"Knock Knock"

I looked at the doorframe from the reflection in my mirror as I continued to do my makeup.

"One sec." I sounded as I attempted to apply my mascara without leaving any black marks on my skin. "Alllmost dooooone Ellie...there." I smiled and scrunched to roots of my hair to give myself just a little more volume.

"You all ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I admitted.

"Oh it won't be so bad...everyone says college is ten times better than high school, and we actually liked high school."

I shrugged, "for the most part."

"You know HE will be there." She pointed out.

My heart raced. "Thanks for reminding me...that's kinda what I'm dreading." I admitted.

"Mariah he's your mate."

I shot her a look telling her to drop it.

"Look I only told you because you basically could've figured it out anyways." I said before my emotions started getting the better of me, "plus none of that matters now, I turned him down and now...well now he isn't anything to me except another hot guy on campus...he made damn sure about that."

"That's gross." Elise said as she scrunched her nose.

I rolled my eyes.

"To be honest I really hope I don't have to see him much this semester, it'll make getting over him easier as he decides to whore himself out."

"Somebody's jealous." She sang.

Of course I was jealous.

"There are plenty of guys that go to that school, all of whom I'm sure are more than willing to give a girl a shot."

She nodded, "or they could be gay."

I rolled my eyes once more, "besides the point Ellie."

"Well can we talk in the car, I don't want to be late."

"Since when do you care so much about attendance?"

"Eh, I promised Vance that I would be good this semester since he won't be there."

"We probably should go, I'm sure Harper is dying to tell us about her perfect summer with her perfect 'boyfriend'." I said putting the air quotes around the word boyfriend. "Is it even fair how easy things are for her.

Ellie sighed, "no...but like all of us I'm sure H has her own shit going on."

"So what are you gonna do if you do see Patrick?"

I shrugged and got up to grab my bag, "I don't know...ignore him."

"It's your life girl." Elise sounded as we finally headed out "Hey so I was thinking...do you think we should ask Brax if we can tell Harper about you knowing the truth about Weres?"

I looked at her unsure, sure Braxton is her cousin...but the fact that he is the leader still kinda intimidated me.

"Let's leave it alone for now...I'm sure she'll find out eventually...or maybe I can get her to slip up and then I can be like 'what do you mean Weres exist'?"

Elise tried not to laugh as we reached the car and got in.

"Another thing...call me a bitch, but..." I sighed, "the thing is I just don't want her to know about everything with Patrick because we both know in the end she'll try and talk me out of being with him by pointing out all of his flaws and trust me I know he's got them...and while we may not be together I don't think I can handle her bad mouthing him without getting defensive."

"I get it." She offered softly as she drove us away.

"So you see, I can't let her know I have knowledge of Weres without revealing that Patrick told me." I said, "so really Brax is doing me a solid in his order for me to keep the secret."

"Fine we'll leave it be for now." Elise huffed, "well you know I won't say anything, but when the time comes you ARE gonna have to tell her everything."

"I know, I just need some time."

And like that we finally dropped the subject and rode on toward the college talking about lighter topics.

When we reached the school I got out of the car and breathed in deeply.

"I honestly never though I'd be here." I confessed.

In truth I had half expected to be a beach bum in Cali right now, but life has a funny way of changing your plans (or lack thereof).

"There y'all are." Harper smiled as she approached us.

"Hey H." We both greeted her as she pulled us both in for hugs.

"I was hoping I wasn't too early," she said, "Braxton said my first classes professor is notorious for being late but I didn't want to chance it."

A tiny tinge of jealousy hit me.

I had nothing against Harper or Braxton, it was their relationship that irked me...or rather it was their perfect life that irked me. Everything seemed so easy when it came to those two.

I was perfectly fine with Ellie and Vance, but it is because I know they had their own ups and downs and faced and over came their own problems...they weren't perfect, they are real.

If Harper and Braxton had problems they hid them well, because from the outside looking in they are obnoxiously perfect as a couple.

"How is Brax?" I asked politely.

What I really wanted to ask was, has your mate seen his cousin lately, does he know if his cousin is dating anyone, does he know about his cousins connection with me?

"He's good, taking more of the hands on leadership role in his community now that he's not in school anymore, that has been...an adjustment to say the least."

Call me crazy and maybe I was looking for something when nothing was there, but for the slightest moment it seemed like Harper showed a moment of frustration as she said that.

"I bet he's glad he graduated." I added.

"He is, but I can tell he's a little bored." She said with an almost sad smile.

"Braxton's is good H, so don't worry about him...he's just got a lot on his plate." Elise said knowingly.

We moved on to talk about our classes, both Elise and I had to take pre requisites but Harper was good on hers since she had obtained most of them while attending her AP classes.

"I gotta jet if I want a seat somewhere other than the back row." Elise announced.

I looked at my own cellphone to see the time, my class wouldn't start for another twenty minutes but I suppose I could be early for once in my life.

We all said our "see ya later's" and then went in opposite directions.

I found my classroom with ease and was more than relieved to see that I wasn't the only one already in there.

I took a seat and pulled out one of my  journals and a couple of pens. Of course I felt like a fool though as I sat next to a guy who had his brand new laptop open and ready.

I turned to face him.

"Hello, I'm Mariah."

He looked like he was debating with himself to respond before he finally did. "Jack."

"Nice to meet you Jack, you from around these parts?"

"N-not really." He answered almost nervously.

"Hey," I sounded as I picked up on his nervousness. "It's cool if you don't want to talk to me, I won't be offended or anything, just tryin to make a new friend in class."

He dropped his head and smiled.

The door in the back of the room kept opening indicating more people were filling in and the class would be starting soon, call it first day jitters but I was feeling almost antsy.

"It's just, like I sorta told you...I'm new here...on scholarship so I really have to put my nose to the books...and I thought..."

"What?" I asked curiously.

"It's nothing." He chuckled nervously.

"Well now you have to tell me." I said humored now.

He sighed and went a little red, "I thought you were trying to hit on me."

"Oh sorry but no, trust...I've had my share of drama with men over the summer." I lied, sort of.

"I was all but ready to tell you, you were barking up the wrong tree." He confessed in an almost relieved fashion.

"Good to know." I assured him. "Look, I meant it when I said I was looking for a friend in class, ya know in case one of us is sick we can at the very least share notes and stuff or have a small study group if need be."

He thought it over before nodding, "two minds are better than one."

"Exactly." I smiled.

We fell into a more comfortable conversation until the professor walked in. As he began his lecture I fought the urge to look around, until I just couldn't fight it anymore.

First I looked to my left and saw Jack typing furiously. Then to my right, there were a couple of people also typing, some writing, one guy was fast asleep. And behind me sitting in the very back looking right at me was the one person I had hoped I wouldn't run into, especially this early.

He simply smiled before getting up and walking out of the classroom.

"Shit." I sighed. I knew it was going to be a long year.