“Why don’t we go up and see the room first, and then we can start unloading things?” Rohan suggested.
They followed Kodi as she took out the fob she was given to access the front door outside of the set hours. When they walked inside, it looked like any average dorm lobby. There was a desk on the right for people to sign in when there was an attendant. There were sets of stairs and elevators to the right and left, with a common area in the back.
Kodi’s dorm was on the second floor on the left side. The dorms were co-ed. With the girls on one side and the boys on the other. They took the stairs since Jalen was sure all eight of them wouldn’t have fit on the elevator. Her dorm room was two-thirds of the way down the hall on the left side. She unlocked the door, and they all stepped in.
The room was spacious, housing two extra-large twin beds against the left and right walls. There were small nightstands beside them, with a desk sitting between them. On the wall where the door was, there were two wardrobes, with another desk sitting between them.
There was another door immediately to the left upon entering, and Jalen knew it was the bathroom. It was a perk of staying in the freshman honors dorm.
“Do you think it would be okay for me to move this furniture around? It’s sort of weird the way it’s set up right now,” Kodi stated.
“I don’t see why you couldn’t,” Jalen replied. “As long as it isn’t bolted down or anything.”
“How do you want it?” Vega asked.
“It would make more sense for my bed, wardrobe, and desk to be on one side. I’m also wondering if those portable dresser sets and my fridge will fit under the bed.”
“I think they will,” Rohan responded. “There’s about three feet or so of space under the bed. I don’t think anything you’re going to put under there is that tall. If it doesn’t fit, we can figure something out.”
“Vega, do you want to help Kodi move things around while Rohan, Landon, Mikal, and I unload her things from my trunk?” Jalen asked.
“Hey!” Nathan exclaimed.
“What about us?” Omari asked.
“You two have the important job of supervising Kodi and me,” Vega informed them. That seemed to work for them as Nathan pulled one of the desk chairs out, and they both sat on it, even though there was another one.
Jalen grabbed the fob Kodi held out to her and exited the dorm with her movers in tow. She figured they could take the elevator if needed, depending on what they were bringing in. There wasn’t anything Kodi would be without while she was at school, and Jalen owed Vega, Vivian, and Rohan a world of thanks.
Naturally, Jalen had saved to get Kodi the essentials, and she knew Kodi had been saving her money, but neither of them had to spend a dime. When they returned from her freshman orientation, there was a mini-fridge, an electric kettle,a microwave, storage drawers, decorations, and anything else Kodi would need or want for her dorm.
Part of Jalen wanted to protest. However, she realized it wasn’t about her. So, she’d thanked them, and they looked at her like she’d grown another head, expecting her to tell them they’d done too much and didn’t have to. Vega even told her he’d prepared an “I’m her father, and it’s my job” speech.
When they opened her trunk, Jalen reached in and grabbed a laundry basket with folded towels and a shower caddy, and handed it to Mikal. She gave Landon a collapsible storage bin that she was sure had some of Kodi’s clothes in it. She had just reached out to grab the box the mini fridge was in when Rohan grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“It isn’t that heavy.”
In response, he handed her a storage bin, and Jalen knew she wouldn’t win. She wasn’t even sure why she had tried. She placed the container on the ground, pulled out another one, and placed it on top. Jalen closed the trunk when Rohan pulled the fridge out, just to be safe, she grabbed the containers, and they headed back inside.
They’d moved the bed and desk and were currently moving the dresser. The bed was turned, sitting along the far wall, with the nightstand beside it. They’d moved the desk that was between the beds away from the wall and turned it so it faced away from Kodi’s bed. The dresser moved closer to the door and her bed, but she’d left it on the original wall.
Jalen thought it was a bit of an awkward setup, which must have shown on her face because Kodi laughed as she walked to what would presumably be the middle of the room.
“Picture it with that cute room divider Ms. Vivian got me in front of the desk. Then, if my roommate wants, she can put herdesk on the other side, giving us privacy when we’re studying or getting dressed if we don’t want to do so in the bathroom.”
Jalen could see it. It was a good idea. If Kodi’s roommate set up her side of the room, the same way Kodi did, it would make the room feel bigger, even though it was already plenty big for them to share. She was sure Kodi would enjoy the extra space.
“I trust your vision,” Jalen told her. “Why don’t you stay up here with the twins and unpack as we bring things in?”
“Okay,” Kodi responded. “Nathan, Omari, do you want to help me put my clothes away?”
Their baby sisters gave an excited, “Yes!”
They left them to it as the rest went to unload more bins, small appliances, and decorations. It was several trips later that they had everything unloaded from both vehicles.
Now, they were all moving around the room; Kodi placing her clothes on hangers and into the wardrobe. Jalen putting together the small dressers to go under her bed and wherever else she wanted them, since she knew there were extras. Rohan was hanging her projector screen, and Vega was unboxing her fridge while Landon opened and took out the other small appliances. Mikal was taking decorations out of bags and laying them out, and the twins had formed an assembly line. One would hand Kodi a hanger while the other gave her an article of clothing.
