The long vacation was finally over. January sixth, the first day of college was back in session. That day that every school student dreads. It was time to hit the books again, only this time around, ten times harder.
Everything mattered this last semester. Grades were everything.
The snow was still heavy, and a freezing wind whipped through campus just loving the chills it sent down every student’s spine.
Nora open her closet and pulled out a dark green fuzzy sweater to wear with her black express pants. She took the towel down from off the top of her, now damp, hair. It was still early morning. The sun hadn’t even rose yet. She was meeting Isaac in a half hour at a coffee shop just a block down the road. It was a ritual they decided to take on every morning that
they could.
She blow dried and styled her hair as best she could. Her eyes burned the second she stuck her contacts in. Nora looked down at her makeup bag in dread. She was not in the mood to fix herself up. So she pushed it aside and grabbed her purse. Within minutes she was jumping in her small Nissan and heading to the coffee shop. Isaac was definitely already there. She was running about ten minutes late as it was.

*************

Kari closed her locker and spun around when she felt someone’s hands on her shoulder.
“Hey baby.” Zac smiled as he leaned in to kiss her. She let him, but only for a second. The bell rang and kids were sent off in every direction hoping to get to their home room in time.
“I have to go Zac.” She laughed as she pushed him away from the pinned
position he had put her in.
“Okay I’ll see you at lunch.” He waved her a goodbye, and the two were off to their separate classes.
Kari felt as though every person was looking at her. People knew her and Zac were broken up the past month, but the way they stared at her made her scared. As if they were upset she was back with him. She ignored the feeling and went into the day as if nothing was bothering her. Soon
enough lunch time rolled around. Zac approached Kari in the cafeteria.
He whispered something into her ear. Seconds later she jumped up and they headed out the door hand in hand.
“So, where too?” Zac smile.
Kari closed one eye and thought. “Sonic!” She said after a second.
Zac laughed. “Sonic it is.” He said as he ran to her side of the car and let her in. He then closed her door and walked to the drivers side and hopped in. Minutes later they were on the road on the way to lunch.

**************

Abby whipped around her apartment in a cleaning frenzy. Taylor only had one class this afternoon. He left fifteen minutes ago so she thought she’d clean up the place a little bit. She had gotten up pretty early to get ready for her business class she had decided to take this semester. But it had
well ended hours ago. Taylor had spent the night and she had come back right before he had to leave. She finally got his lazy butt up out of bed and hurried him out the door before he missed his class.
Now grabbing the overflowing laundry basket in her room, Abby slipped through her doorway. Down the hall, washer’s and dryer’s stood lining a large laundry room. She sorted through her clothes.
She was so focused on getting it done, that she didn’t hear the lady
behind her using the other two machines. Only when the woman tapped her on the shoulder did she realize.
“Excuse me? Could I borrow some of your Tide? I left mine back in my
room.” The tall girl asked. Her medium length blonde hair hung high in a ponytail. She couldn’t have been older than eighteen.
Abby turned around to face her. “Oh, sure! No problem! Here ya go.” She smiled at the girl as she handed over the big box of detergent.
“Thank you SO much. I live on the fourth floor.” The lady said rolling her eyes. “I hate it. My name is Myra by the way.” She stuck out her hand.
“Nice to meet you Myra, I’m Abby.” Abby met her hand as they greeted
each other.
Just then, Abby heard a little girls voice. “E I E I ‘Yo Happy ABC.”
Abby laughed as she turned and looked down at the small child. The two girls giggled at the little toddlers choice of words for her song.
“Oh, This is my little girl Belle. Little Bear, say hi.” Myra eyed her
daughter.
Belle looked up at Abby and lifted her small hand to wave. “Hiee.”
“Aww, Hi hunny.” Abby smiled. “How old is she?” She asked Myra still
glancing at the small girl.
“Almost eighteen months now. She’s getting big.” Myra said in a motherly voice as she picked up the little girl. Myra wiped her sweaty forehead with her sleeve. Abby noticed and thought quickly.
“Um, would you like to come on in and have a drink or something?” She
asked pointing to her ajar door down the hall.
“Sure that would be great! Belle, do you want a sippy?” Myra question her daughter.
“eh.” Belle cracked a grin. Her three bottom baby teeth showed. The child had long light brown hair that covered a couple inches past her small shoulders. She had on a little pair of white bibs with a pink onesy underneath.
“Okay. Let’s go. I made some iced tea last night right when I got back from break, so it’s still pretty fresh.” Abby said, leading Myra with Belle in arms into the apartment.
“Iced tea sounds great.” Myra smile. “Thank you.”
“No problem. They have the heat turned up so high in those hallways. I’m surprised people don’t pass out walking through.” Abby commented as she grabbed two cups from the dishwasher. The two women laughed.
Myra put Belle down once she took a seat in one of the chairs at the small two person dining room table. The little girl stood there for a minute then trotted around the kitchen watching Abby pour the tea into the glasses.
Abby looked down at her. “She’s not shy at all is she?” She bent down and picked up the toddler. “Hey there. Do you want some milk?”
Belle shook her head yes and Abby walked over to the cooler and grabbed the half gallon jug.
“Oh! I have her sippy upstairs. I’ll run and get it.” Myra said jumping up.
“Okay, great.” Abby said in a baby voice to Belle as Myra disappeared out the door. Belle giggled and squirmed with excitement.
Abby put her down for a minute and brought the two glasses of tea to
the table. Seconds later Myra returned with a small pink sippy in hand.
“Here ya go.” She handed the little cup to Abby. She filled it and brought it back to the table where Belle had climbed up onto her mom’s lap.
“So how long have you lived here?” Myra asked as she went to take sip of her drink.
“Only about four and a half months. I go to Florida State. I moved here from Ohio.”
Myra’s mouth dropped. “Really? Wow. So do you like it?”
“It’s all right. I feel like I’m never here because I’m always in Oklahoma with my boyfriend.” The second that last word left her mouth she looked down at the ring on her finger. “I mean, fiancé.”
Myra notice the quick fix in her sentence and the ring she was rolling around her ring finger.
“Ahh. How long?” Myra asked pointing at the ring.
Abby laughed. “New Year’s Eve. He asked me at midnight.” The smile on
her face couldn’t have been bigger.
“How sweet! So he’s a helpless romantic?” The two women laughed again.
“He sure is. I know his older brother had a part in it though. He kissed me at midnight and slipped it into my mouth..”
Myra gasped and held her hand up over her the bottom half of her face.
“Ohhh!”
“That’s exactly what I did.” Abby grinned.
“So when’s the wedding date?” Myra asked.
“Oh boy.. We haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet? Thanks for
reminding me! haha!”
They were both quiet for a minute drinking their tea. Then Abby spoke
up.
“So how long have you lived here?”
“I just moved in actually. About a week ago. Boxes everywhere. BIG mess!
Haha” Myra informed.
Abby laughed. “Ya know, I just unpacked my last box before I left for Tulsa with Taylor. He couldn’t stand the mess around here so he finally pitched in to help.. after about three months.”
“Haha. Yeah, I hate moving.” Myra laughed as she ran her fingers back to her ponytail.
“So where did you move from?” Abby asked.
“Tampa. I was just sick of being there. I wanted to start a new life
somewhere else with Belle. We’ve been through a lot.” Myra looked down at her little girl. She was now leaning her head back on Myra’s chest half asleep.
“She’s so beautiful.” Abby whispered.
“My little princess.” Myra agreed as she looked up and smiled. “Well I better go put her into bed. I’ll be back down in a bit to get the clothes.”
Myra started getting up. “Thank you for the tea. It was great.”
“No problem. Maybe we can do dinner sometime?” Abby purposed the
idea as she walked Myra to the door.
“You know, I might just take you up on that offer.” Myra laughed.
“Are you busy tonight?”
“Nope. Tonight would be fine! Seeing as how I haven’t made it to the store yet to pick up some groceries.” Myra looked down embarrassed
“All right. Um, is six good for you?” Abby asked.
“Myra looked down at her watch. “Sounds good. That will give me a little time to tidy up my place and finish laundry. Then I’ll head down.”
“Okay. See ya at six then. You could meet the famous Taylor.” Abby
smiled as she rolled her eyes.
“Oh, I’m lookin forward to it. Okay I’ll give you a ring before I come down.” Myra nodded.
“Sounds good. Here’s my number.” Abby said reaching back inside the
door and scribbling the number down on a scrap piece of paper for Myra.
“Talk to you in a little bit then.”
“Sure thing. Goodbye Belle.” She whispered as she reached out her hand and touched the little girls chest.
Myra disappeared up the stair case.

Minutes later Taylor walked through the door.
“Abby?” He called out as he threw his keys down on the little night stand and discarded his book bag by the door.
No answer. He heard the shower water running, so he went into the
kitchen and pulled the orange juice out of the cooler. He open the carton and took a drink. Then he walked down the small hallway and knocked on the bathroom
door. “Ab, I’m back.”
“Hi hunny. How was class?” Taylor heard a reply.
“It was okay. I have a lot of homework though.” He said in a disappointed tone.
“Well try to get some done because we’re having company tonight.” Abby
instructed.
“Company?” He asked confused.
“Yeah, my friend Myra from upstairs is coming for dinner.”
Before Taylor could say anything else Abby spoke again. “Oh! Before I forget? Can you take the bag of chicken out of the freezer to unthaw.”
“Sure.” Taylor said heading back to the kitchen and completing the small task. Then he grabbed his book bag and the remote and plopped himself down onto the couch to get some homework done and watch TV.