Hidden Away

I’m sitting in the back of the classroom, just staring straight ahead at professor Barnes. It’s my last class of the day and my mind was anywhere but here: only five more minutes. I had to at least seem like I was paying attention, didn’t I? Truth is, tomorrow is my birthday and we begin my birthday weekend tonight! I’m finally turning 21 and get to go out legally and drink with my friends. I’m the baby of the group, so this has been a long time coming. Since my birthday is tomorrow, we’re starting tonight off with some glow in the dark bowling. I haven’t been since my mom died three days after my 18th birthday. It was our thing the night before my birthday every year since I was 12 and I just couldn’t bring myself to go without her here. But this year is different, I’ve taken control and I’m getting my life back. Besides, she wouldn’t want me to dwell on what I couldn’t change. She would be just as proud of me as I am though. I’m in my last semester of college, graduating with a 4.0 GPA, and doing it a year earlier than I’m supposed to be. After I took that summer to grieve her, I just became more determined to get my career on track before I started traveling the world. We were supposed to go on a backpacking trip through Europe together after I graduated from high school.. I had been saving from my part-time job for 2 years. Instead, I ended up using all that money I saved to support myself and start my first year of college.. a week after my mom had died, my dad decided that since I was 18 and responsible, I could be on my own. He decided he was going to the east coast to help my uncle John with his new business. I couldn’t believe I was losing both of my parents. I think he just couldn’t stand to be around everything my mom loved without her being here, which I totally get, but he had no regard for me. He helped me pay for my first year, but after that, I didn’t want a thing from him. He just up and left like he hadn’t been my father my whole life. Why should I give him the pleasure of helping me? Riiiinnnnnggggg Finally! I like professor Barnes one on one, but in class, it’s so hard to stay interested. I double check everything he had written on the white board to make sure I didn’t miss anything. He was just answering review questions since we have our finals next week. I pull out my phone from the front pocket of my back pack and take a picture. I am ready to get out of here. I start walking out of the classroom while trying to reach my car keys at the bottom of my bag when I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket. I pull it out and see that I got an image from Danny, my best friend and roommate. Danny and I didn’t meet until after my mom had died, but we became friends instantly. I can’t even remember what life was like without her, we’re like two peas in a pod. She was part of the reason I became so determined to finish school early because she is doing it too. I unlocked my phone and opened the image. She sent me a selfie with her thumb up with our tye-dye shirts laying on the table right behind her. You can’t go to glow in the dark bowling without tye-dye shirts! I quickly sent her a couple heart eye emojis, so I could get back to fishing my keys out of my bag. I wasn’t watching where I was going when I walked into what felt like a wall. I stopped what I was doing and slowly looked up into those beautiful gray blue eyes framed with tousled dirty blonde hair. As I looked into them, they started to twinkle as a big toothy grin formed on his face. “You should really watch where you’re going. You could’ve been walking into oncoming traffic for all you knew.” He teased “Well thanks for saving me from imminent danger right in the middle of the courtyard” I quickly retorted with a smirk on my face. “You are very welcome” I rolled my eyes as I started to walk past him and he joined me on my side. “So what are you doing here?” I ask him, in hopes he’s here for me. “I had to pay for mine and Danny’s cap and gown and just figured I would wait for you, so I could hitch a ride back to the house” he replied. Yes, this handsome man is none other than my best friends’ brother and my other roommate. I’ve had the biggest crush on Alex since the day we met. It was the second week of school, my first year. I had gone to the laundry room to get a shirt and noticed something stuck between the dryer and the wall. I pulled it out and held it in front of me to take a look, as soon as I saw it, I crumpled to the floor and started crying. I was on my way to meet Danny and when I didn’t show, she came to my house with Alex in tow. They found me curled up in a ball in my bed with my mom’s shirt balled up next to my face, it still smelled like her. Danny comforted me while she told Alex to go be useful. He ended up running to the grocery store and bought a bunch of treats and junk. He somehow guessed my favorite ice cream and chips and I’ve been head over heels since. “Oh, I see. I’m just good for a ride home is all” I fake pouted. “Oh stop it, you know you’re more to me than a ride home” he winked at me.