue Royal? That’s his name?” I ask, interjecting. “He sounds like a superhero.”
“More like a supervillain.” Six answers, correcting me.
“Rhys is the joker of the group. He may seem like the most harmless of the three, but I wouldn’t let the easy smile fool you. There’s a darkness there that he’s got tightly controlled, but it’s bound to come out one day. And Rogue, well…”
“Let’s just say Rogue makes Phoenix look well adjusted compared to him. He’s completely unhinged. His mother abandoned him and his dad when he was nine, and his father parents exclusively via direct deposits into Rogue’s checking account. I’m not sure how often he’s even in town.”
“Stay out of his way. His anger issues have anger issues. Whatever you do, don’t make an enemy of him. Not only will he make your life hell if you do, he’ll laugh in your face while he does it.”
