Because all the other things that happened because of the accident weren’t tragic, right?
My limp was really a small thing in the grand scheme of the horrors created that night.
“You’re in the Baker dorm,” she said when I recovered from almost falling. “That’s my dorm. It’s a good one. We don’t get single rooms, but there’s only two people per room, and the rooms come with their own private bathroom.”
Even though I lived only an hour away, I had chosen to take advantage of the living accommodations that came with my scholarship. Chosen was probably not the right word, I had been desperately excited to accept the offer to live somewhere other than with my mother. The school representative I’d spoken to over the summer had explained that most of the students chose to live on campus, but I hadn’t cared about that. I would have accepted the offer, even if it meant I had to live in a van down by the river for my accommodations.
We exited the main building and walked across a large green crisscrossed with various concrete walking paths. All of the buildings surrounding the green looked like structures you would have found in ancient Rome, all Corinthian columns and white marble. It was like I had stepped into a dream. Only my presence here convinced me that it was real, because my brain would never have created such a good dream.
I only had nightmares when I slept.
"I'll meet you after your class and show you to the dorms. Looks like you have about thirty minutes in between this class and the next. Is your stuff in your car?"
I nodded absentmindedly, still a little awestruck at how beautiful this place was. I'd gone on a tour of the campus with the twins before everything happened when we'd all been determined to attend together...not that the twins were ever in danger of not attending. The harshness of the past few years had faded the brilliance of the campus from my mind. It was a testament to how hard my life had been that I could forget how amazing this place was.
"Do we need to find some hotties to help lug all your stuff in?" she asked, and with that question, my cheeks burst into flames as I thought about how little I'd brought with me.
I didn't even have enough stuff to warrant Lane helping me, but I guess she could carry a backpack if she really wanted to help.
"I think I'll be okay," I told her as we entered what Lane said was the science building where my first class was located. I was about ten minutes late now and dreading every step closer to the class that I walked. It was going to be really fun to walk in and get everyone's attention. Especially since biology was one of the freshman classes I was taking.
"Sure you don't want me to ask Jackson Parker to help?" she teased. And just like that, all of my blush rushed out of my face. "Shit...I was just joking," she quickly said at my horrified face. "Parker wouldn't help me even if I begged him to. I'm not at His Majesty's level, and I won't ever be," she added a bit bitterly.
I didn't comment. Jackson had always been like that, always the most popular kid, but only choosing to keep to a few people in his friend group, and only considering Caiden and me as his best friends. Everyone else didn't exist as far as he'd been concerned.
When would it stop feeling so weird that I was now one of those people that didn't exist for him?
Probably never.
I shook it off as we stopped in front of the tall double doors that led into the lecture hall. "I'll go in with you. I took biology as a senior last year with Professor Jones and she loves me," Lane stated confidently as she quietly opened the doors and walked in.
I sighed a little as we walked in. This was a huge class, and we were entering from the back, left side of the enormous room. At least a few hundred students were in here, and the lights were dimmed as the professor lectured about something showing on the huge projector screen. She didn't even spare us a glance as I quickly found a seat and only a few other students even looked at me.
Lane gave me a thumbs up before leaving as silently as we'd come in. I felt a little naked without her beside me, like she had been shielding me.
It was stupid, but I immediately knew that Jackson wasn't in this class. And I didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.
I hated how much I thought about him, even after all this time and everything he'd said to me. I just couldn't kick him out of my head...or really my heart for that matter. It was like he'd taken up residence years ago and decided never to move out.
Shaking my head, I pulled out the computer that had come with my scholarship and began to take notes, quickly recognizing the professor was lecturing on cell structure. Throwing all my attention to the screen she was lecturing on, I once again promised myself that my past wasn't going to affect my future.
One way or another, I was going to succeed here. Jackson Parker be damned.
Just as she'd promised, Lane was waiting for me after class. I'd gotten a few more looks as everyone began exiting the classroom, but the fact that they were just curious looks had me counting my first class as a win.
We managed to walk to our dormitory without seeing Jackson, and I considered myself a little luckier than I had been earlier. I was even letting myself think about how much I loved the school already.
And then I met my roommate.
I could feel Lane freeze next to me when I pulled out my key and opened the door on who I assumed was my roommate...butt naked under some guy.
"Get out," she screamed as her "friend" tried to pull a blanket over his naked ass.
Lane and I quickly left the room, slamming the door behind us as we stood in the hallway horrified.
"They didn't tell me you were rooming with her," Lane said with a groan, slumping against the hallway as if she'd just been delivered the worst news ever.
"Who is she?" I asked, really wanting to douse my eyeballs in bleach after what I'd just seen.
I really couldn't think of a worse introduction to my roommate.
Well, I guess she could have been mid-thrust with Jackson. That would have been unrecoverable.
"That was Melanie Carmichael. She's a cheerleader. Thinks her shit doesn't stink," Lane explained. "She's going to hate you." Lane looked me up and down. "She hates people prettier than her."
I rolled my eyes at the compliment and had just opened my mouth to say something when the door opened and a cocky stunner of a guy with bright orange hair left the room, shooting me a wink as he passed. I kept my eyes averted from his form as he left. It would be a while before I would forget the sight of his thrusting ass.
He obviously worked out.
My new roommate poked her head out, an annoyed look on her face as she gave me a quick glance up and down.
"Well, come in," she snapped. Lane gave me a look before gesturing me inside. I was suddenly grateful I would need to leave soon to get to my next class.
Melanie was a pretty girl. A bottle blonde with a perfect figure and soft blue eyes, she looked exactly like what I would envision a cheerleader at this school would look like.
While Melanie intentionally ignored me and straightened her bed, I looked around my new room.
It was much nicer than my room back home. It was huge, easily fitting two queen beds on either side of the room along with two desks, two dressers, a large cream rug, and a tv stand complete with a big screen.