Falling in Love with Spring
Falling in love with Spring - FICTION
Gia Volterra De Saulnier·Monday, March 4, 2019
FICTION
Ah Spring is finally here! I love all the spring flowers, all the bright colors and best of all no more snow! I especially love when all the boys start taking off their shirts. Hey, I'm a single girl and I like watching the boys play football. Well, any kind of sport really. Who am I to complain, I mean, they look at us in our bikinis right? Oh no, looks like one of them caught me red handed, I blush furiously and look in my book like I wasn’t watching the game. It’s so embarrassing!
I look at my outfit today, I think I look pretty cute. I’m wearing my short sleeved dark green polo shirt that matches my eyes and a pair of cropped blue jeans with my sneakers and of course my music socks. I guess you would consider me cute, but not pretty. Gosh, I hate that I compare myself to all the other girls here, but it’s so difficult especially when you have roommates that look like the ones I have. My long dark hair and my pale skin are like Snow White or at least that’s what my mom says all the time. I’m short but I’m pretty curvy, so some guys like that. Or at least that’s what I’m finding out. Not all the boys like those skinny model types (thank goodness for that!).
I think I look a lot like my mom, especially when she was younger. I guess you can say I’m her mini me. My younger sister Sara looks a bit more like dad though. We lived in a very small town in Connecticut that you probably have never heard of and so when I got the chance to go to College, I wanted to be as far away from my small town as possible, so University of Massachusetts Amherst, here I am!
I decided to take Music Education as my major. I have been playing guitar since I was 5 or 6 years old and I fell in love with the instrument and how it sounded. I’ve been in bands all through high school and so I felt that this was a good place to at least start my education. I’ve been at college now for 2 years and I’ve made a ton of new friends and learned so much I didn’t even know. Music Theory? Oh man, that is a hard class. Good thing my friends are willing to help me out.
I know my class finals are coming soon, and good old Dr. Overman doesn't disappoint! Gosh, his class Music History is SO hard! I am trying to learn the subject, but getting up at 8 am in the morning after a long night of partying is not my style!
I love to party with my roommates, Jen and Bianca, they are so much fun! They will usually drink me under the table since I’m only 5' and they are both easily 5'8 or taller. Last weekend we partied pretty hard and I think I was out by 11 pm and they were still going until 2 am! I can’t even remember how much I had to drink. Good thing we had those fake ID’s. I hope we don’t get caught though on that, I don’t want to be suspended for something stupid. I will be 21 next month anyway, so I only have a few more weeks that I don’t have to worry about that!
Jen is a little younger than me by a few months and she’s so pretty. Her big blue eyes stand out against her long honey hair and she’s a little on the thin side. Unfortunately, her music selection isn’t that great. She loves listening to whoever is popular. Bianca she’s my first African American friend I’ve had. She just turned 20, but she seems so much older! She looks a lot like Lisa Bonet when she was younger! I love her dreads, they are so colorful and neat! She is just so cool! Her dark skin just glows sometimes and I’ve learned so much about her culture, and her dad, he is the best! He’s taught me all about Blues and Jazz too! Bianca has quite the CD collection!
I do have to mention that the other day, I think it was on Wednesday or so, Billy Goldenberg asked me out, I mean, he's cute, but he’s not really my type. I think he’s in my Bio class? I usually sit in the back of the room and try not to pay too much attention to all the boys in the class, just the class itself, I need to pass Bio!!
He’s got muddy brown hair and brown eyes that do sparkle a little, but I think he’s about my height and I do like my guys a little taller than myself, I mean, that can’t be that hard since I’m already short. I hope I let him down easy, I did tell him that I liked him as a friend but that was about it, but maybe we could study together sometime. He seemed okay about my answer and said okay. I appreciated his approach though, it’s not like some of those grabby guys we meet from the Frat. Those guys are just too much testosterone for me! So many muscles and they are just a bunch of jerks usually. I think one or two of them are in my English class. They do love those cheerleader girls though, and I am so NOT a cheerleader! I prefer music thank you very much!
I also would prefer an older guy, one that is done with college or at least class higher than myself, but of course, I only started two years ago. Maybe my imaginary older guy will take care of me and pay all my bills? I guess I should be more independent though right? I mean, that’s why I’m going to college and all that. I can’t depend on a guy. I need to make sure I can survive after college.
It’s not like my parents are helping at all. I love them, but they are pretty broke as it is. With mom’s hospital bills and pop working 2 jobs just to keep everyone afloat, or at least that’s what he tells us. Mom found out she had breast cancer about a year ago. When she told us, it was pretty shocking. I mean, you think your parents will be here forever and then one day, BOOM reality hits hard. It was harder on Sara since she is still living at home. She just goes to school, goes home and does her homework and then checks in on mom. The good news is that mom finally came home from her 3rd round of chemotherapy and she’s around a little more. Pop was trying very hard but with all girls in the house, he didn’t exactly like finding bras at the store to buy for myself or my sister.
Not that I can’t afford all my bills, I am on school loans and working at least part time at the Milton Hotel. The good news is that my roommates are pretty good about paying their share too. Except when one of them eat my chocolate bar that I have saved in the fridge! I do have to budget carefully though. It gets hard once in a while, but I seem to manage it okay. I only call mom and dad when I’m desperate or need a new book. Good thing I can go to the library and do research there. I have an older laptop that sometimes works, and well, sometimes doesn’t. I’m saving up money now to buy a new one.
That hotel job is awful though. No one there likes it. I seriously hate my maids uniform! The uniform is just beige and does nothing for my figure, but I try to make it look as cute as I can, when my manager isn’t around that is. We all have to wear a certain “standard”. Gah, give me a break, no one here is following those rules. The manager is always harping on us College kids. They know our schedules are tight and still they put is in weird hours. Hello, we have to study!
At least Lorraine is cool, I think she was a he at one point, but we’re not supposed to ask. Lorraine works the first shift while I’m at school and she’s usually there when I arrive for my shift. I’ve never met anyone like her either. She’s just really down to earth and she always has something wise to say to me. She always asks me how my day was at school, at least I think she understands what stress I’m under and doesn’t ask me to do too much when I take over her shift. She also gave me a gift card for my mom when she found out about the hospital bills.
Part of my job is to clean the toilets at the hotel and let me tell you people are pigs! I can’t even believe it myself sometimes, but this one morning I had a bunch of #2 POOP on the ceiling! Yeah, I have no idea how the heck they got poop on the ceiling either, but it was up to me to clean up the mess. FUN - NOT! Oh it was so gross! I called my manager on that right away to let him know and he was understanding of it, but asked me to get it done and as soon as possible before the night shift was over!
I got it done before my shift thank goodness, but I can’t wait to go home and take a shower, a bath and then another shower just to get that stink off my body!
Sigh, I do have a lot of bills. Rent, electricity, gas, oh yeah and I can't forget my sister's birthday, that's next week! Poor Sara, she is just getting out of High School this year and can't wait to start college. I think it's more along the lines of she wants to get away from our parents. They can be a bit strict.
I’m in the lobby getting ready for my Music History Class in which my final is about to take place in a few minutes, I take a long breath in and try my best to peek at my studying and who do I see approaching me? Is that Duncan McBowen? I think it is! We met last week at a party that one of my other friends had, I think he’s a foreign exchange student from Scotland? Wales? England? Oh jeez, I can’t remember, I just remember his accent was just dreamy! Oh and he is SO handsome! I love his big blue eyes. I think he's a class older than me. He’s so tall and built. I try not to swoon as he passes by me with his books and back pack. I think he’s looking on his phone too. How can folks do that? I can’t even walk a straight line without keeping my eye where I’m going. I’m always saying excuse me if they bump into me while they are reading their all important text!
No, that's not him. I think it could be his twin though or doppelganger? Sigh, oh well, I guess I should get back to studying. This test is not going to be a fun one, oh bother, who knew that Music History would be hard!?
I check my smart phone and oh gosh look at the time! It’s 7:58 am! I need to get to class! Class starts at 8 am and Dr. Overman locks the doors at 8:01 am!! I can't be late, otherwise, I’ll miss the Final!!!
I thought college was supposed to be fun, I'd get to meet new people (but oh yes, I have met many boys, giggle) and I'd learn stuff about music and performing. So much for "American Idol" being a dream, no, I wanted to learn about writing real music not that pop stuff that is on the radio now. That is so not me!
After my 10 am class, I have a bit of a break and can't wait to get back to my apartment and bring my guitar outside and try out my new song. Spring is Love, Love is Spring! (Kind of catchy huh? No? Well, it's still a work in progress). I love my old guitar. It has dolphins on the top and the inlay is so pretty. I’ve been told I have a nice voice too, so that helps. I start working on my song again in the open quad again hoping I can at least get a small audience. Maybe Jen or Bianca can help me with the lyrics. They are so supportive of my music. I’m glad I have them as my roommates though, they are such cool girls. Last year, I ended up in a single dorm room and my roommate was very quiet and we didn’t get along too well.
I write down another measure in my note pad (always handy) and I look on my phone again and it’s a text from Duncan McBowen. Oh my goodness, are you kidding me right now? How did he get my number? This has got to be a prank from Sara, she knows how much I have a crush on him! No, it doesn’t seem to be a ghost text or even a message from Social Media, it does seem like it’s him.
I call my roommate Jen but get no answer so I call Bianca.
“Bianca, you will never ever guess who just texted me!” I said excitedly over the phone.
“Dang girl, you don’t need to yell, I hear you just fine!”
“Oh sorry, I just got over excited!”
“Ok, you gonna tell me, or am I gonna have to guess?” Bianca’s southern drawl was heavily accented. I guess that’s what happens when you are from Texas.
“It was Duncan McBowen - I wonder how the heck he got my number?”
“Um, I think you gave it to him at that party last week - girl, you were pretty drunk...” Bianca sighed and laughed at the same time.
“Oh yeah, I think I remember that! What am I going to wear?! I have nothing to wear!” I whined as I remembered my minimal closet.
“Okay Mya, calm down, what did the text read and we’ll go from there.”
I took a deep breath and read the text on my phone “Hey, saw you readin’ up a storm, was hopin to take u to coffee ltr?”
“So, are you sure it’s him, it could be his roommate Jon, he’s always goofin’ around.” Bianca was being cautious, but I loved that about her.
“No, I think he told me he lives in a single dorm room or in his own apartment now, I heard Jon moved out.” I was trying to remember our conversation, but all I can remember is how good those Rum and cokes were.
“Well, if it’s just a coffee date, then wear your short plaid skirt and white blouse, you know the whole ‘Brittany Spears’ vibe” Bianca suggested.
“Yeah, great idea, thanks Bianca, I owe you one.” I said over the phone
“Just make me a batch of those yummy chocolate cookies from scratch and we’ll call it even”
“You got a deal!”
I clicked end and re-read the text again.
I typed “Ok, got ur text, yeah was studyin’ for Music History final - hope I passed, LOL”
Then I typed “I’m up for coffee - where u want to meet? :) - Mya”
Not even a minute goes by and I get a buzz on my phone :
“How ‘bout Starbucks on Main Street, do u need a lift?”
Wow, he was polite, but I could walk it there if I wore my cute flats, it was only like 2 blocks from school.
“No, I can meet u there, does 4 work for you?”
“Sounds like a plan, I’ll be in the back - see u then”