“I’m sure,” I replied. “If I need anything, I can ask theguys.”
While Clarissa nodded, Lizzie tilted her head at me curiously. “Well, in that case,” Clarissa moved forward and enveloped me in a tight hug. I breathed in the ocean and spring scent from her laundry detergent. “If you just want to talk, you know you can callme.”
I nodded. “I will and thanks for taking care ofCleo.”
Clarissa laughed. “Never thought I’d be a cat babysitter. I’m looking forward toit.”
“Awww, you have a cat?” Lizzie asked as Clarissa disappeared out the door. “I love cats.” I nodded before turning back to the room a bit numbly. This was it. I was in college. This was really real. I looked at Lizzie as she turned away and began going through her own closet. “It’s too bad we can’t have anything more than fish on campus as pets…well, unless you have a therapy animal or something.” She paused, looking back atme.
“No,” I said before she could ask. “I don’t have one of those. Just Cleo—and I can’t keep her oncampus.”
Lizzie deflated and turned back to finish hanging up a bright purple top. "It would have been cool if you had. I love animals. Maybe your mom can bring Cleo to visitsometime."
"Mymom?"
"Yeah, was the woman who helped you move in not yourmom?"
I blinked at her. "Clarissa doesn't look anything like me." That was more thanobvious.
Lizzie frowned at me as she backed up and closed her closet door. "Just because she’s obviously not your biological mom doesn't mean that you don’t consider her your mom. My grandma raised me, but I call her mom. I just assumed—sorry, I’ll try not to do thatagain.”
My cheeks flushed. I could tell by the way she spoke that she was irritated—perhaps even thinking I was snooty and rude. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like in a bad way," I say. "Clarissa is cool, and she was nice enough to help me move in, but my mom's um...she just couldn't behere."
Lizzie arched a delicate eyebrow as if she wanted to say more, but something in my expression must have warned her away because, instead, she smiled and changed the subject. "Wanna go check out the cafeteria together?" she asked. "I kinda haven't eaten all day and I haven't gone to the grocery storeyet."
I smiled back, relieved. "Yeah, I could go for somefood."
"Awesome!" Lizzie bounced to the door. "Hold on, let me see if anyone else wants to join us. Might as well make some friends while we're here. I'm sure everyone else is just as nervous being in a new place as we are." She opened the door and practically sprinted out, a whirlwind of bubbliness and pinkhair.
My phone buzzed in mypocket.
Knix:Did you make it thereokay?
Harlow:Just fine. Moved in. Clarissa is gone. Met myroommate.
Knix:Roommate? I thought you got asingle.
That had been the plan, but I just couldn't justify shoving someone else out of a room if I was only going to be here for a month or so. I knew the plan was to attend classes as well, but we all knew that none of us would be staying for the fullterm.
Harlow:Nope. Her name is Lizzie and she's prettycool.
It took longer this time for Knix to answer. I bit my lip, wondering if he was upset. I had discussed this with Alex and he had approved it, but it sounded like that hadn't been relayed. Just as I was about to give up and shove my phone in my pocket to go out into the hallway, it buzzedagain.
Knix:Okay, just becareful.
I grinned.Worrywart, Ithought.
"Ready?" Lizzie's voice startled me, and I looked up to see her standing in the doorway with another girl behind her with medium length brown hair pulled back into a sharp ponytail. Wearing a bright yellow, university t-shirt, she shuffled over and smiled, revealing moderately straight teeth and a dimple in her leftcheek.
"Yeah," I said, tucking my phone away and standingup.
"Cool, this is Kelsey," Lizzieintroduced.
"Hi." Iwaved.
Kelsey beamed. She stuck out her hand, thumb up and waited. "Uh..." I reached for ituncertainly.
"It's nice to meet you!" Kelsey said, pumping my arm like a world-class weightlifter. I winced when she squeezed once more and then letgo.