Unlike the mass majority of the student population, I’m here on a scholarship. People like Eden and me are so few and far between. At least, we have each other. We understand each other in ways no one else at this school could possibly comprehend.
“This guy I have to meet on Friday is going to be a piece of work,” I say to Eden as I swap my Ramones t-shirt for the Broad Street Beans polo in my closet, dropping one on the floor to pull the other over my head. “I don’t even know if it will be worth the fifty dollars an hour he’s willing to pay me.”
She gasps. “Fifty dollars? Get out of here. If you don’t tutor him, I’ll be more than happy to take your place. You’d be an idiot to turn down that kind of money.”
“I’ll meet him,” I admit. “I don’t want to, but I will. I have to pick up groceries for my dad this weekend. I can use the cash.”
She frowns at the mention of my dad. I’m the parent in our relationship. His lack of parenting skills has made my life ten times harder than it needs to be. But he’s my dad, and he needs me.
Eden holds the front door open for me, allowing enough room to step into the hallway and then locks it behind us. We share a two-bedroom dormitory suite with each of us having our own room and a communal bathroom and a small kitchen. Even though I was raised thirty minutes from campus, I choose to live in Jefferson Hall because of my dad and the fact I can’t stand to be in the same house as him for more than ten minutes.
Eden tucks her keys into her jeans pocket, her green eyes filled with sadness. “Do you need me to come with you again?”
“No, I should be okay.”
We dodge a few people as they pass us, keeping to the right side of the hallway where we have more privacy to talk. Two girls stand outside of their rooms. Their voices are so loud and clear they project down the hall, so I can hear them perfectly. Dorm life isn’t the best. In fact, it kind of sucks, but it beats the alternative.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind being your wing woman.” Eden talks over the loud voices and rap music cranking out from the room at the end of the hall. “I work in the morning. I’ll be off by lunch.”
I never let anyone into my life. Eden’s the only person who knows about my dad and how rough it is for me to visit him every week. Most days, I do my best to forget he even exists. Until the weekend comes and the fridge is empty, or he’s out of smokes or spends his paycheck before he remembers to pay the electric bill.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be fine.” I force a smile for her benefit. She knows I’m lying, and I love her for wanting to help. “I’ll be in and out by the time your shift is over.”
She nods, and we don’t speak again until we’re out of Jefferson Hall and crossing the Quad, headed toward Broad Street.
“Are you finished with your piece that’s due tomorrow?”
Eden shoots me a goofy look. “No. Don’t kill me.”
I’m an associate editor at the Strickland Gazette which makes me Eden’s boss. Well, sort of. It’s not like they pay me, so I have a hard time considering myself in any type of managerial role. Jared Salt, our actual boss, has the final say over everything that’s printed in our little paper.
“I can help you… if you want.”
She tilts her head back and laughs. “Right. With all the extra time you have in your schedule.”
“I write most of my articles on my phone while I’m at work. How many words did Salt say you need to hit?”
Thinking it over, she bites the inside of her cheek. “Five hundred, I think.”
“Piece of cake.” I wave off her concern. “You got this. If not, I can write it for you on my break.”
Eden has done so much to help me over the years. She even dated a stupid frat boy to help us get closer to the more newsworthy students on campus. I don’t mind stepping in when she needs me.
“How about we swap articles this week?”
Her face illuminates from the smile reaching up to her eyes. “Are you sure?”
My smile matches hers. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
Eden lets out a sigh of relief, and I know why.
Her article is one of many fraternity hazing exposé pieces our staff is working on. Every member of the paper has contributed, myself included. It’s harder for Eden than the rest of us. She was in the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity house for some of the craziness that went on during the pledging process.