Chapter 3
Regulus is so tired, his head hurts. He has a migraine. He needs coffee. The car is warm. Too warm, the air is dense. He needs to get out. Evan drives slower coming up to a traffic light. They’re in a city now, it looks old, cozy. It’s full of old buildings cafés but also buildings that look like they were misplaced. Modern buildings, probably filled with offices and firms. Full of business folks working overtime as their daily norm. Living on caffeine, burned out at 40. Regulus does not want to end up like that, but he will, maybe, probably. He will end up burned out too early he thinks, it’s destiny. It runs in his family. His dad for instance, look at him, working day in and day out. Forgotten his wife and children, not caring for them. Maybe he never has, Regulus would not be surprised. He’s never seen his parents as a couple, business partners at most.
***
Regulus snaps out of his thoughts. The car comes to a halt. Regulus looks around, they are still in the same city. Though a different part. “We’re here!” Evan sounds happy. He turns of the car and gets out. Regulus does as well. It’s warm but not in a too warm way. It’s comfortable.
They take a few bags each and Evan leads Regulus to a building a few meters away. Before the entrance, two girls are standing with lists. One of them a blonde girl with pink ends and tall red high heeled boots. The other one taller with dark-brown long braids, chains with stars and purple eyeshadow that looks bright on her warm dark skin. They look good Regulus thinks, their outfits especially.
“Hii, welcome!” the blonde one says, “What are your names?” Her voice sounding rough like a smoker. Regulus looks at Evan but then answers. Evan does too. The blonde girl looks over her list, then looks up. She wears black eyeliner, a big contrast to her light nearly pale skin. “You both will be living in the Slytherin building. Dorm 15 Dorcas there will be living near your dorms if you need any help”. Marlene says pointing at the taller girl with the braids. “I’m Marlene by the way.” As regulus looks closer, Dorcas’ eyes look pitch black. Dorcas follows up: “The dorms are through the doors and out, straight across the courtyard and in through the door on the other side.” And then gives them each a key.
They take the bags and follow Dorcas’ orders. The courtyard is pretty, very simple. There is a water fountain in the middle, not a big or too over the top one. On the sides there are benches. It´s cozy. Regulus wants to sit in the shadows and read, wants to drink a coffee and look at the people passing by.
They walk alongside each other in silence. When they get to the door there is a sign that says that their dorm is on the 2nd floor. They walk up the stairs. Because apparently there are no elevators even though the building has 4 floors. When they get up there are multiple doors open and you can hear talking and noise from all of them. People are getting their stuff unpacked and meeting their new roommates.
Regulus is glad he has met Evan already. Meeting new people sucks and often does not go well. At least Evan seems to be okay. He seems to leave him alone, which is appreciated. Their room is relatively at the start of the floor near the stairs. Evan unlocks the door with his key and opens the door. The dorm isn’t big, but it has three bedrooms, a little bathroom, a table with 4 chairs and a very small kitchen counter. In the doors there are keys to the rooms. The bedrooms fit a bed, a desk, and a little closet. For Regulus it’s enough. In there he hopes he can be safe.
“You can choose a room first.” Evan says. Regulus investigates the rooms and chooses the one that has the window view over the park behind the dorm buildings. The room feels the most comfortable.
They put their thing into their chosen rooms and walk down to get the rest of their luggage from Evan’s car.
***
Unpacking was hell, Regulus did not have a system in his new room which made him feel on edge. He wanted to start crying the entire time, everything was a mess.
All his stuff was everywhere. He was trying to get his desk sorted out, all his notebooks and sketchbooks needed a place to go.
There was a light knocking on the door and Evan asked, “I’m ordering food do you want anything special?” Regulus dose not really want food, but he knows he needs it. “What are you thinking about ordering?” Regulus asks.
“Chinese maybe, if you want it?”
“Yeah sure, could you order for me too?”
“Sure, what do you want?”
“Thanks, noodles with chicken and veggies would be nice.”
“Sure, I’ll come get you when it’s here.”
***
It was 20 minutes later, and Regulus had not come any further with organizing his notebooks. He was starting to feel worse, he just wanted to stop. But he couldn’t, he needed to get his things in order, for tomorrow.
“Regulus! Food is here, wanna eat together?” He didn’t really want to. “Okay, if you want.” he still answers.
He got up and went out to see Evan already setting up the food on their small kitchen table. It smelled good. Evan seems to have already got his things unpacked and made himself at home. In the entrance his shoes and jackets were put in place. In the kitchen there were cups and glasses standing on the counter ready to be put in the cupboards.
“How is unpacking going? If you need help, I’ll gladly help.”
“I’ll be done soon I just need to find a place for notebooks and stuff. I don’t need help but thank you.”
Regulus doesn’t need help he can do it alone. He is not a kid anymore. He lives alone now, away from his mother at least. He doesn’t need help, especially not from someone he doesn’t know. He doesn’t care that he could need help. He needs to do this alone, to prove it. To himself, not anyone else. He finally got to do his own thing; he needs to do it alone.