Across The Hall

Christen finally exits the library with her arms and backpack loaded with textbooks. After what felt like centuries of waiting in line and mindlessly wandering around the library basement, the morning sunlight dancing on Christen’s skin is a welcome feeling. As she makes her way down the sidewalk, Christen stuffs her receipt into her back pocket, determined not to lose it. Thank goodness for book rental, these textbooks cost more than my entire life’s savings.

Once she readjusts the books in her arms, Christen takes in the sights of the campus as she continues on her journey back to the dorm. She admires the freshly planted flowers and the stately-looking academic buildings as she passes them by. This campus definitely has charm. Even though it’s only her second day here, Christen can already imagine spending the next four years of her life in this place. I made the right choice Christen thinks as she steps in-time with the cluster of students surrounding her.

Soon, Christen finds herself approaching the residence hall with a sudden feeling of anticipation. The heavy books she’s been hauling have been causing an irritating soreness in her neck and shoulders for about the last ten minutes or so. Almost there. You’re almost there.

When Christen is about 20 yards from the doors to her residence hall, a group of sweats and warm-up clad women emerge from the building. They seem to all be traveling in the same pack as Christen gets closer. Probably an athletic team. As the first few girls pass, she recognizes the unmistakable women’s soccer emblem stitched into the top left shoulder of their jackets.  The women’s soccer team? Didn’t Tobin say she was – Hidden in the back of the group, a pair of familiar honey-brown eyes land on Christen. Tobin offers her an acknowledging smile as she follows the team back towards campus. Yep.She definitely did. Christen smiles back at the last possible second before Tobin disappears from her view.

Eventually, after yet another battle with the stairs, Christen enters her room and wastes no time dropping her textbooks onto her desk. It hasn’t even been a full 48 hours and those stairs are already my worst enemy. She heaves a large sigh and kicks her flip-flops from her aching feet. I should not have worn these shoes, I think I’m already getting blisters from all the walking around I’ve been doing. As she inspects her feet, Christen confirms her theory to be true. Fashion is pain I guess.

Christen pads over to her bed and feels her legs nearly collapse from under her as she takes a seat. When she looks up, she’s surprised to Kelley’s side of the room is finally decorated. There are women’s soccer posters covering the wall and a string of lights hung just above her bed. Kelley’s bed spread pops with a flashy sky blue, chevron pattern that surprisingly compliments Christen’s ruby red, starry comforter. All in all, Christen is quite impressed with Kelley’s eclectic, yet intriguing style. She’s also relieved Kelley’s side of the room isn’t an eye sore; that would’ve driven Christen insane.

Then, as if she could sense she was being thought about, Kelley arrives into the room with her book bag slung over one shoulder. Once she closes the door behind her, Kelley tosses her bag to the side of her desk and marches over to her bed. She turns around and dramatically falls onto her bed while letting out an exasperated groan. Christen chuckles at the whimsical demonstration she’d just witnessed.

“How was your first class?” Christen tentatively asks. Kelley rolls on her side to face Christen before responding.

“Terrible” she states with a grimace “I can already tell that I’m going to hate Calculus.”

“Oooh Calculus? That sucks. I remember taking it last year and absolutely hating it.” Kelley perks up a bit with a hopeful look in her eyes.

“Wait, you’ve already taken Calculus?!” She exclaims, almost like a plan is forming in her mind.

“Yeah, my high school offered it for college credit at a reduced rate so I figured I’d just get it out of the way early” Christen explains. “But don’t get any ideas, I can’t help you even if I wanted to. Once I took my last final I vowed to never look at another Calc problem ever again. I’m pretty sure I’m scarred for life.” Kelley’s face immediately drops as she discouragingly returns her head to her pillow.

“Well at least my TA is hot,” Kelley mumbles as she stares at the ceiling. Christen laughs.

“There you go, silver lining right? Maybe your TA can help you with your studies” Christen offers, trying to lighten Kelley’s mood.

“Sure” Kelley replies with a mischievous twinkle growing in her eye, “I can probably persuade her to help me with my… studies.” Seriously, the things that come out of this girl’s mouth.

“Gee, Kels, how am I supposed to not fall in love with you when you say things like that?” Christen deadpans, earning a smirk from her roommate.

“Just try really, really hard.” The two friends engage in a stare down until they both crack at virtually the same time, erupting into a fit of giggles.

Kelley takes a breath and then looks past Christen to something on the wall behind her.

“Hey I like your poster” Kelley says as she points to the image of the Chicago cityscape just above Christen’s head. Christen turns on her bed to see what Kelley is talking about. When her eyes land on the poster, a smile spreads across her face.

“Oh, thanks” she replies when she faces Kelley again, “I’ve always thought Chicago was a beautiful city.”

“Ever been?” Kelley questions as she brings her legs up from the foot of her bed to fold them so that she is sitting pretzel-legged, angled more towards Christen.

“No” Christen answers with a hint of disappointment in her voice, “But I hope to go one day.” Kelley nods her head in understanding. “Hey that reminds me, I like what you’ve done with your side of the room.” A proud smile finds its way to Kelley’s face.

“Yeah? All I did was just throw some things on the wall and make my bed” Kelley states modestly.

“It looks cool though” Christen continues to compliment.

“Thanks, Pressy, I’m glad you like it” Kelley replies as her smile widens.

“I especially like those posters” Christen comments while gesturing to the likenesses of Mia Hamm, Christine Sinclair, and Abby Wambach taking residence on the wall behind Kelley. “Are you a soccer fan?”

“Yep” Kelley nods, “And a player when I want to be. I’m actually thinking about trying out for the team here when Walk-On Day rolls around. I don’t think I’m quite ready to hang up my boots just yet” she explains with what seems like an air of nostalgia. “What about you? Do you follow soccer too?”

“Oh yeah!” Christen exclaims, a little too over-enthusiastically. Whoa, calm down Christen. “I mean, I’ve been a soccer fan for pretty much my entire life. I even had a poster of Brandi Chastain after she tore off her jersey during the ’99 World Cup in my room back home for like 12 years” Christen illuminates. “Now that I think about it, that probably had something to do with why my parents didn’t seem surprised when I came out to them a few years ago.” This is quite the revelation, actually. Really though, dad didn’t seem the least bit phased and mom just asked me what I wanted for dinner… Did they know the whole time? If they did then they should’ve said something! Yeah it would’ve been awkward, but at least it would’ve saved me from going with my repulsive date to the freshman homecoming. Kelley laughs.

“Yet another thing we have in common, Pressy” she says with a shake of her head, “I’m beginning to think we are the same person.” She does have a point, we share way too many similarities for this to be purely coincidental.

“Your middle name doesn’t happen to be Annemarie as well, does it?” Christen playfully asks.

“Nope. It’s Maureen. Apparently my parents hated me as a baby” Kelley states dryly. Christen almost chokes on the laugh that gets caught in her throat. MAUREEN?

“Oh, come on, Maureen isn’t that bad!” Christen tries to console Kelley. It’s definitely that bad.

“It’s definitely that bad” Kelley echoes the thought that just passed through Christen’s mind not a moment ago. Ok, that was weird. “Maureen is a name for an eighty year-old-woman who spills prune juice all over the shuffleboard courts while taking her seven cats for a stroll. It is not a name suitable for an extremely attractive young woman such as myself.” What an image that was.

Christen looks at the clock and notices the time. 9:40 am. My first class starts in 20 minutes, I should probably get going.

“Whatever ever you say” Christen concedes as she rises to her feet and makes her way over to her desk. When she gets there, she grabs her backpack and laces her arms through its straps.

“Going somewhere?” Kelley queries.

“Class. My first one starts in like twenty,” Christen clarifies as she takes a look in the mirror and straightens out her white, flowy tank-top. “Wish me luck.”

“I wish you better luck than I” Kelley says with a sigh as she leans back and kicks her feet out to the end of her bed. “But who knows, maybe you’ll have a hot TA as well.” Christen throws Kelley a smirk as she slips her feet into her flip-flops.

“One can only hope” Christen kids as she reaches for the doorknob.

“Bye Pressy!” Kelley yells from behind her.

“Bye Maureen!” Christen calls over her shoulder. As she exits the room, Christen hears the immediate rustling of bed spread as Kelley bolts up and turns towards Christen in the doorway.

“No, no, no. That is not going to be a thing. You are not going to get away with calling me –” Christen shuts the door and stands in the hallway. Silly Kelley, you never should’ve told me that. Now that we’re no longer strangers I have every right to tease you about all of the embarrassing things you tell me. After all, that is how friends show their affection, right? Christen smiles to herself as she begins her trek to her first class. College is fun.