Page 57 of Wait for the Dream

“Yes, please tell me you are too. You can save me from boredom.” I chuckle. “Okay, let’s be honest, very little could salvage a four hour lecture.”

She shakes her head at me laughing, “I am in fact in this class.”

Magnolia is an Art History Major, but Communications is a class almost all majors have to take, so it’s not a surprise that she has the class. The surprise comes from the fact that we just so happen to sign up for the exact same class, and we didn’t realize it until right this moment. We talk all the time, how did this class schedules never come up?

“Sit with me?” When she nods, and suddenly I am very excited for this class.

We head into the class and take two seats in the middle of the room. The lecture hall has six rows of four tables, with a wide gap down the middle. The rows are broken up in tables of four seats with a set of stairs breaking up each of the tables. I see Brittany sitting in the front of the lecture hall where she usually sits. Maybe I can sneak out after class and avoid any interaction with her.

The professor comes in and immediately starts his lecture. He goes over the syllabus for the semester. Outlining the individual and group projects. To my relief, he informs the class that these are the seats we are to sit in for the remainder of the semester, and the group project will be done with the people currently sitting at our table. Brittany turns around in her seat and looks around for a moment. When her eyes land on me, sticks her bottom lip out in a pout, I look away without any type of response.

“Is that Brittany?” Magnolia leans toward me to say into my ear. Her hot breath sends a shiver down my spine. I turn to look in her eyes when she leans away, and nod my head giving her a subtle eye roll. When I look back toward the front of class, I see Brittany glaring right at Magnolia.

Our professor had us do an ice breaker exercise with the two other people at our table, Piper and Austin, and we spent the next few minutes getting to know them.

When class wraps up, Magnolia and I quickly put our stuff in our bags and head out of the lecture hall before Brittany can catch up to us. It wasn’t planned but an unspoken language that we shared. When we walked out of the building that holds our lecture hall, I breathed a sigh of relief, “Where are you headed?”

“Home. That was my last class of the day, and I’m starving. Maddox is tutoring this afternoon, and Charly is watching Rowan while Aiden is in class, so I have the place to myself for a little while.” A notification goes off on her phone and she pulls it out and frowns when she looks at it.

“Everything okay?” I ask as I watch her pull a few pink Starbursts out of her bag. She offers me one, then unwraps another and pops it in her mouth..

“Yea, my blood sugar is low, just need something to tide me over until I can get home and eat a real meal.” She informs me. Magnolia is a Type 1 Diabetic, and has been for as long as I have known her. She takes really good care of herself, so I’m sure she has it under control, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying about her.

“Do you want to stop at Subside Story and grab something instead of heading home?” I ask. Subside Story is a small campus subshop that has one of her favorite sandwiches and is a lot closer than home. I know she won’t refuse. “I was headed home too, and I’m hungry. There’s nothing to eat at my place.” There is definitely food in my apartment, but if I watch her eat, I’ll know she’s back to normal and not have to worry for the rest of the night. “We can walk home together after getting our sandwiches.” Am I trying to spend more time with her? Absolutely, but I’m not ashamed of that. She is one of my best friends, a friend that I am wildly attracted to, but that is entirely beside the point.

We live in the same apartment complex on the outskirts of campus. Aiden and Bailey have a three bedroom apartment, as do Maddox, Magnolia and Charly. I share a two bedroom with Chloe. So, asking to walk together isn’t that much of a stretch.

“Ugh, you know I can never say no to their chicken parm sub. It’s literally the best sandwich I’ve ever had in my life.” Bingo. We start to head toward the sub shop, traveling in silence for a few minutes before she speaks up again, “I’m thinking of stealing your sister and Rowan for a bit so Bailey can get some ‘me time’ tomorrow. She’s already overwhelmed with the semester.”

“You’re a good sister, Magnolia. Aiden and Bailey are lucky to have you in their life.” I look down at her, “We all are.”

She awards me with a soft smile and those perfect dimples bloom on each cheek. I have spent the last four years cataloging this girl’s smiles, and every single one of them hits me in the damn chest. Yes, I am still Shakespeare when this girl is around, I can’t seem to stop it.

We make it to the sub shop, and I open the door for her. She thanks me as we walk right up to the ordering counter since there isn’t a line. We immediately order our food and find a booth to sit in.

When our food arrives, Magnolia pulls her insulin pump out and fiddles with the buttons, giving herself the proper amount of insulin for her meal. I’ve seen her do this countless times, but it never ceases to amaze me how she just knows exactly what to do. We eat and chat about the upcoming semester. I don’t get a whole lot of alone time with Magnolia, mostly on purpose. I’ve realized over the years that the more time I spend with Magnolia Baker, the more I like her. Which is a major problem, I cannot fall for my little sister’s best friend.

2. Magnolia

Me: Be ready in twenty minutes. We are kidnapping Roro.

Chloe: Where are we going?

Me: Sugarplum?

Chloe: Bitch! You know the way to my heart.

I’m taking the last bite of my sandwich, less than ten minutes later, when my best friend comes barging into my apartment. Chloe doesn’t have an off switch, she is always loud, smiling, and making her presence known in any room she is in. Chloe has her long black hair in two braids under a beanie. She’s wearing a cream oversized knitted sweater loosely tucked into a black faux leather skirt, fishnet stockings and combat boots. She’s got such a unique sense of style, but it’s totally her.

The Miller siblings really lucked out in the genes department. Their dad is white, and their mom is Korean. Their mom is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen in my life. And her kids are on that list as well.

“I was going to come down and get you before we went to steal the baby,” I say.

“You were taking too long, I want to go now” Chloe groans, “Why aren’t you ready?”

I just chuckle and shake my head at my best friend, “I told you twenty minutes, it’s been less than ten. Come into my room so I can change out of my pajamas. I was just finishing up eating something, so I don’t pass out on the walk there.” I spent the morning working on one of my online classes. I’m taking two in person classes and two online classes this semester.

We walk into my bedroom and she flops down on my bed while I head into my walk-in closet to grab clothes. She starts telling me about the girl she hooked up with last night. She had invited me to the bar with her, but Aiden and Bailey were having the Baker crew over for dinner and I wasn’t going to turn down time with my siblings. “Her name is Piper, and fuck was she hot.” Chloe’s voice is a bit dreamy, like she is currently reliving their time together. I tune her out while I pick out my clothes. I love my best friend more than just about anything in the world, but I do not need to know the dirty details about her latest hook up.