Chapter Three: Moving Day

Vivian is going to college moving in the dorms and making friends

September the start of the school year; this is exciting and frightening for Vivian a freshman at Saint Mary’s Woman College.  Gloria is helping Vivian load her things into an old yellow coupe, which she bought for her.  Vivian scream like a little school girl when she discovers that her car, she did not care the automobile is almost the same age as she is, but it runs good and it’s cute.  Jack arrived to say his goodbyes before she leaves.  Both of them holding each other in a loving embrace talking in hush tones only they can respond too, one would caress a cheek, another stroke other hair smiling as they gently kissing each other.

 

Then her phone buzz a certain sound letting her know she receive a text, pulling the phone up from her pocket to read the message she grin, “Who it from?”  Ask Jack.

 

“Oh it’s Zack wishes me good luck on my trip to college, oh he so sweet,” express Vivian

 

“You still talking to that super nerd,” Jack frowning

 

“This is cute,” Vivian still reading the text out loud, “I would come over but I assume that he would be there so you know three a crowd I didn’t want you to send him home because of me.”  Vivian snicker as she look up at Jack disgruntle face.

 

“I wish he would come up here, I show him who be going home with a busted jaw!” Jack is angry.

 

“Why are you so jealous, he just a friend.”

 

“No, you mean boyfriend!”

 

“Yes in name only, I told you we only had one kiss and we never went out on a date and we barely held hand during our two week relationship.”

 

“Yeah right, I know that type, quiet looking dumb waiting for his chance to pull down those panty.”

 

Vivian startle pulling him closer to her lips, “That’s not going to happen because I am your girl,” He groaned not believing her, “I love you,” suddenly they kissing with passion his anger melting away by the touching of her lips.  Then she pulls away from him, not wanting too, they know he should leave so she can finish packing for her long trip.  He hops into his car slowly drove away, she waving goodbye with one hand and the other arm wrap around holding herself tightly already missing him. 

 

Standing until its visibly impossible to see Jack car she turns to complete loading her car with her stuff, then she froze in place noticing Gloria is staring at her.  “What?  is something wrong?” she asks.

 

“Vivian honey, did he used a condom last night?”

 

Did she heard her right, do she think that she and Jack had sex last night, why did she ask that question.  Vivian is shocked by Gloria blunt question; a dagger too her heart that her mother thinks badly of her, she is struggling for words to say, “Ulmm, yes he did, how you knew?”

 

“Well I knew something was different about you this morning, but I couldn’t figure what, until I saw you and him together just now, then I knew.”

 

“Mommy I didn’t want to tell you knowing that you will be ashamed of me,” Vivian holding her head down, Gloria quickly steps toward Vivian squeezing her hands.

 

“Honey I’m not ashamed of you, never, I might be a little disappointed and I don’t know why.  I am surprised that you and Jack waited till now.  You are a woman now with decisions to make on how you live your life, I pray that you make the right ones.”

 

Vivian sigh, “I felt pressure to do it with Jack for months by him and my friends, but it didn’t feel right to do at that time, but last night we were together our last night before we both left for college.  Dang he’s so cute, I couldn’t resist him any longer…”

 

“Tell me the truth; did you make love him because you are in love?”  Vivian is nodding yes,

“You know my past I wish that my first time was for love. Girl I know in my head what you did was wrong, but you did it from a pure heart.  Vivian please promises me.”

 

“Yes ma.”

 

“Do not do any booty calls or one night stands, please don’t use sex as bargaining chip to get the advantage or sell it for money.  Only be intimate with him because you loved with all of mind and soul and no other reason.  It’s too precious to treat it lightly like the world does.” Vivian nodded yes.

 

♥♥♥

 

The little yellow car is fully loaded with all of Vivian things to take to her new home in the college dorms.  She hugged Gloria goodbye reassuring she will call every hour and stay on the main road no sightseeing.  She hops into the vehicle starting it up as it sounds like an oversize lawn mower, putting it in gear rolling down the street on her way to the main highway.  Her radio is blasting tunes in an attempt to cover the nosey car motor.

 

Four hours later the little car putters on to the campus of Saint Mary’s, moving slowly she scans the area looking for her dorm building.  The campus is full of activities, as most of the student body is returning from summer break because classes start Monday.  A steady stream of rental moving vans and pickup trucks kept entering the campus streets, family members and friends helping the students move their belongings into their rooms. 

 

Vivian found her building she zip the car into an open parking spot, jumping out, grabbing the duffle bag full of clothes, sling it on her shoulder walking inside searching for her room.  The lobby and hallways is full of chattering young ladies and their parents darting in all directions.  It seems odd that Vivian is alone while others students had family and friends with them on moving in day, but she wanted to do this by herself knowing Gloria would be constantly in tears.  Up the stairs on the second floor there were less people moving around as she counted the dorm room numbers, ‘201, 203 and 205 that my number.’

 

She opens the door viewing two twin beds and standard desks with shelves and cabinets above them, then she caught sight of a petite girl with long braided light brown hair standing her back to the door.  She twirled quickly as she heard the opening of the door, she has big gray eyes and her smile is broad with an excited facial expression.

 

“Ohhh, hi come on in,” She spoke loudly reaching out taken hold of Vivian hand shaking vigorously drawing her into the room.  “You must be Vivian, I’m Patricia but my friends call me Pat, I hope you don’t mind if I chose this bed,” Pat pointed to the bed right of the room with her bags on it, “I didn’t pick out the desk yet I was going to let you choose, but I like the one by the window because I loved looking outside when I think.”  Vivian shrugged her shoulders indicating she did not care; Pat is pleased taken the window desk.  “Wow, I did not realize you’re so tall, I guess you are a basketball player,” Vivian nodded yes, “it seem that they place most of the athletes in one dorm building, you might look at me and say what sport I play, its track & field, I do the 400, 800 and the 1500 meters and I’m thinking in tryout for the tennis team.”  Pat glancing at her duffle bag, “Hey you got more stuff down stairs, I can help you bring them up, they have a service elevator in this building with large flatbed dolly’s so you pile high and make one trip do.”  Vivian grin as she left the room walking, Pat full of energy hop walk alongside her, she continue to talk.

 

“I wish I had your legs, they are beautiful, so shapely, look at my legs.”  She stops raise her long skirt so Vivian can see them.

 

“No they look cute,” said Vivian.

 

“Ooooh you are so sweet, we are going to be great friends, but in truth these things are chicken legs.”  The two roommates made it to the yellow car in the parking lot unloading Vivian things onto the flatbed dolly.  Pat kept talking as they push the dolly to the service elevator, “I like your car, it’s so pretty, I wish I had my own car I just got a bicycle.  I wanted a car but I think my daddy is afraid I’m not a safe driver.  OK I admit I had a few fender-benders and a couple of tickets, but other than that I’m a great driver.  I loved my dad, he’s a big burly man, a gentle giant he cried more than I did this morning.  My mom, the little dictator, just lay down the law,” she change her voice tone, “Patty, you know right from wrong, don’t go crazy up here act like a she-devil, having wild parties and letting boys do whatever with you God don’t like ugly.”  Pat winks as they both chuckle as they unload Vivian stuff into her room. 

 

The ladies organizes their room, putting things in their appropriated area, the two friends went to the campus café to eat as Pat continues to do most of the talking.  That evening they both decided to go to bed early so they start right on the first day of classes, but Pat still wanted to talk.

 

“I hope I will get a boyfriend, my luck in high school was horrible, I think maybe my chicken legs and sometimes I talk a lot might have something to do with that.  Hey Vivian do you have a boyfriend?”

 

“Yes I do, but he goes to another college back home.”

 

Pat interested set up on her elbow, “Ooh tells what he likes.”

 

Vivian grins a little thinking about her boyfriend, “Well he a little taller than I am and he has strong arms that he can lift me up with ease,” she giggle, “I don’t know why but I like for him hold me off my feet, but I do.”

 

Pat yarn and spoke in the same breath, “That is great,” laying back on her pillow still yarning, “This time I will be successful in getting a boyfriend, I do not want to go through college all alone having no one.  That will be sick if I reach 21 becoming a modern day spinster.”

 

Vivian laughs, “No, that not true, you will find someone special.  You know they say long distant relationship don’t work, but I think Jack and I will make it.  Hey want to see a picture,” Vivian pulls out her phone looking for Jack photo, “I love his smile.”  Finding the picture she glances over to Pat reaching out her phone realizing she is fast asleep.  Turning laying straight on her back Vivian laid her phone on her chest, gazing at the ceiling thinking about Jack.  Sleep overtaken her body and mind, eyes becoming heavy her subconscious brings up the extraordinary day with Zackary in the park on that fateful Saturday evening when her world came to the end

 

She wore a special yellow dress to greet her mother in the grand hope of getting the family unit back together, quickly finding out that she wanted to sever all ties having no relation.  Vivian pleated with tears flowing that they can work it out, but with anger Janet blames Vivian for breaking up the family sending her brother to prison lying about the sexual abuse.  Hitting the table, yelling at Vivian bring back the memories of her short temper and swift correcting hands.  Gloria tries to calm the situation, but they begin to squabble, Janet had enough leaving the house as Gloria pleated with her stay for Vivian sake.  Vivian sat in her chair, head down listening to the women argue and hearing loud and clear her mother wish that she aborted Vivian and how she was a curse on her whole life. 

 

Her spirit wounded with utter shame and disappointment viewing the back door.  Quietly standing on to her feet advancing toward the door.  Down the steps quickly and out the gate running, hearing Gloria calling her name she ran faster.  She wants to escape from her angry mother’s words ‘Curse! Curse!  Abort! Abort!’  Her mind played those damming words over and over she seeks to run harder and faster straining every muscle, but her heart is breaking too quickly to recover.

 

Stopping bent over, hands on her knees, breathing heavy as every bone and muscle is burning, she is coughing as she slowly raises up.  Then the loudest car horn blast in her ears, she spins seeing the vehicle, she realizes that she is standing in the middle of the road.  The driver an older man yelling and cursing, “WHAT THE HECK YOU DOING, GET OFF OF THE ROAD!”  Vivian did not respond, she just took a few steps onto the sidewalk noticing that she is at the park viewing under the lights the basketball courts.  Walking slowly under them, she spots a discarded basketball picking it up in her hands bouncing it as she moves toward the goal.

 

Suddenly she stops the ball from bouncing grabbed it tightly with her hands, the ball and being on the courts can not erase the anguish she feels about her life, wondering why she was ever born.  She thinks her mother was right that is a curse to everyone she loved and she questions do anyone loves her for her.  She turns around and beheld Zackary staring at her out of breath excited to see her.  Vivian does not know why he is there, she did dump him as a boyfriend a few days ago and they haven’t talk since then, she figures he was hurt.  Then with quickness Zackary embracing her in his arm, placing his head on her breast, crying and speaking, “I loved you, I love you, I love you.”  Vivian is startled trying to pull Zackary off of her, but his simple, passionate words roll like waves of water in her heart soothing the pain.  She stops resisting Zackary caring affection for her as she let those words heal her soul.

 

“I love you too,” spoke Vivian in bed holding and crossing arms, she is hugging Zackary in her dreams, then her phone beeps and chirp waking her from her sleep.  Pickup the phone, her eyes trying to focus on the brightly lit screen, know it’s a text reading the message: ‘I hope I didn’t wake you, good luck on your first day-love you; Zack.’  She turns onto her side, smiling watching the text as the screen fade to black.  “What I’m going to do with you?”  Vivian spoke softly to herself as she drifts off to sleep.