“You’re welcome,” she says, beaming. Most people don’t even know we’re sisters because we look so different. I got my hair color from our father and she got the blonde from our mother. But I got my green eyes from our mother and she got brown from our father. We’re a mish mash of them both.
One of her sorority sisters waves as she walks past and we both wave back. “Anything exciting going on at the sorority house tonight?”
Anna’s grin widens. “Just meeting some of the pledges. You should consider joining us. Rush isn’t that bad.”
I snort. “Please. I’m not cut out for that crap. Plus, I know you’re always surrounded by frat guys. I had my fill of that when I was with Shawn.” He was part of a fraternity when I attended UNC Charlotte with him. It was constant parties and girls everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, I had my fair share of fun, but it got old really quick. I thought Shawn would grow up after a while, but after being married to him for six years, nothing ever changed.
Anna snarls in disgust. “Shawn’s an egotistical douchecanoe. I’m so glad you finally had the sense to leave him.”
I nod. “Me too. I just hate I wasted so many years.”
“And now you’re here,” she says excitedly. “Just think of all the fun we’re going to have.”
“Oh yeah,” I laugh, “me with you and all your twenty-year-old friends. That won’t be awkward at all.”
“Hey, it’s better than nothing. Who knows? You might meet someone you like. You’re not the only student over thirty years old.” I look around at all the people talking and smiling with their friends, the group of guys passing a football on the quad, and the various study groups congregating on the grass. All of them are young. Anna follows my line of sight and then glances sheepishly back at me. “Okay, fine, you might be the only one, but so what? You got me. That’s all you need.”
I smile. “You’re damn right.”
She pats my leg. “But now, I have to go.” She hops up and flings her bookbag over her shoulder. “I have two more classes and then it’s off to home. If you change your mind about pledging, just show up at the sorority house around seven.”
I shake my head. “Not gonna happen. Sorry, sis.”
“Fine.” She holds up her hands and turns on her heel. “Talk to ya later!”
Glancing down at my phone, I have ten minutes left until class starts. Groaning, I pick up my bookbag and head inside the building. I’ve never dreaded a class as much as I dread this one. I mean, who takes Philosophy of Science? What do you even learn in it? Unfortunately, when it came time to register for classes, I was a little late which meant I didn’t have the best of choices.
When I walk into the class, I’m not shocked to see a variety of people. There are three people toward the back right of the room with multi-colored hair, a guy and a girl in the middle who look like they just came from Woodstock, four guys in the front who can’t stop talking about Minecraft, and then a group of people to the side who seem somewhat normal. Instead of sitting by myself, I join the last group. There are three guys and two girls with one seat open beside one of the guys. In a way, it feels like I’m the new girl in school. In college, it’s not like that though. I made so many friends with people I never thought I’d have anything in common with. That was the fun part of the college experience. Now, I just feel like I’m out of the loop.
Setting my bookbag on the desk, I sit down beside the guy who looks to be around my sister’s age. He smiles and so do the other two guys and the two girls at my back. “I’m Laura,” I say to them.
Everyone introduces themselves but the girl behind me is the only one who holds out her hand. “I’m Summer. Nice to meet you.”
I shake her hand. “Likewise.”
She leans in close, lowering her voice. “Were you forced to take this class too?”
This makes me laugh. “Kind of,” I whisper back. “I needed a humanities course. This was all that was left.”
“Same. I heard it’s a lot of debate. Should be kind of easy though.”
I open my bookbag and pull out a pen and my notebook. There’s only one minute left on the clock. All I know is it’s going to be the longest hour and a half of my life. Summer taps me on the shoulder with her pen.
“Which dorm are you in?” she asks.
I turn around to stare at her. “Oh goodness, sweetheart, I’m not living in a dorm. I did that back when I was a freshman.”