Freedom Limited CHAPTER 1

I stood there in front of the four sets of stairs, with three bags full in my hands and five boxes in the trunk of my car, ready to face studies, gossip, parties, and of course the drama. The double doors stare me in the face, daring me to open them. But I wasn’t ready even though I wanted to be. My dad sure as hell wasn’t ready to let go, but he hid the emotion pretty well.1

“So are you ready?” he asked. 2

My dad was the one man I knew wouldn’t ever let me down. After mom had died, he was always there for me. That silly guy knew how to make me laugh and forever will. His relaxed personality and perfect sense of humor made me feel welcome anywhere. How would I feel when I didn’t wake up to his bright grin and honey eyes anymore?3

“No... And yes. Will you help me?” I motioned my head to the doors. 4

“Oh!” He flipped sides with one of the four bags he held and opened the doors. “Here ya go.”5

The main room (the ‘headquarters’ I like to call it) looked very much like a school. Earth toned colors of beige and creams lit the office up. Behind the desk sat a 20 – something aged blonde with an earpiece stuck in her – well duh – ear and gave us a small, polite smile when we walked up. “Can I help you?” she asked in a perky tone.6

“Ya, I’m Alexis Travis and I need to know where my room is.” It was more of a question, hoping I was in the right building. I hoped I was because it was great already. 7

“Ok,” she agrees and starts typing away. “Oh, ok. I found it. Miss Travis you will...” she digs around in a shelf and pulls out a key. “You will be staying in room 114 and this is the key. If you misplace it, we have a spare that we can lend so just come to this desk and simply ask.” 8

“Ok, thanks -” I turn to find my room but she stops me. 9

“Wait a sec; this is your class schedule.” She hands me a blue piece of paper. “There will be an announcement made in a few hours to go down to the Main Center to show all of the new comers a map of the campus.”10

“Where is the Main Center?”11

“This is one of your roommates second year so they will probably show you if you ask.”12

“Ok, is that it?” I smile, kind of annoyed by all the information. I mean, I knew there would be a lot; but not so damn soon. I always feel like an idiot when I can’t remember things I’ve been told so; I hoped I would remember long enough to write it down in a journal. 13

“Umm... I believe so. But if you have any questions, just come and ask me.” She gave me a polite smile again.14

“Ok, thanks.” I give one back. I turned hesitantly, making sure she had no more to say, and left up the stairs. I heard dad sigh.15

“What’s wrong, pop?”16

He sighs again, “I guess you don’t need me anymore.” I would always need him. What was he saying?17

“I knew that was coming. Parents have one time to say that statement, and you just used it up mister.”18

“It’s true though. You just got info all by yourself.”19

“Hey, how come you aren’t proud of me when I ask where the restroom is at Lily R’s?” 20

“Because Lily R’s doesn’t have a fancy, expensive desk in the middle of a 16 yard room like this building does.”21

I laughed at his bummed expression. “Dad, I’m always gonna love you and need you.” I stopped him at the top of the stairs, “I told you my plan right? I will call you every night or will give you a heads up if I won’t be able to but will call you that next morning. I come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s not good?”22

“No, because what about the days before and between and after Thanksgiving and Christmas?”23

“Because that’s called college, and that’s where I’m at... It’ll be hard but we can make it work, right?”24

He gives me a doubtful smile, “It’ll do for now. You know,” we start heading through the hallway full of teens and their parents saying goodbye. I was dreading that moment with my dad, it would be soon now. “Everyone’s gonna miss you.”25

“Ya... tell everybody I said ‘see ya.’ I’m not saying bye.”26

“That’s deep. But I got a present for you.” He pulls out a bag with a bow tied around the handles. How had he kept that from me? He wasn’t good with secrets. “But we want you to open it when you’re all settled in.”27

I take the bag hesitantly; I hate taking gifts, it made me feel weird ‘because I didn’t get them anything. “‘We?’”28

“Ya, Lily R’s, me, the guys at work, and all your friends from school. They all pitched in.” A smile loosens from his and my face. 29

“Aw, thanks dad.” I look up at the white doorframe to see the numbers ‘114.’ “Oh, here it is.” 30

This was it, the one moment I have forever been waiting for. The one room I would have to share with complete strangers. Talk about ‘social.’ “Wow, the room is so big it makes me seem all fragile.” He laughs at my excitement.31

I start running around the beds and admiring the shelves, the three closets said something like “PICK ONE!” The bathroom with three showers said “NEVER BE LATE AGAIN!” I couldn’t wait to set up my furniture. Dad catches my shoulders and looks me eye to eye.32

“Ok, you know. Maybe we should go. I don’t think anything is right up in here.” He taps my forehead. 33

“Are you nuts? This place is awesome! It’s not even all... college-y. It’s teen-y! Well, I don’t mean small because it is defiantly not small! But it’s the age teen of the 21st Century! It’s –It’s – AWESOME!” He looked a little sad, I had hurt his feelings. “Oh, dad, I’m sorry... I didn’t mean -”34

“No, babe, don’t worry. I’m just gonna miss you. But this is the best.”35

I hug him tightly, wishing I didn’t have to let go. “I’m gonna miss you too.”36

After a second of that, “Ok, well I’m gonna go get the rest of your bags. And you start unpacking.” He was out of the door before I even answered. Typical dad; if there is any emotion, dad won’t be there.37

I had almost unzipped my first bag, but stood up and took a good look at my new room. And most defiantly got excited again, which caused me to jump on the nearest bed after turning on the radio with a remote. (I don’t know whose it was.) I got lightheaded after my 15th jump into the air so good thing that guy walked in and stopped me.38

“Woa, who are you?” 39

Wow, that was embarrassing. I pressed STOP on the remote and stepped off the bed awkwardly. I smooth out my skirt and try to straighten my hair, “Hi. I’m Alexis. And, um and I’m your new roommate.” Again, it was a question because I was hoping I was in the right room. Especially now! This man was beautiful! His black hair, cut in kind of an “emos” way but still sporty, just went over his eyes a bit and his ears. His bright, bright, bright blue eyes peeked out from his eyelashes. His body was perfectly packed with muscle, lean with a football frame.40

“Uh, I’m Vince.” A grin was still on his face. “What were you doing on my bed?”41

“Oh! Was that yours? I didn’t know... I’m sorry.”42

“Nah,” he shook his head. “Don’t worry ‘bout it, babe.” Never in my life, after all the million times, has that word been so amazing.43

Once he turned around to set something in his closet I looked the other way, toward the full length mirror, and made sure there wasn’t anything crazy about my hair. Thank God there wasn’t, only a few unnoticeable hairs out of place. “Soo...” I leaned up against the near medal-like dresser. That was a good move, casual yet posing. Maybe he’d catch why. “Are you waiting for you girlfriend or something?” He sits down on the edge of his bed. Oh, HIS bed... Oh my God. I decided to see what he had to say anyway.44

“Nah, for one I’m not taken.” I sighed silently in relief. I had no chance with him whatsoever but it was nice to look at a guy without watching out for some sissy girl knowing that you like him and make it all hard for you when she starts making out with him right in front of your eyes. “And two, I live here. Are you waiting for your boyfriend?” He cocked up an eyebrow. 45

I would have snorted in protest about the boyfriend thing, but that would be bad. He would have probably thought I was some kind of freak back in my old high school. And I wasn’t. I know that for a fact... “No, for one I’m not taken. And two, I live here,” I mocked him a little and he chuckled in amusement. 46

He brings up a hand and I shake it. “Welcome to the one fourteen hell hole.” He gives me a gleaming smile. I smile back, suddenly feeling force being gouged into my shoulder blades and fell into his arms. Everything was like one of those slow motion moments, like in the movies when they experience it: Vince smelled so utterly amazing – husky, manly scent with a tiny squirt of cologne that probably wasn’t needed at all. When I twisted my neck upward a little ways, he was looking down at me. He looked shocked, but concentrating. His amazing blue eyes were out of this world... I felt like I was on Jupiter. Not Uranus. His chest was so hard; I could feel the way it was carved out – carved out by the Gods. His arms were so smooth and flexed. Small veins popped out of them, showing the blood racing with every movement he made. His whole body was teamwork. 47

“So what, did you already move on from Alyssa?” The big beluga whale sounded like a piano off key. His messy dirty blonde hair sat on his fat chubby head all greasy-like and just by the sight of him, you could tell he would get on your nerves easily. I already wanted to pop him. 48

“Shut up Max. This is Alexis, so say hi Max.”49

“Hi Max.” He grinned a chocolate smile that traced back from his Mooloo Bar.50

“Hi Alexis,” I hoped he didn’t live with us. Oh! “So you live HERE?” I asked Vince, hoping he hadn’t been joking. AND HE NODDED! I was happy...51