College, in some ways, was a lot easier than high school. And it is much easier to make new friends. The boys varied, some were shy, but more grew out of their shells from their former high school selves. However, their fashion sense hasn’t changed much—just everyone’s sense of ego, boys and girls alike.

  One side effect of college is what to do with the extra time. High school was a 40-hour-a-week job, plus homework, plus cheer, and then her clubs replacing cheer. In high school, activities and classwork took up every minute of every day. Now, in her free time in the mornings before class, she goes to the campus gym and while riding the exercise bike, she browses social media.

  So many similar poses she recognized that she used to do. Scrunch face, pout face, fish gape, and others. Sometimes, with their licks puckered out. Like a duck. The irony wasn’t lost on her as she thought of Timothy. She missed him but doesn’t miss the days of pseudo relationships. Before, she rarely browsed, but now in college, she wants to learn more about her new peers, and a few from her old high school would enter the feed. One in particular stood out.

  Timothy posted for once. And he was with a girl. A tiny little girl with short brown hair just reached her shoulders, and a cute smile had her face against his. Behind them was a collegiate building of brick columns and Latin etched into the walls. His teeth. Just, wow. He looked great after a year of teeth realignment and jaw surgery, and he looked so different and adult.

  She felt defeated. Her legs slowed on the exercise bike. He’s genuinely moved on. But she hopes he’s happy.

  After a shower, she went to her classes for the afternoon. Then she went straight to her dorm and crashed into her bed. Compared to her room in Clearspring, or their new home in town, it may as well be a closet. And a closet, she has to share a room with. Her roommate has been studying hard during their first few weeks of college. Maybe she was nervous, not wanting to flunk out of college. Her dark hair was frazzled, and she wore thick glasses and was bundled up in oversized pajama pants.

  “You don’t study much,” she said to Sarah.

  “I’m in class for a total of fifteen hours a week.” She continued browsing the internet. She didn’t catch it, but a headline scrolled by about a promising new college football quarterback losing his scholarship after a permanent injury. Apparently, he went for a run instead of a throw and tried to somersault over a defender, with one hand on the ground, and another defender’s helmet crashed into it.

  “Yeah, but it’s college hours. My brother flunked his first year.”

  Sarah raised a brow. “What happened?”

  She turned the page in her book. “He didn’t go to class and played many video games. All the boys on his dorm room floor flunked out, now he’s a plumber.”

  Sarah straightened her posture and raised a hand. “I promise to go to every class.” Her roommate laughed as Sarah pulled out her laptop and an accompanying book, human biology. She wasn’t wrong, as Sarah should be studying more.

  With the laptop to her right and her book on her lap, she studied for her classes. The classes were huge, and from what she’s read, her roommate was right. Many of her peers won’t make it to graduation, but about a third will go all the way. So she studied.

  Then a notification popped up on a tab in her browser, and her phone buzzed. Another friend request. She made friends with someone on her first day, and it looks like he told some people her name. A lot of nameless faces from her courses have been finding her online.

  But it wasn’t someone from her class.

  Timothy.

  A year later, when she drove to his house, he messaged her.

  “It’s been a long time, I’d like to chat and catch up if you want.”

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  She immediately responded. “OMG right now. Do you still use the same number?”

  “Yeah. Video?”

  She called him immediately, not before fixing her hair a little. And in a heartbeat, his face took over her phone.

  “Wow,” she started. “I wanted to give you personal space, and I thought you never wanted to speak to me again, and then a year went by.”

  His smile stopped her in her tracks.

  “And your teeth, and smile. Good lord.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Apparently, I have your parents to thank for that?”

  Sarah nodded. “Yeah, my mom paid for that surgery.”

  He adjusted, and the phone turned slightly to show his dorm, decorated with music posters and basketball players dunking. “Looks like I owe her. Can you tell her thanks for me?”

  “Yeah. So. What’s new?”

  “I’m in College. Just barely got through senior year.”

  She nodded. “Which college?”

  “Southern.”

  She nodded again. “Congrats, that’s a good school.”

  “And you?”

  “I didn’t go far from home.”

  “Also a good school.”

  “It’s where my sister is, and my parents met here, so I’ll make them proud.” She wanted to ask. “Looks like someone picked up a girl.”

  His face blushed as it always did. “I should update my socials more often. We already broke up.”

  She raised a brow. “College started three weeks ago.”

  “She uh…” he looked off to the side in thought. “She wanted to move much faster. You know how I am. It made me uncomfortable.”

  “Oh.” She tried to hide her excitement. “Well, her loss.”

  He took a deep breath. “Hey. So, about how we left things.”

  “No, it’s ok. I totally understand.” She had forgotten. “I’m so sorry about how you were treated.”

  “That’s all fine,” he said. He lay on his dorm room bed with tucked-in sheets. “After some therapy, I came to a realization.”

  Therapy? Understandable, but she had no idea.

  “You didn’t know about Liam and me being related. And, I shouldn’t have ended things with you because of that. I made a mistake, and I’m sorry if I made you feel bad.”

  Taken aback by a heartfelt apology. “It’s ok. I’m not mad, I’d never get mad at you.”

  He got back up, happy that she said that. “Cool.” He took deep breaths.

  “How’s Twain?”

  He smiled at the thought of his dog. “He’s doing awesome.” He took more breaths.

  “Glad to hear. Do I still make you nervous?”

  He laughed. “Yeah. I’ve been practicing that apology for a few days now.”

  “I’m so glad you felt the need to apologize. Otherwise, we may not have talked again.”

  “Yeah. We can chat again sometime. I have a quiz tomorrow evening that I need to study for. Can we chat again soon?”

  “Yeah sure.”

  “Ok, I’ll see you—”

  “Wait, wait,” she said. “Do you still need a ride to school?”

  His head tilted, confused. “I live on campus.”

  Sarah’s roommate chimed in, “She’s asking you out, dude.”

  “No, she isn’t,” he hollered back through the phone.

  “Yeah, I am,” Sarah said.

  “It’s a 5-hour drive.”

  “And?”

  He hesitated. “And my class starts at 4.”

  “I’ll see you then. I’ll walk around your campus while you’re in class. And we’ll alternate every week.”

  “Wow.” His face blushed. “Is that what you want?”

  “Absolutely.”