1
DIXIE
Please letmy roommates be nice. Please let my roommates be nice. Please let...
I've been repeating this mantra like some sort of magic spell since I arrived on campus this morning. Although I've dreamed of attending this university for years, I'm still intimidated by the prospect of sharing my accommodation with several strangers.
Not to mention that atOld Meyer University, OMU to those in the know, they promote gender equality, which means the student residences are co-ed...
With one hand, I tug on the handle of my rolling suitcase, while in the other, I hold my phone. The campus map is displayed on the screen, but my sense of direction seems to be failing me today, as I'm unable to find my bearings. The large buildings they callcollegesdon't look alike, yet it's a lost cause—the more I walk, the more lost I feel.
The meeting with my first-year coordinator is scheduled for ten o'clock, which is in three minutes, but I'm nowhere near finding my way. Panic starts to take over. Suddenly, whether my roommates are nice or not becomes the least of my worries: if I don't hurry, I'll be labeled as the girl who arrives late on the first day, which I want to avoid at allcosts.
I move forward with determination, glancing around to check that I'm on the right path, and just as I finally find the walkway leading to my residence, someone crashes into me.
The impact jostles my hand from the handle of my luggage, which rolls toward the stretch of grass bordering the path, while I lose my balance and let out a small cry of surprise. The carpet of greenery cushions my fall as I land on my backside.
I turn my head toward the person responsible for the incident, but his tall silhouette is backlit, and all I can vaguely make out are brown eyes. The man doesn't even stop to help me; he speeds away as if he hadn't just run into me.
Anger quickly replaces surprise, and I call out to him:
"That's right! Don't bother apologizing!"
It's impossible to know whether he heard me or not, as he continues on his way without looking back.
I observe him for a moment, until his tall figure disappears around the corner of the nearest building. He's wearing jeans and a leather jacket, his dark hair cut short. That's all I can make out, but it's enough for me to remember him if I happen to cross paths with him again.
My gaze shifts from my suitcase, which has popped open, to my phone, which is face down on the concrete. I get up as quickly as possible before retrieving the device. A quick inspection tells me that the case has given up on life, but it played its protective role, as the phone itself seems intact.
"Do you need help?"
I turn to discover a young woman standing there. She pushes a blonde strand of hair behind her shoulder while adjusting the strap of her messenger bag.
Without waiting for my answer, she's already heading toward my suitcase. I come to my senses, and call out,"That's kind of you, thanks."
Between the two of us, putting my clothes back in the luggage is a quick operation.
"I'm Pia," the stranger introduces herself as we return to the path.
Pia is shorter than me, so I lower my head to respond, "Dixie."
Her blue eyes sparkle when she smiles at me.
"I've never met a Dixie before," she remarks.
"And I don't know any Pias."
Our exchange might seem odd, but it isn't. Pia gives off good vibes. She gives me the impression of being a good person, exactly the kind of roommate I'd dream of having.
"Are you going toThomas Edison College?" she asks me.
"How do you know?"
Pia stammers, "It's the closest residence, so I assumed that..."
Her cheeks turn red, and I decide to help her out of her embarrassment. "Yes, I was supposed to be there since..."
I check the screen of my phone, and that's when I notice what had initially escaped me: the glass is, in fact, cracked.
