Sixes & Sevens (Seven Hearts Book 1) (4 page)

The closer she got to her dorm, the more people she noticed. Crowds brought more stares, but she kept her head down, and plowed through. The dorm stood five floors high and was wrapped in red brick. Windows peered down at any passersby, but the majority of them were covered by blinds or curtains. “Muller Hall” was fixed in brown letters on the front of the building. The lawn was still mostly green, despite the late winter month. Clearly the gardeners here were well paid. Students were coming and going everywhere. A few held bags like her, but most only held laundry baskets or backpacks. It seemed to Jaycee the students here had already settled in during the fall semester. It couldn’t be helped; she was used to being the outsider. Walking through the double doors, she came upon a front desk.

“You look like you could use some help. I’m James Mathers, welcome to Muller Hall!” James came out from behind the desk, and offered to take a bag. Feeling embarrassed by the weight of her roller bag, Jaycee sheepishly handed him the duffle.

“Thank you. Do I look that out of place?” She asked.

“No, no! Nothing like that, it’s just that I’ve lived in this dorm my whole college experience, so I know everyone who lives here. Except the new guys of course. Which room are you in?” He stared at her large bag, but didn’t make a comment on her selection.

“I’m assuming 316 is on the third floor?” Jaycee glanced around as she spoke.

“That’s right. Follow me, the stairs are around this way. James headed to the right, and around the corner. A large stairwell was set back from the hallway. Down the blue carpeted hallway were the rooms in the one hundreds.

“I’m sorry, I just realized I never asked your name. Sometimes I get a bit ahead of myself.” James paused on the linoleum step in between floors two and three.

“Jaycee…I just go by Jaycee,” she replied. She was afraid to give out her last name, they would find out about her eventually, but at least she could delay the inevitable. Most people had probably forgotten her father, or would assume she was from a different Monroe family, but she didn’t want to take that risk just yet. It was nice to have people smile at her, and be kind. Instead of jeering, whispering behind her back, or just being hateful to her face. Not to mention the people who treated her with fear, like she was born a killer.

“Welcome, Jaycee. It’s good to see a fresh face around here. Not too many people start in the spring semester here, but I’m sure you’ll fit right in. Have you gotten in contact with Sara yet?” he asked.

It surprised her that he knew her roommate just by her room number, but considering what he’d said about knowing everyone, she supposed it shouldn’t have. “Yes, we’ve been writing,” Jaycee said.

“Good, that’s good. Makes it much less awkward that way. Then you can coordinate who brings what. Are these all your things, or is your family still outside?” James inquired.

“Ah no, I came alone. This is all my stuff.” Jaycee fought a blush.

“A girl after my own heart! I prefer to travel light myself. Never did understand those girls who need twenty pairs of shoes. It’s not like you can wear them all in a week!” He said with a smile, and Jaycee shyly returned it with her own. He seemed nice.

Jason led her out of the stairwell, down the hall, and stopped at room 316 on the left. “Here we are, 316. Sara’s pretty cool, I think you’ll get along fine. If you need anything, I live on the ground floor, room 111. You can stop by anytime. I’m often working the front desk though.” Handing Jaycee back her duffle, he gave her a final wave, and headed back in the direction they’d come from.

Jaycee took a moment to arrange the duffle’s strap back on her shoulder before she knocked. She hoped Sara was home, she didn’t have her key yet. She supposed she should have picked that up before heading to her room. It would seem that Jason really did get ahead of himself. Well, even nice guys had flaws.

“Oh well,” she muttered under her breath, “here goes nothing.”

January 3, 2016

Raising her hand to the wooden door, Jaycee knocked twice. Switching her weight from her left to her right foot, and back again, she felt anxious. It was important to her that Sara liked her. Living together in a tiny room would be hard enough if they got along. Especially since Jaycee had grown accustomed to having her own room at the Smythes’. Verecund, sweaty, and more than a bit embarrassed she didn’t have her key, Jaycee counted the seconds as footsteps approached the door. One…two…three…four. Sara swung the door open and pulled a surprised Jaycee inside. Green eyes and red hair made for a slightly mermaid-like appearance on the athletic girl. She looked more than a bit mischievous.

“I’m glad to finally meet you. Of course I’m Sara, and this is our room.” Sara swept her hand across the room like a game show host. The walls were painted cream, and made out of giant blocks of some sort, the floor was a plain brown linoleum, but Sara had covered it in a lime green rug. Orange curtains hung from the double window, and a white chair sat by the bunk beds. It looked like a soda commercial, but at least Jaycee’s orange bedspread would fit right in.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I’m sorry I didn’t grab my key before I got here. Jason led me right up. I guess the bottom bunk is mine?” Jaycee asked, though the top bunk was covered in a fluffy white comforter, and was clearly taken.

“Yah, I hope you don’t mind. Top bunk’s my fav. Hey, why don’t I help you unpack, and then we can go get your key together?” Sara grabbed Jaycee’s roller bag, and ripped it open. Her stuff spilled all over the bottom bunk, and onto the floor. Jaycee cringed.

“It’s okay, really. I can get it…” Jaycee protested, but Sara was already pulling everything out of the bag, and stuffing it in the dresser. Jaycee had to hand it to her, she was fast. Her speed may have had something to do with the way she wasn’t looking where she put anything, she simply stuffed as much she could into one drawer or another. Bending down, Jaycee snapped up her journal, and hid it behind her back. Most of her stuff was expendable, or wouldn’t be hurt by a little rough handling. Moving from family to family, her belongings had been through worse…all except her journal. She’d hidden it under her top whenever she moved. No one would get a look at it if she could help it.

When Sara had emptied that bag, she turned to store it in the closet on the left wall. As soon as she turned, Jaycee stuffed her journal under the mattress, she began to pull out her sheets, and make her bed. By the time Sara managed to grab a chair, and arrange the bag in the top of the closet, Jaycee was done with the sheets and moving onto the pillow and bedspread. All this activity was wearing her out. She needed a long shower, and a nap, but she would need to get her key before she could relax. The amount of work that would need to be done later was staggering. Sara’s “helpfulness” had merely increased the amount to be done, not minimized it. Jaycee stuffed her wallet in her pocket, grabbed her phone, and headed for the door.

“I’ll be back in a few. Gonna go check in and get my keys. I won’t bother you. I can manage!” Jaycee didn’t wait for a response from Sara, but rushed out the door. She wasn’t looking forward to being managed by a roommate after leaving a controlling foster situation behind. Letting out a deep sigh that morphed into a yawn, Jaycee hurried down the steps to the front desk. The sooner she got her keys, the sooner she’d be back on track. Without having to rely on Sara for entrance into their room, she’d be able to leave campus, and begin her search for the Wallners.

Jason was still sitting at the front desk filling out paperwork. “Hi, just couldn’t stay away, huh?” He teased her and winked a blue eye.

“Actually I need to sign in and pick up my keys,” Jaycee said awkwardly. She didn’t want him to feel bad about forgetting, but she wasn’t interested in flirting either. Nice or not, she wasn’t interested in him like that.

“Oh man! I’m sorry, I did warn you. I really can get carried away—well, you’ve seen,” he rambled as he shuffled through drawers and papers. “Here it is!” Jason pulled out a manila envelope with Jaycee’s name on the front. “I’ll just need you to sign these papers saying you’ve moved in. These saying you received your door and mailbox key, and these saying you’ve read and agree to follow the dorm rules.” Jason pulled his black hair out of his eyes and dropped a stack of papers on the desk. Jaycee held in a sigh of relief, Jason hadn’t mentioned her last name printed on the envelope.

Jaycee’s eyes bulged at the stack of papers he piled in front of her. Welcome to the university, it said, be prepared to sign your life away.

“Do you have a pen?” she asked, searching the desktop to no avail.

“Here you go,” Jason said, and handed over a university pen with a crimson flower taped to the end.

“Thanks…” Taking the pen, careful not the bend the flower, she filled out the papers one by one. With the last signature in place, Jason handed her the two silver keys from the envelope.

“The larger one is your room key, and the other opens your mailbox. It has the box number on the key’s bow.” He gestured to the key just below the ring hole. “Here’s a booklet with the dorm policies and rules for you to keep. You’ll get your campus rules and regs after you visit the admin building to check in with them.”

“Oh okay. Well, I guess I might as well go do that. Are they open now?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Jason glanced at a black sports watch on his wrist, “it’s probably best to get it out of the way now before more students show up. Even midyear there will still be enough new students to make the lines long close to the first day. Do you know how to get there? I’ve got a map here somewhere…” He started riffling through the papers again.

“No, don’t trouble yourself. I’ve already got an idea where to go. Well, I’m off. Bye.” Jaycee managed an awkward wave, and turned to flee. UEM was a much bigger campus than MCC, now she was going to have to get used to interacting with students on a much grander scale. It was exhausting. She wouldn’t be able to help her dad if she only hid out in the library, so social interaction would be a must. Maybe if she made friends now, no one would care when they found out about her father…? These weren’t elementary schoolers, hopefully they could handle it like adults.

After walking across campus, Jaycee remembered it was Sunday. Campus offices would be closed; Jason had led her astray again. Jaycee sighed and kicked a rock at her feet. Without a campus ID she wouldn’t be able to get a shower at the nearby rec center either. She would have to head back to the dorm. “What a waste of time,” she grumbled. Unless…maybe she could just see if someone would let her in. If she could piggyback off another student, she wouldn’t need to face Sara again so soon. The pool locker rooms were supposed to have towels, maybe she could bum soap off someone. Jaycee watched the door to the rec center without looking like she was watching. When a group of girls headed to the door, she followed behind them. Sure enough, she was in! Following the signs on the walls, she navigated the corridors till she saw the familiar women’s logo on a locker room door. Peeking inside, Jaycee noticed it was empty, but she could hear one of the showers running.

Sitting down on the benches in the center of the room, Jaycee peered around. Lockers lined the walls to her left and right, past those, and to the left were showers. In the front, were the bathroom stalls, and sinks to the side. Jaycee settled in to wait for the girl to finish her shower. Ten minutes went by before the tap was closed, and the room filled with steam.

“Oh hi. I didn’t know anyone was in here. I hope I wasn’t too loud.” The blond girl looked embarrassed.

“What?” Jaycee asked.

“Oh, I tend to sing in the shower, I’m a bit off-key if I’m being kind, and lousy if I’m not. I’m Steph, by the way.” Steph waved her hand in hello, and turned to the mirrors above the sink.

“I’m Jaycee, and no I didn’t hear anything.” She chewed on her lip a moment, “Would it be too weird if I asked for some soap and shampoo? I just got into town today, and my roommate’s a little intense. I’m avoiding going back to the dorm, until I have to.” Jaycee blushed at her confession. It was hard for her to ask for help.

“Ah, I wondered why you were hanging out in here. Most girls would have a bag of swim stuff at the very least. I get it though. You must be shy. My first roommate was a bit eccentric. It took me some time to let her in. You’ll get there. I have shampoo and body wash, but no conditioner. I hope you like Summer Rain?” Steph handed her shower caddy to Jaycee, then walked over to a locker and keyed in her code. “I’ll just be blow-drying my hair and putting on my face. Don’t feel like you need to hurry or anything. I’ll be here awhile.” Steph walked back to the mirrors, unzipping her bag and pulling out the biggest hair dryer Jaycee had ever seen. Blond, curvy, and short like Jaycee, Steph was very pretty even without makeup. Not one to waste an opportunity, Jaycee said her thanks and hopped into the shower.

Despite Steph’s reassurances, Jaycee didn’t want to take too long. She felt odd using a stranger’s clean-up kit, but at least she wouldn’t smell of sweat. After her shower, Jaycee returned the caddy gratefully, and toweled off. Having worn so many layers on the way in made one thing easier. She didn’t need to worry as much about clean clothes. Leaving on the sweater, she simply left off the layer she’d worn closest to her skin. She left off her bra, wet panties, and her soaked tee. Her hoodie was thick enough to cover any unwanted uh…nipple peek-a-boo…and well, her jeans wouldn’t tip anyone off to her commando status. She dried her panties a bit under the hand drier, and stuck them in her pocket. The bra was a bit more challenging. She decided to leave it in a locker with her shirt and return for it later.

Uncomfortable
was the perfect word for how she felt without her undies. Braless wasn’t ideal as a C cup, but it could have been worse. Her hoodie gave her a baggy layer of protection. It was probably time to head back to the dorm, but Jaycee wasn’t opposed to walking the long way home.
Home
wasn’t a word she had really wanted to call anywhere she’d lived most of her life, but hopefully her dorm would become one. After she got Sara to respect her boundaries. Sara’s take-charge attitude would take pressure off Jaycee in social situations, although it could get her into more trouble than it was worth. Jaycee hadn’t wanted to pay the several-grand difference for a single room. In the event she and Sara couldn’t reach an understanding, she’d simply need to find a new roommate. Hopefully by that point Jaycee would know someone more suitable. Not that she was already planning to, she was willing to give Sara a chance. While first impressions were important, she did believe in being fair. Someone in her situation couldn’t afford to treat others as she had been treated in the past. Rash judgments weren’t in her best interest.

Intending to head back the way she came, Jaycee found the door, and shuffled through. What she saw surprised her. She had entered the pool area, not the hall. Apparently the locker room had a similar feel to both sides. “Oops.” Taking a look around, Jaycee was surprised by the design. Not your standard rectangular pool, this one had layers and levels. There was a circular area with seating for ten or more people. A whirlpool formed another ring, with a hot tub placed adjacent but slightly above the level of the rest of the pool, probably to prevent splashing. The area was an oasis. There were potted plants around the pool, fed by wide, tall windows. Chaises and chairs formed lines around the perimeter. The university’s mascot, a black panther was displayed in a fighting stance at the bottom of the pool.

What came as a surprise was the temperature of the room. The pool must have been heated. Jaycee rolled up her sleeves in an attempt to cool off without removing her hoodie. Maybe it was the heater in the room, but it didn’t seem like it, the heat was too humid. It wasn’t any wonder the plants were mostly tropical. Orchids and other exotic plants would do well in such a moist environment. Keeping to the end of the room, Jaycee maneuvered away from the door. She remained mostly hidden by the line of coconut trees toward the outer edge. The university had clearly spent a pretty penny on their rec center. She wondered what other hidden gems it held…

Finished gawking at the room, Jaycee began to notice the other people, or rather, men, in the room. Five men milled about here and there. Splashing, doing laps, and using the diving board. None of them paid her any attention, but that was how she liked it. As she got closer, she noticed two more men hanging out on the side of the pool. The first guy dangled his muscular legs into the water, while the other stood up to his chest in the chlorinated liquid. She sidled closer for a better look, something about them was intriguing. The closer she got, she realized what that was…they were gorgeous! The one in the water was Asian, if his beautiful eyes were any indication. Muscular and tall with a light tan, he stood proud and strong. His ebony hair was buzzed on the sides and slightly longer on top. His eyes were a warm brown. She imagined him in a Korean drama, like the ones she’d watched online. She’d gotten interested in the shows while at foster home number two. They had been given a Hulu subscription as a gift. When Jaycee couldn’t sleep at night, she’d return to the living room, and watch it in the dark. She first started with foreign shows because with the subtitles, she wouldn’t need the sound on. Later, she had fallen in love with their humor, silliness, and heart.

Splashing water with his feet, the other male was no less appealing, but in a very different way. He looked like he was an athlete, just slightly more muscular than his friend, his deep tan lines spoke of countless hours in the sun. She imagined him playing beach volleyball or riding a Ski-Doo in the Ozarks. His hair was shaved to his scalp. His eyes were a pale blue-grey. She couldn’t tell what exact color his eyebrows were, but it seemed to be a very dark blond. He was covered in tattoos. A giant black widow crawled up his right shoulder blade, too three-dimensional for comfort. A
Deadpool
face was drawn on his left upper arm. Other tattoos sprawled here and there on his arms, but none stood out to her. She noticed the Asian man had a tattoo as well. She couldn’t identify it, but it looked military in origin.