Chapter One
Essex college.
I was getting tired of my mom's ranting non-stop as we headed down to my new school.
"Essex college!, did you have to pick a school that was 3,000 miles away from me?", my mom, Mrs. Leighton stressed.
"That's the only way I could focus on what I really want to do", I replied, already admiring the new environment.
"I mean, Vermouth? Why's it even a state? bunch of potheads making maple syrup", Mrs. Leighton was getting all worked out about it already.
"Mom, I am just happy that you made the time to drop me off at school", I said ignoring my mom's words.
"It's nice to finally get to spend time with you", Mrs. Leighton said with a smile across her face.
"You know I will do anything for you honey",
"Thanks mom", I replied.
It didn't take too long as her phone buzzed off with calls from the office where she works.
"Don't worry, I am not taking that", she said pointing to her phone.
I nodded my head.
"I had made sure that today was going to break free from work but no, they insisted on spoiling the daughter and mother moment for me",
"Just a second Whitney, please", she gestured as she picked up her phone.
"Look, I am dropping my daughter off at college today", she yelled over the phone. "That's the only thing that matters", she said her face directly at me.
"Ma, it's really important you take this call concerning the client we would be working on in a few days", Johnson, her secretary, seemed persistent.
"Oh my god, okay, yes, put them through,can't afford to lose that",
I rolled my eyes. I knew my mom couldn't spend even a single minute away from work.
"I am sorry honey", she said, holding on to my hands.
I sighed deeply. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me how much my mom prioritised her work over me.
That's the reason I wanted to go far away from her and experience life all by myself.
Especially with the loss of my boyfriend. Paxton. Tears shimmered down my eyes as I recalled memories of us being together.
As soon Mrs Leighton was done with the phone call. She turned to me, her daughter. She could see the tears in my eyes as I quickly wiped them away.
"oh…honey, I am so sorry that you had to go through the loss of a loved one at an early stage but you have got to promise me you are gonna be careful because you are going to meet all kinds of, um, new people",
"Are you saying this because they are middle Eastern?" that's so offensive mom", I voiced out my eyes widened in shock.
"I came here because it's diverse, we are from the whitest town in the world Dad won't even eat tacos", I yelled.
"Ofcourse, he can't handle it honey, his stomach is always a mess", she stressed.
"No, I meant rich people, they can be a bad influence", Mrs Leighton whispered.
"Wait, do you remember that Calen vicars boy? he was two grades above you, he got into Princeton, met some rich friends, he got addicted to cocaine and got arrested for selling his body",
"Mom!", I yelled again.
"I…. I don't want that future for you honey",
"Mom… can you just stop right now, I don't want to become a prostitute either",
As soon as my mom finished with her long epistle. I allowed myself to feel the whole place. I knew there was something about New England. The trees, rivers and the air just felt so different.
I could feel that I was obsessed with New England already and couldn't wait to start exploring the whole place.
I couldn't deny the fact that I felt so alive here making me feel like I want to have sex with New England.
Oops
Although, it isn't possible.
I rushed into the school dormitory. I couldn't wait to meet my new set of roommates and prayed silently that they should be nice to me.
I sighed as I recalled how one of my friends abandoned me in California? Weird right!.
I tried to make excuses for the whole situation blaming it on the fact that they were having a bad time. Who does that?
I had to painfully admit that they weren't the best influences on me. They were kinda assholes.
I was ready for a fresh start here at Essex college. I breathe deeply trying to take it all in.
I headed into my room to meet my new set of roommates; possibly they could become my friends.
As I walked in, a tall, blonde young girl who was just the same age as me, eighteen if I may guess , walked up to me warmly.
"Hey!, you must be Whitney!", she said, extending her body to me open for a hug.
I reciprocated.
"Oh, my Gosh! I'm so excited to see you", she voiced out.
"I am your roommates Bella, it's nice to meet you", she said grinning from ear to ear.
"I love your set of celebrities poster I can really see their faces",
"Thanks, let me tell you a secret this is sort of my dream girl",
"A double-threat writer and performer on "SNL" just like I want to be",
"It's like, I want to have sex with her",
"And I also want to be her",
"Don't worry I am sure you are going to love it here",
"I hope so",
"I already do",
"Sorry, I know my mom can be a handful",
I said as soon as my mom stepped out of the room.
"I know right like the way she said I don't need to be woke up in the middle of the night by some frantic phone call telling me Whitney is getting high on opioid with the roommates and streaking across the quad with their junk hanging out",
"Well, you don't have to worry about me, I am a committed student eager to study the sciences", Bella informed me.
"Let's head down to the conference hall, there is a brief talk by one of the seniors",
I followed Bella as she led me through and stopped as soon as we reached our destination. A conference room.
We both entered and found a cushion and sat down.
"Welcome everyone, my name is Fred and I will be your freshman advisor and friend, welcome to Essex",
Everyone clapped.
"You can share a time when you felt scared", he announced, trying to create an open and honest environment.
A few freshers raised their hands to contribute.
"Well, I am scared of my stalker, I am kind of a big deal on Tik-Tok", the African-American lady said proudly.
"You won't believe Malia Obama follows me", she added leaving the whole room in amazement.
They all brought out their phone to check her socials and were stunned.
"That's cool", someone voiced out.
"Holy shit, you have like 200,000 followers",
"You do song parodies?",
"Yeah, for body positivity campaigns and the rest",
"Well, I am a little nervous about my work-study interview", I said.
"Wait, you have a job?", a student asked.
"Well, I applied for one", Whitney replied.
"Okay, don't worry many students at Essex have student jobs", Mr. Fred replied.
"Well, if you must know I am a lesbian, I have been so scared about it. I was in the closet all through high school and I don't want to do that again so I promised myself I would tell everyone the minute I got here", Bella was the next to speak up.
"Okay", Mr. Fred replied. "It's good you are open about it now"
"I know it wasn't easy where I came from in Oklahoma but I had to be me", Bella added.
"So why did you pick Essex?" Fred asked me directly this time.
"Well, I came because it's prestigious. I am gonna graduate, and then I'm gonna go to a tier one law school", I replied with pride evident in my voice.
"Wonderful!", Mr. Fred commended. "I wish you luck",
"Thanks",
The prep talk ended. Bella and I walk together back to the dormitory still having some discussion though.
"Okay, are you in any relationship?", Bella asked.
"No, I was but I lost him to cancer and I didn't come to college to be tethered to some dude",
"Sorry Whitney, that must be hard for you", she said as she embraced me tightly.
A smile played across my lips.
"Well,I am here and super sex-positive in theory more than in experience and I am ready to smash some bitches", Bella added as she opened the door and ushered me in.
How do you think my experience would be like here in Essex?