Poisonous Love

Chapter 2

Jane

Past

''That was the last box,'' I shouted while throwing myself onto the bed of my new dorm room.

''How much s**t did you carry with you.'' Said my friend Cole while lying down beside me.

''Hey, I'll be living here for three years now. This is the best I can do with the packing.'' I pouted

''You can always go back and bring some more stuff stupid. Who told you to bring it all at once?'' Cole said haughtily.

''I don't want to go back,'' I said, turning my back on him. Feeling sad all of a sudden. With the remainder of my parents. Who wasn't there for me? Only their money was. Cole understood my mood. He knows all about it.

''Hey, I am sorry. I didn't want to upset you. It just slipped.'' he tried to explain while rubbing my arm to console me.

''It's okay, I know you didn't mean it,'' I said in a small voice.

''Now what did you utter from your stupid mouth.'' Came from my best friend and Cole's girlfriend, Sarah. She went to bring food for us. While we carried all my boxes to my room. I stood up from my bed. And made my way toward her. I am famished with all the workouts. I was never a workout person.

''Nothing,'' Cole said in a frightening voice. I always liked how he behaved towards Sarah. Always humoring her. Sarah gave him a stern look. While she took out our food. My room has one more bed. And there is someone's belonging around the study table. I guess my roommate has already settled in. I am excited about meeting her. To start my new life away from all the depressing environment at home. Not having anyone to talk to. Alone all the time is how I spent my 19 years. Except for the time I spent with my friends.

We moved to have food laid on my study desk. Wow, she brought all the cheesy items which I love. Cheesy fries, Lasagne, and cheeseburgers with extra cheese. Yes, you guessed it right. I am a huge fan of cheese. And to gulp all that cheese down she brought a sprite with her.

''You are the best Sarah. Thanks for bringing the food.'' I hugged her, which she reciprocated with a lot of vigor.

''Hey, you didn't thank me like that,'' whined Cole. Sarah's glare shut him up. Making me and Sarah burst out in giggles. Oh god, they are the cutest couple I have ever seen.

After having lunch, we started to settle my things down. Everything was almost perfectly settled except for my clothes. We took a breather. They have to leave as they have an important lecture to attend tomorrow, so they have already booked their flight for the evening. After resting for some time, they insisted on helping me with my wardrobe, to which I declined sternly. That much I can do alone.

It's time for them to leave. I am an emotional mess right now. I don't know when I will see them now.

''Okay take care of yourself and don't hesitate to call any of us if something happens. Okay.'' Cole said. He is just like a big brother to me though he is the same age as me. But still, he always treats me like a little sister. I nodded my head at him like a good little sister.

''I will'' I mumbled. Then I moved to hug Sarah who also had shiny tears in her eyes just like me. She also mumbled a ''Take care'', not able to form more words without crying. We hugged each other tightly.

After the emotional goodbye, I was exhausted emotionally as well as physically. So I laid down on my bed and let the sweet slumber take me.

I woke up to see the sky had turned dark. I stretched my body.

''Hey, are you my new roommate.'' said a voice from the other side of the room, making me let out a loud shriek.

''Sorry sorry I didn't mean to scare you.'' she rushed to my side. My heart was beating a mile a minute. My hand was on top of my beating heart.

''It's okay,'' I replied after my heart began to beat normally.

'' Hi, I am Jane.'' I forwarded my hand for her to shake.

''I am Jasmine. You can call me Jas,'' she replied with a sweet smile. Jasmine has blonde hair and dark blue eyes, a total contrast to my light baby blue.

''What time is it,'' I asked her while gathering my clothes from the floor which fell down due to my sleeping.

''It's 8 right now,'' she informed me.

''Oh,'' my stomach let out a growl at that. I looked at Jas, then we both burst out laughing.

''I guess I am hungry,'' I said, a little flushed because of my stomach.

''Let's go. Then, today I will show you the best diner near our campus. They serve some of the best sandwiches and burgers,'' she said with a dreamy look like she was talking about her boyfriend and not food.

''Okay, let me get freshen up, then we will leave.'' Dumping all the clothes once again on the bed, I rushed to the washroom to freshen up. Noting in my mind to set my wardrobe after returning.

While walking to the diner we started talking. ''So where are you from,'' Jasmine asked while enjoying the mild summer night breeze.

''I am from New York,'' I replied, enjoying myself too.

''Wow, New York huh, New York has some of the best universities. Why did you choose Florida? It's like the other end of the world,'' she asked, curiosity lacing her voice.

''I guess I needed the change of scene, you know. I wanted to explore new things, so I decided why not Florida and, by luck, I got selected too.'' I replied with a melancholy smile. I only know how much I needed out from that depressing environment. She saw my sad smile but didn't point at it.

''You told me something about yourself,'' I asked her to change the topic.

''Me. I was born and brought up here,'' she replied.

''Then why the dorm if you live here,'' I asked her.

''Well, I always wanted to try living in a dorm room so I requested my mother to let me have one. After a lot of pleading, she agreed,'' she replied while opening the door of the diner.

When we entered the diner, we started to look for a free booth. There was a commotion going on at one of the booths in the back. We could clearly see some college-going girls and boys had occupied that booth, but when a girl moved aside and I saw the boy sitting in the booth wearing a black t-shirt looking like some hot model straight out of the magazine with his dark grey eyes, his blonde hair tousled like he ran his hands through them right now. His sculpted jaw and high cheekbones. He looked extremely hot. He was looking at one of his friends when suddenly his eyes made contact with my eyes, making my breath hitch.

I was unable to look away. His dark gray eyes shone with appreciation as he did a slow once over my body, making me squirm in my place with self-consciousness. Then with admiration when he thoroughly scanned my face. Then his eyes shone with intensity so deep that it made me move my gaze from him.

I looked at my side to see Jasmine in a trance, a much similar one as mine. I was about to nudge her but then thought against it. And decided to look at the one who made her go into such a trance. I looked in the direction in which she was looking to find a handsome man staring back at Jasmine. He is handsome with his forest-green eyes and dark brown hair, but not as handsome as the one sitting next to him.

With the reminder of that hot devil, I looked at him to find that he was already looking at me with what felt like a lot of anger which made me flinch at my place. But, but what did I do? I don't even know him. Then why was he angry at me? Oh God, what have I gotten myself into? He looks like a short-tempered guy. Having enough of his burning gaze. I decided to break eye contact. And nudged Jasmine this time. She shook her head, getting out of whatever trance she was in.

''What happened?'' hiding my nervous state, I asked her. She shook her head and motioned to a booth that had recently been vacated. We moved to the booth and placed our order. We ordered cheese sticks, onion rings, and hamburgers with coke on the side.

We had our dinner in complete silence, both of us a little flustered about tonight's happenings. We called the waiter for the bill. To which he said 'That dinner was on the house.'

''What is today your diner's anniversary or something and we are the lucky guest ?'' he shook his head at that.

I looked at Jasmine who was trying hard not to laugh.

''What happened?'' I asked her, at which she started laughing.

''Nothing, it's just your imagination is so wild.'' still laughing.

''Then you will tell me why is our dinner on the house,'' I asked her while huffing.

''Don't pout now. Come, I'll tell you,'' she said, standing up. After thanking the waiter, we left from there.

''Now tell me,'' I asked her when we were on the streets.

''The guy in the booth at the back was my ex-boyfriend. Whenever I go to that diner, he pays for my meal. Stating that he still has some kind of rights over me. Which he didn't, of course.'' she rolled her eyes at that before continuing ''that diner belonged to his best friend's father, the guy who was sitting beside him in black.'' She explained everything to me.

''Okay, it means your ex still got the hots for you.'' I teased her.

''It's not like that. I already have a boyfriend and he is very sweet,'' she replied, but there wasn't any happiness in her voice. I thought to let it go. I don't want to jump into any depressing story right now. And I don't want to intrude on her personal life. With time she will tell me herself.

We reached our dorm room. I cleaned up my mess. It took me an hour to set my wardrobe and after freshening up, I slipped onto my soft bed wishing goodnight to my roommate. I slipped into the darkness with one exciting thought in my mind about what tomorrow would bring.