Maybe One Day

Chapter Three

        BY THE TIME I LET myself into my dormitory the next afternoon, totally spent from hours of mind-numbing lectures, all I wanted to do was collapse into a heap on my bed and dive-bomb into the tub of chocolate-chip ice cream I'd been saving in the mini-fridge. I swear, it was calling my name.

        Instead, I'd had no choice but to look through all my clothes and wrestle with the dilemma of what to wear to Levi's party tonight. After much deliberation, I settled on a fitted off-the-shoulder top and my favorite denim skirt.

        I was fixin' to re-apply my makeup, mostly to kill time while I waited for a text from Jace, when I heard a soft rap on my door. My heart sped up. I wasn't expecting him to collect me for another fifteen minutes, or for him to come up to my dorm room, which was looking more and more like Monica's secret closet from Friends. Oops.

        The bed was unmade, the comforter still rumpled and strewn on the floor from my mad dash to class this morning. Worst of all, there were clothes scattered everywhere, indicating just how much effort I'd put into selecting this outfit—I think I'd changed at least eight times. The wooden desk underneath the small window was the only organized area of my room, storing all my textbooks and school supplies.

        Dread fell heavy as I opened the door, not wanting Jace to see my dorm room while I was still in the very, very early stages of moving in. I was mildly relieved to find that it was only Piper, grinning back at me.

        "Hey, I didn't mean to intrude but—damn girl, you look hot!" Her eyes raked over me appreciatively.

        I returned a smile in answer. 

        If it were Amelia, I probably would've done a little self-indulging spin, but this was one of Jace's best friends. The last thing I wanted to do was make a fool of myself. 

        My belly twisted nervously. It was ingrained in me to want her approval. "So do you," I enthused. 

        Her auburn-colored hair was half pinned back and the loose curls framed her heart-shaped face. She was wearing a jersey playsuit, a studded biker jacket, and a pair of heels I could only dream of wearing, let alone making it five meters in.

        "Jace's phone is either having a meltdown or it's dead. It won't switch on, and he's saying he charged it, but that's up for debate." She laughed dryly. "In other words, I'm here to escort you to his truck."

        Jace held the title for being the most forgetful person I'd ever met, so I wasn't all that surprised. I swung the door open further and gestured for her to come inside. "Sure. I'll just be a sec."

        Piper brushed past me, stepping into my cramped, single room. She surveyed her surroundings briefly, and I was thankful her eyes didn't loiter on the mess or the stacks of cardboard boxes. Needless to say, I had no motivation left to unpack the last of my stuff from back home.