Ch. 7 Pt. 1: The Next Chapter

Chapter Seven Part One: The Next Chapter

Hey journal, so I guess I haven't written in a while... Well a really long while. Yeah, ok. It's been over two years since my last entry. Sorry about that. I was just so busy!

So much has happened and I have so much to share. I'll try to start from where we left off. When was it? Oh, yeah, prom night! 

Well, as you might have guessed, Tyler and I were pretty much inseparable after that. 

We spent a lot of time together at the beach that summer, and then tried to spend as much time together as we could before he graduated and went to college. 

Some of my favorite memories were made during the time I spent with that boy.

Eventually though, Tyler left for college... We really cared about each other but we both decided it would be best if we just remained friends. Yeah, that wasn't the best moment of my life. I don't know how he took it since I didn't see him again after that, but I was pretty upset. Yes, we both agreed on it, and yes I saw the point of it all, so neither of us were holding the other back but it was my first breakup... if you could even call it that... And I was pretty much devastated.  

But, you know what? I moved on. It was hard not too with my senior year right before me. I took Tyler's place as the features editor of the school newspaper, which was a big responsibility, I also was continuing to work with various writing teachers on my short story in hopes that I could soon get it published. Add on top of that taking college entrance exams and applying and touring different schools, my life was pretty packed.

Everyone always told me to enjoy high school while it lasted and they always sounded so crazy to me. I just wanted to get out of there and it seemed to take forever. Until my senior year. Graduation came so quickly and I finally understood why everyone told me to enjoy it. 

High school came and went in what seemed like the blink of an eye and now here I am, writing my last journal entry while I'm still living with my parents. Today I'm heading to Cyprus-Rhodes University, leaving Sunset Valley behind, and embarking on one of my biggest journeys yet. I'm lucky though, I don't have to do it entirely alone because my best friend will be with me.

"Sweetheart?" Mom quitely steps into my room and I close my journal and turn to look at her. "Avery just got here. Is it alright if we start loading your stuff up?"

"Yeah that's fine. I'll be down in a sec." I smile at her as she turns to head downstairs.

I get up and walk towards my door, looking around my room one last time. It's so empty... Most of the books gone from the shelves, pictures off the walls, all my stuff packed away and ready to move into my dorm. 

God, it's not like I'll never be back! I think to myself but it doesn't help ease the knot in my stomach. Sure, I'll be back. I'll live here during the summer but after today everything changes. It's so hard to explain. Actually, I don't think I can explain. It's just something everyone experiences for themselves as they move on into that next chapter of their lives. I smile at my room, almost like it's a person that I'm saying goodbye to, and then I shut off the lights and close the door. 

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"Are you positive you have everything?" Mom asks me for the millionth time as she squeezes me in a bear hug.

"Mom! I'm sure!" I laugh and allow her to hug me, holding on for as long as I can. 

"Alright, my turn to say goodbye!" Dad pulls me away from mom and wraps me in his arms. My face is smashed against his chest but I really don't care at this point. I hate goodbyes. I take a deep breath and find comfort in the familiar soothing smell of my dad. Clean laundry, zest body soap, and his degree deodorant. It's weird I know, but that smell always makes me feel safe and loved. 

"I love you." I mumble into his shirt and squeeze my eyes shut tight trying to fight back the tears. Come on Addie! Pull yourself together! I command myself. 

"I love you too, Addie. You be safe, alright? And don't think that you can't call me. If you ever need me, just call. I'll be there in a heartbeat." He squeezes me tight one more time, kisses my forehead and then lets me go.

I smile at both of my parents, and then at Nathan. My adorable little brother who I should really stop calling little; he's ten now but so mature for his age. "Alright loser. Give me a hug before I go." Nathan traipses over and throws his arms around me.

"Don't have too much fun alright."

I laugh and ensure him that I won't. "Look after mom and dad. Love you, Nate." I try so incredibly hard not to cry. Nate might be the one I miss the most.

He pulls away and smiles. "Yeah, yeah. Love you too weirdo."

I smile one more time at my family, tell them I love them and then head to the car where Avery is waiting in the passenger seat. 

We wave to Mom, Dad, and Nate as we pull away from the house and drive towards our next chapter.

------

The five and a half hour car ride goes way quicker than Avery and I expected. We pull up outside of our dorms in Malan Hall . We were lucky enough to be in the same building but we aren't in the same room. That's alright though. I love Avery and all but I think I'd go crazy if I had to live with her.

I help Avery unload all of her things first. Her dorm is on the second floor of the three story building. We get all of her things up to her room and then stop to take a look around.

"Well... I guess my roommate has already been here. Jeeze, she must have gotten here super early to already have everything set up! Come on, let's get your stuff unloaded."

Avery then returns the favor and helps me haul all my stuff up to my third floor room. 

"Well, I think that's all of it. Thanks for all the help." I smile at my best friend who, like me, is extremely out of breath from walking up and down the stairs so many times.

"Oh no problem! Jeeze, you're going to get a work out every day you go to your room! Well, I'm going to go get stuff settled in and meet my roommate. You wanna meet downstairs in the common area in an hour and we can head to Union Hall for the meet-and-greet?"

I nod, "Sounds good to me." And then give Avery a hug.

"This is so exciting!" She squeals. "Alright, see you in an hour!" 

She runs off towards the stairs and I step into my dorm room and am finally able to take it all in. It's a lot bigger than most dorm rooms, so for that I am extremely grateful. It's also really bare as of right now. There's just two single beds, two desks and chairs, and two dressers. 

"Well, I guess I get to pick which bed I want." My roommate isn't here yet so I head to the bed that's furthest from the door. "We'll probably rearrange stuff when she get's here anyway." I keep talking out loud to myself. My roommate and I had been texting over the summer planning things to bring up with us to school. For example, I brought up a TV and she's bringing up a couch for us to use. Her name's Lydia and she seems like a really nice girl with a bubbly personality but who knows what she's really like. I'm just hoping I'll be able to stand her for an entire year. 

I start unpacking my stuff and my mind takes advantage of the quiet to let me think of my family. It's hard knowing I won't see them in a while but now that I'm here the excitement is starting to drown out the worry and homesickness. 

I just finish making my bed when the door opens. I look up to see a tall red haired girl smiling excitedly at me.

"You must be Addie!" She says as she rushes up to hug me.

"Haha, yeah, hi!" I laugh, surprised by the hug. "Lydia right?" I ask.

"Yep! That's me! Wow this room is soooo much bigger than I thought it would be! We're so lucky that CRU has ah-mazing dorm halls with nice big rooms!" 

"I couldn't agree more! Have you seen what some of the dorms look like at other Universities? They're like prison cells!"

We both laugh and then Lydia says, "Well, I'm going to go get the rest of my stuff and see if I can find a cute guy to help carry up our couch!" She winks at me and then leaves the room again. 

I had only known this girl for a few minutes, well besides the few dozen texts we'd shared over the summer, but something in my gut was telling me that this year was going to be alright. I smiled at the feeling and continued to unpack my things.