Chapter 1 Not That Bad
~Lila~
There was a time when I was still naïve enough to think my biggest problem was an Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience mid-term. On that particular Friday night, I was still blissfully unaware of the human disaster headed straight for my peaceful little life…
I’m sitting cross-legged on a bar stool, my hair pulled up in a messy bun, with a hefty, worn textbook in front of me, all alone in my kitchen on a Friday night studying for my Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience mid-term. I sigh heavily and wish I could stand up to my parents and tell them in the most gentle way possible to butt the fuck out of my life.
Before I can push the text-book away in a fit of frustration and leave my seat to abandon my studies, I hear the creaking of the front door opening and the infectious laughter of my roommate, Jenna, fill my ears.
“Are you seriously still studying?” Jenna chuckles, her long, red hair wild and messy from a night of dancing.
I groan and shake my head yes, my lips forming into a pout as I meet the other woman’s eyes.
Jenna kicks off her heels and saunters towards me, taking a seat beside me on the empty bar stool. “You know, it wouldn’t kill you to have a little fun sometimes. Put the book down, put some make-up on, go to the club with me.” The redhead pauses and wiggles her eyebrows. “Maybe meet up with Alex at the club.”
“Stop,” I whine and playfully push Jenna. “I do have fun.” When Jenna simply stares in return, I insist, “I do! I go out, you know I do! And I’ve had fun with Alex already, a few times already. I just have to get a grade on my mid-term. You know how my parents get if my average drops below a 97.”
“I know,” Jenna agrees sympathetically. “But I just hate to see you so stressed. And I miss my best friend going out with me.”
“I know, I know. I just, I have to buckle down these last few weeks. I need to finish strong and graduate Summa Cum Laude. But I promise that this summer, we are going to have ALL the fun.”
With an accepting nod, Jenna smirks. “And what about you and Alex? Are you two going to have all the fun this summer?”
With a wince, I shake my head adamantly. “We might have some fun every now and then, but you know I don’t do relationships. He knows I don’t do relationships. I’ve made that perfectly clear multiple times.”
Jenna’s smirk falters. “I ran into him tonight and he wouldn’t stop asking about you. He likes you, Lila. And he’s smart, and good looking, and he’s going to be a lawyer so that means he’s going to be rich.”
“And none of that matters in the end. I’m not going to get with someone just because they fit all these perfect little boxes on paper.”
“I just want you to be happy.”
“I am,” I insist. Jenna’s eyes drift to the textbook on the table and she casts a doubtful look at me. “Okay,” I giggle, “I’m not happy about this mid-term, but I am happy. I have the best roommate ever,” I reach across the bar and squeeze Jenna’s hands, “and some really amazing friends, like Marcus, Aaron, and Celina. I don’t need a boyfriend to be happy.”
“Okay, okay,” she relents. “I give up for now.”
“Good,” I huff in response.
“I’m about to get a shower and go to bed. I met this really cute guy named Drew at the club and we danced for hours, so I’m beat.” She throws a grin at me and stands up to head to her room. “Oh by the way, Ryan called earlier and he wants to meet me for lunch tomorrow, he said he had something he wanted to talk to me about and insisted it had to be in person. Do you wanna come?”
My nose scrunches and my face sours. “Ryan, as in your brother Ryan? Like the arrogant, brooding, cranky Ryan that I did nothing but argue with the entire time we were in a room together when we met last year because he’s such a pompous jerk? Yeah, no thank you.”
“He’s really not that bad,” Jenna defends, “he’s just been going through a rough time and it’s put him in a mood.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” I reply as I bury my head back in my textbook. “Goodnight, I’ll see you in the morning.”
With a roll of her eyes, Jenna calls out, “goodnight,” and heads towards her room.
