"So just fill these out and bring them back tomorrow and we'll get you all set up."
I smile and grab the sheets of papers from Lindsey's outstretched hand.
"I'll see you tomorrow then. Thanks!"
I walk away from the desk, happy that I'm going to be working in the library, the place I love the most. I'll just be sitting at the main desk and helping people if needed, so it's not going to be a lot of work, but I can do my homework and read whatever books I want to. It's perfect for me.
I keep a strong hold of the papers as I'm walking back to the dorm because it's very windy. The sun is set high in the sky shining and there is only one cloud amongst the sea of bright blue. The wind whips my hair around my face to where I almost can't see where I'm going. I clutch the papers to my chest and walk quickly to inside my dorm, weaving through the students walking walking out the building.
When I walk inside my dorm, Sam and Trell are laying on her bed, kissing.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" I quickly cover my eyes with my hand and turn my back to them.
"It's fine, Eva," Sam laughs. "You can turn around."
I slowly turn around and uncover my eyes. They're now sitting up and Sam fixes her shirt.
"Sorry again." My cheeks grow warm and I advert my eyes elsewhere, trying not to look at them for too long.
"Sorry if we embarrassed you," She says.
I shake my head. "It's alright. I just wasn't expecting that when I came in."
"You act like it's the first time you've seen someone making out, Eva," Trell says teasingly.
"I haven't seen that much actually," I sigh and set my papers down on my table next to my laptop. "Really only stuff on tv and the movies."
"So you've never even kissed a guy?" Trell asks and Sam shushes him.
"Don't ask her that, babe."
"It's fine Sam," I tell her and sit on my bed facing them. "No, I've never kissed any guy before."
"Well you got time," Trell remarks.
"That's what I've told her," Sam says and leans her head on his shoulder. "She has all of college to experience whatever she wants to."
"I'm trying to just focus on my studies." I fold my hands in my lap and shrug.
"You can focus on your studies and still allow for some fun in your life," Trell points out. "You never know who you'll meet." He looks over at Sam lovingly. "Sometimes the thing you need most comes when you least expect it."
Sam looks like she melts when he says that and I start to yearn for someone to look at me the way they do each other.
"Right. It's only takes one meeting of the right person and you're set for life." Sam pecks his cheek and their fingers intertwine on her lap.
"How long have you guys been dating?" I ask.
"Two and a half years so far," Trell replies. "In February it'll be 3 years."
"How did you meet?" I'm very curious considering Trell's two years older than her.
"We've always kind of known of each other since we grew up in the same neighborhood," Sam explains. "But it wasn't until high school when I met him and Tre. We met at a football game we all went to and that was the start of it. My relationship with Trell and my friendship with Tre."
"And you've been together since that night?"
They both nod in synchronization. "Yep. Once I saw him, I knew that he was stuck with me forever."
I chuckle at Trell still nodding, agreeing with everything she just said.
"You guys are goals." I tell them admiringly.
"You'll find your man Eva," Sam says. "Relationships are hard and never perfect like they seem, but they're real and the best thing that will happen to you."
Her words spark some thoughts in my head. I always looked at my parents for how I wanted my marriage to be. I thought they were the perfect couple. I wanted to have a marriage like theirs, but now looking at them and seeing how Sam and Trell are, they're completely different relationships. My parents marriage seems cold and without emotions. I haven't seen my parents kiss since I was little and even then, they apologized that I wouldn't see it again. They hold hands sometimes but even that is really rare. I haven't heard them say I love you in I don't know how long. They also haven't said it very much to me either. I know they love me, but it'd be nice to hear it come from their mouths ever my once in a while. Just to let me know they still care.
"So why were you so late getting in last night?" Sam's questions breaks me out of my thoughts and I shake my head to get rid of them.
"What?"
She smirks. "I know you were late coming back last night, like super late. What was going on?"
I freeze up for a second and then my cheeks grow warm. Sam's eyes widen. "Who were you with?!"
I purse my lips in an attempt to not smile in embarrassment. "I was at the library. With Tre."
Sam ooohs teasingly and Trell smirks at her teasing.
"Why were you two together late at night?"
"We were just talking," I nonchalantly shrug. "We were sitting on the roof of the library just having a conversation."
"All night?"
"It wasn't all night," I chuckle. "It was late though. And he walked me back here afterwards."
"Hmm," Sam says. "That was nice of him. He better have walked you back."
"He did," I acknowledge.
"Did you have a good time with him?" She keeps on quizzing me and I want to turn and lay underneath my covers to avoid anymore of these questions.
"I did actually." I smile. "It was nice just talking to him without any distractions."
"I told you," Sam singsongs and I roll my eyes at her teasing.
"I know."
~*~
After Sam and Trell quizzing me about last night with Tre, they left to go eat downtown and I started on my homework. On Tuesday's I don't normally have as much homework to do, it's still a lot though compared to other people. Like, Sam doesn't have a lot of homework, or at least stuff that she can do in our dorm. She's at the art studio a lot. She's shown me all the pieces she's done and I think she's extremely talented. Her true gift is painting and she has a great ability to create magic with her paintbrush. I told her that I wished I could do what she did and she told me that she wished she could do calculus like me. Calculus can get boring at times. What am I saying? Almost all of the time, Calculus gets so boring. It's the subject I'm not a big fan of. I'd rather learn more about the medicines and chemistry behind the different compounds of antibiotics than the calculus equations. Painting seems like it never gets boring for Sam. She always seems happy while doing it and it never seems like a chore.
I finish my calculus problems that are due on Thursday and read the next few chapters in my seminar book.
"Knock knock." Reina knocks on the door that was cracks open and walks in and sits on my bed like she always does.
"Hey," I say and put my book down in my lap.
"What's up?"
"Just finishing up my homework," I reply and gesture to the book in my lap.
"You done now? I want go get food if you wanna come with me?" She asks.
I nod. "Yeah let me just finish this page and I'll be ready."
"Cool!" She stands up from my bed and walks back to her room to get her purse.
I quickly finish up my last page and set my book on my desk by my stack of textbooks. I grab my converse from underneath my bed and put them on. I go to my small closet that's more of a cubby hole with a few hangers in it and grab a light jacket. I grab my purse and sling it around my torso. Making sure I have everything and haven't forgotten my keys, I shut my door right as Reina is walking out of hers. We both lock our doors and walk down the surprisingly quiet hallway. In certain times throughout the day, the hall will be quiet, with everyone either in class or working on homework. But especially in the evenings, it's gets pretty loud and obnoxious.
"You wanna go to that new sub shop that just opened up right off campus?" Reina asks when we get outside and I put on my jacket, shivering from the cool evening air.
"Yeah we can do that." I cross my arms in front of me from warmth and we make our way across campus.
"Where's Sam at?" Reina asks. "Trell's?"
I shrug. "She and him went out to eat earlier but I don't know where they're at now."
"Oh okay, cool."
We walk across the street and past a few other shops before we get there. The smell of warm bread and meat hits my nostrils and I realize just how hungry I was. I was too busy doing my homework and thinking about last night to remember to eat something.
Once Reina and I have our subs in hand, we go to a small table by the window and sit down.
"What did you get?" She asks me as we both open up our bags.
"Just a half and turkey with avocado." I take a bite of mine and finish chewing before asking her the same question.
"What did you get?"
"Double chicken and bacon." We eat in silence for a few minutes and then Reina gets a look in her eyes. I can now tell what her looks mean after spending so much time with her. This look is a mischievous one.
"So how's your little crush on Tre going?"
I choke on my food and cough for a few seconds, hurriedly taking a sip of my bottled water.
"What?" I choke out.
"Tre," She draws out. "How are you two?"
I shake my head and take another sip of water. "There is no us two."
"Why not?" She questions and keeps eating her bag of chips. "I think you guys would be cute together."
I blush from that statement and then shake my head again. "He doesn't want me like that."
"How do you know that?"
"Because look at me, Reina." I frown and gesture to myself. "Why would he want someone like me?"
She cocks her head to the side, a look of confusion now on her face. "What's wrong with you? Why wouldn't he like you?"
I shrug.
"Come one Eva, tell me," She urges.
I struggle to find the words and how to say them out loud. "I'm just me," I plainly say. "I'm really shy and socially awkward."
"Lots of people are shy and socially awkward," Reina says, trying to make what I'm saying not a big deal.
"I'm not pretty like all of the other girls here." I frown. "Like that girl he danced with at that party." I noticed eight when I got here just how many beautiful girls there were. They were confident and outgoing. A total difference than what I am. Why would any guy like Tre want me? Average Eva.
"You are beautiful, Eva!" She assures. "You don't even realize how pretty you are. Your face is always smooth and your hair it long and gorgeous." She lists off these on her fingers. "And you have a good body."
"That's all nice of you to say, Reina."
She looks at me intensely. "You don't believe me?"
I shrug. "No one's ever told me these things before."
"It's about time someone did."
I turn to look out the window. The green and yellow lights from the neon sign make the street glow with the other lights from the shops. The sky is cloudy, much like my thoughts right now. I appreciate Reina's honesty, but I still don't think Tre would ever go for someone like me. I'm nothing like the girl he danced with. She oozed confidence and was comfortable moving her body around Tre's. She was beautiful and I was standing in the corner with my feelings hurt and confidence bruised.
"Honestly Eva," Reina breaks me out of my thoughts and I turn back towards facing her. "Anybody would be lucky to have you. You're smart and the sweetest person I've ever met. You're caring and you're highly motivated. You know what you want in life and if that's not the best confidence to have then I don't know what is."
"If Tre doesn't want you, then screw him. Cause he's gonna miss out on a great girl. He'd be stupid not to like you."
I smile. "Thanks Reina. You really know the right things to say."
She dramatically flips her hair over shoulder. "I know."
I chuckle at my best friend, feeling very thankful that I have someone like her in my life.
*~*
After we finished eating, Reina and I looked around at a few of the small shops down the street. There's not a lot here down this street, but we saw a few interesting things in the stores that kept us preoccupied. As we're leaving and walking down the street, I'm staring at the shops windows as we pass them.
"Tre!" Reina yells and I freeze. I slowly look up and see Tre, who was coming out of the tattoo shop. He's wearing his hoodie so I can't see any indication of his tattoo.
"What's up, Reina." He looks to her first and then to me as we walk to meet in the middle of the sidewalk.
"Hey Eva." He turns his attention towards me for a minutes and I return a quiet "Hey" back.
"You just get some new ink?" Reina asks him and I look over his covered body, wondering where his tattoo was.
He lifts up his left arm. "Yeah I got my shoulder finished."
I really wished I could see what it was like. I'm terrified of needles so I could never get one myself, but I always thought they looked interesting on other people. I have only seen a few of Tre's tattoos from the ones that will stick out when he's wearing a shirt sleeved shirt. I've never asked him how many he has but he probably has quite a few.
"Where were you guys headed." He asks and puts his hands in his pockets.
"Back to the dorm," Reina answers before I can. "We were just hanging around here for a little bit."
"Cool. I was gonna head back to the apartment."
"You can walk with us, if we're cool enough for you." Reina teases him.
Tre smirks and looks over at me. "Eva's the only cool one here."
Reina gasps dramatically and puts a hand over her heart. "I am offended Tre!"
"Yeah yeah, whatever." He shrugs and I try to hide my smile as we walk back to campus.
Tre walks next to me and talks to me the most on our walk back. After Reina and I's conversation earlier at dinner, I try to keep my nerves down and act calm. Tre does a lot of the talking anyways so I know I don't have to worry that much of making an embarrassment.
"Do you wanna meet this Friday and work on our project some more?"
I am taken back by his question because he was the one who said for us to take a break for a while.
"Um, yeah we can keep working on it."
"Cool. Meet at our same time," he says as we get to the dorm.
Reina goes inside first, but not before conspicuously sending me a wink. I shake my head at her and then turn towards him.
"I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Cool," he smirks. "See you then." He turns to walk away and I watch him for a few seconds before turning around to head inside.
"Good night Evangeline!" I hear him call from behind me.
I turn around and he's still walking. I shake my head and inwardly squeal at the ludicrous man who always manages to get to me in some way.
"Good night Tre."