“This way,” the student guide motioned with a smile.
Ashley followed the guide out of the administration building and into the bright sunshine. She squinted her eyes until they adjusted to the bright light. They crossed a large parking lot.
“Hi, Dalia.”
Her guide looked in the direction of the voice. “Oh, hi, Mrs. Doyle.” She turned back to Ashley. “That’s one of the math teachers.”
“Oh,” said Ashley as she watched the teacher get into her car and start it.
“See, it’s a pretty simple layout, Ashley. It is Ashley, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“The parking lot and administration building are in the center of the campus, which spans a good two hundred or so acres.”
“Wow, that’s big.”
“Pretty big. Anyway, the buildings with the classrooms are towards the west side of the campus, and the houses, or dorms, as some people say, are on the east side, surrounding the student parking lot. You got a car?”
“No, I don’t. Have you been here long, Dalia?” Ashley asked.
Dalia nodded. “I’m in my final year of accounting.”
“So it’s been a good experience?”
“I think so. I mean, it’s a typical college, to tell you the truth. There’s really nothing bad or extraordinary about it.”
“I guess that’s a good thing.”
“As an African-American, I can personally say that they treat everyone equally. They don’t care what you are around here. It’s who you are that counts.”
Ashley smiled as they wove through a cluster of ranch-style houses.
“Fortunately, the weather here doesn’t usually get too cold. Especially since you’re going to be in one of the houses at the back edge of the campus in row J, which means you’ll have quite a walk to your classes.”
“That’s okay,” said Ashley. “I don’t mind the exercise. So there are usually five girls per house?”
Dalia nodded again. “Yes. Everybody should be there by now, getting unpacked and settled in.”
“Are they all newcomers, too?”
“No. They’ve all got one or two or more years to go, but I know it’s not their first year. You can see the house from here now. See it? It’s the peach-colored one.”
Ashley followed Dalia’s gaze and studied the house. It was a simple, ordinary-looking house.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QeJhAga2W
Towards the front and right side were neighboring houses about fifty feet away. Towards the left was a road. About twenty feet away from the back of the house was a tall stucco wall with a dense stretch of oleanders just beyond it.
“What’s back there?” asked Ashley.
“Back where?”
“Behind the house.”
“Oh, there’s a strip mall back there. There’s a pizza joint, a small Chinese restaurant, a drug store, a small grocery store, and a few other stores, too. A lot of the students hang out there. So where are you from?” Dalia asked.
“Nevada, originally. I’ve been living further south in Las Cruces for the last year, though,” Ashley told her.
As they approached the short walkway towards the front door of the house, Dalia took out a silver key from her pocket and handed it to Ashley. “Here’s your house key. It works both the front and back doors.”
“Got it,” Ashley said, taking the key from her.
“Never copy it and always keep it with you.”
“Okay.”
“I hope they don’t have the door unlocked,” said Dalia, placing her hand on the doorknob.
It turned easily.
“Shame on them,” Dalia said as she pulled the door open and stepped into the house with9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8AuzUfiFB
Ashley close behind her. “Now, now, girls. Haven’t you been lectured enough on campus safety?”
“Yes, I suppose we have,” said one of the two casually dressed girls in the stark living room.
“Then why was the door unlocked?”
“Dalene was bringing stuff in from her car,” said one girl.
“Well, you ladies should still keep the doors locked at all times. You may be in a pretty safe9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreu466UgZu
area, but still, crime can happen anywhere.”
The girls muttered their agreement, then Dalia began the introductions. “Girls, this is Ashley Severson. She’s starting her first year as an art major.”
“Hello,” Ashley said with a smile.
The others smiled and said hello as well.
“This here’s Nicolette Carey. She’s taking computer programming,” said Dalia.
Ashley smiled at the slender, green-eyed redhead of about average height. She wore jeans and a T-shirt. The girl seemed to be more on the serious side, but not unfriendly in any way.
“And this is Rose Andreas. She wants to teach physically and mentally challenged children.”
“Hi,” Ashley said to the very plump Hispanic girl. She was shorter and closer to Ashley’s height. The sweatpants- and sweatshirt-clad girl struck her as the naïve type who was friendly, but shy and quiet.
Ashley and Dalia left the two girls to continue with their chat in the living room and headed further into the house down a long hallway.
“Your room’s the first one on the left, but first I’ll introduce you to the girl in back here, okay?”
Ashley nodded.
Dalia knocked on the partially open door of the back corner room. “You in here?” Dalia called out.
You couldn’t see directly into the room because of the way the wall of the closet angled outward.
“Yeah, I’m in here all right,” called out a semi-frustrated voice. “I wish they’d at least give us decent window coverings of some kind.”
They stepped into the room where Ashley found a slim, blue-eyed blond girl of average height fumbling with the blinds covering one of the windows. She was dressed in short shorts and a low-cut knit top that exposed her cleavage.
“What’s wrong with what’s here?” Dalia asked her.
“The blinds are bent. Anyone can see in easily,” she said, turning to face them.
“I’ll mention it to maintenance when I leave. First, though, I’d like to introduce you to Ashley.”
“Hi,” Dalene said with a quick smile that seemed phony before she turned away and began to9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg58sjQk1cS
load her dresser drawers with clothes with hurried, impatient movements.
“This is Dalene Wilson. She’s our queen of physical fitness, you could say,” Dalia added.
Dalene continued putting her clothes away, never changing expressions. It was then that Ashley decided she didn’t like her. She sensed the girl could be conceited and snobby. Nonetheless, she was polite and said hello.
“Remember to keep the doors locked, will you?” Dalia said.
“Yes, boss. Anything else?”
“That’s all, ma’am. Take care.”
Dalia turned to leave, and Ashley followed.
“Don’t forget to let maintenance know I need new blinds,” Dalene called out after them.
“I will.”
Once they were out of earshot, Dalia said, “That’s Dalene for you. Always complaining. She can be a drag, but she’s okay once you get to know her.”
“Oh,” said Ashley with a smile as they entered her room.
“Yours is the smallest room in the house, but since you’re the new kid on the block, it’ll have to do.”
“It’s fine,” said Ashley. “It’s only for a year anyway.”
The small, bare-walled room, which was in the middle of the front part of the house, was small but sufficient.
“Well, I guess this is it then. I’ll leave you to unpack and to go over all the rules in the brochure as far as what’s allowed and what’s not.”
“Are wall decorations allowed?” Ashley asked.
“Sure. As long as they’re not explicit or offensive in any way. It’ll all be in the handbook.”
“I’ll go through it over the weekend.”
“Where is all your stuff anyway?” Dalia asked.
“My aunt Hilary’s got it in her car back at the administration building. She’s talking with the dean. He’s an old friend of hers. I’m going to head back there as soon as we’re done here.”
“Oh, I see. Well, you can show her the way here. Think you can remember it?”
“Yes.”
“If you have a lot of stuff, it might be best if you drive around and park on the street just outside here,” Dalia said, motioning with her hand as Ashley followed her back through the house, past the kitchen and towards the living room where Rose and Nicolette were discussing decorations for the bare white walls in the living room.
“I like that idea,” they heard Nicolette say. “It’ll be different than what we had last year.”
Dalia led Ashley to a room in back at the other end of the house. Ashley thought to herself how nice it would’ve been to be assigned to this room because of the way it was set apart from the others. Dalia knocked on the door, which was also partially open.
“Come in,” called a cheery voice.
Dalia pushed the door open wide enough for them to enter. “Hi there,” she said.
“Hi,” said a tall, skinny brunette with straight, shoulder-length hair clad in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Hi,” said Ashley, gazing into the girl’s friendly brown eyes.
“This is Ashley Severson,” she told the girl. Then, turning to Ashley, she said, “And this here is9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6KWmo58fh
Miss Katelyn Reed. Miss Reed’s studying law.”
Katelyn smiled. “And what are you studying?”
“Art,” said Ashley.
“Oh, you draw and paint?”
Ashley nodded. “Mostly paint.”
Katelyn smiled. “Sounds like fun.”
“Well, we’ll leave you to get settled,” Dalia told Katelyn as she and Ashley turned to leave.
“Bye,” said Katelyn.
“Bye,” said both Ashley and Dalia simultaneously.
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