Dakotah led us from the stable, around the ice rink and towards Main Street. Reaching the road, Dakotah released my hand and I instantly missed the warmth. The day was hot, about seventy-degrees, but it was comforting having a hand to hold as I explored this new place. I was kind of spacing out when the light changed and Dakotah urged me in front of him, his body on my left as if to protect me from oncoming traffic.
Having safely crossed, we entered the other half of campus. I didn't mention it before, but Blackwell Academy was huge. It took up a good part of Ashland, well, the outskirts and it was easy to get lost. Explains why I couldn't find the Administrations Building. Passing the matching iron gates, we came across another map of campus and funnily enough, the building I was looking for earlier. Dakotah led me through the front door and towards a grumpy looking old woman. With glasses hanging low on a hooked nose, she stared at a computer screen while wrinkled fingers flew across the keyboard like mad hornets.
Nervous, I stood in front of her window. "Excuse me."
"Just a moment please." She replied, the keyboard keys clicking at a mad pace.
"Alright," I replied, waiting.
It was about another five minutes before her attention focused on me. "Hello, I'm Sylvia. What can I help you with today?"
"I'm William Grace. My grandmother told me to come here to get my dorm fob."
"I see, and who's your grandmother?"
"Elizabeth Grant."
When I mention her name, Sylvia's viewpoint of me must've changed, because her attitude did a complete one-eighty: from cranky and condescending to sweet and respective.
"You're the grandson of that amazing woman?" She asked, incredulous.
I wasn't so sure about her being amazing, but then again not many people had to see her evil grandmother side, so it's understandable that they believed the façade she displayed in public.
"Yes." Feeling uneasy, I glanced behind me to see if Dakotah was still there. He was. Sitting right next to a redhead and having a nice chat about something. His smile gave him away and I wished I could've been the girl talking to him; not this awkward kid getting the stink eye from a crone.
After Sylvia had looked up my name and information in her database, she dug through a drawer and pulled out a magnetic fob with the dorm name, room number and my mailbox information. Handing it to me. "You're in luck. You get a very nice room and a handsome roommate."
"Um, what?" I asked, wondering why she would tell me something kind of—oh I don't know, something an adult who works at a college shouldn't say to a complete stranger, kind of thing. It was awkward as hell and made me even more uncomfortable with the whole scenario. I thanked her and quickly left the window before anything more left her lips. Finding a seat near Dakotah, I looked at the information given to me: Hawthorne dorm, room "12A" and mailbox number "844".
As I read on about the rules, regulations, etc. in the student handbook Sylvia had also given me; I head a high-pitched laugh coming from my left. It was the redhead. Trying to ignore the conversation, I read some more and had almost finished the book when her voice drifted through the air and snagged my attention because it was about Dakotah.
"So how are you liking the new kids Dakotah?" She asked, her voice bubbly and kind of obnoxious like some prepubescent girl.
"Some of them are okay. It's hard to teach a few people how to figure skate you know."
"What about me? I'd join this year if you'd ask me. Besides, I don't have much else to do and we did make a great team once. Ah," she sighed, "those were the days."
I glanced at Dakotah then, curious at to what the girl meant. He didn't seem to notice though as his face reddened and he became flustered.
"That was in the past. I told you Rebecca, what's done is done. We were together once, but what you did betrayed my trust in you; in us. Five years have passed, but it still feels like yesterday…" He went silent then and I had a feeling he was talking about something more than just a relationship he may have had with this girl. I tried to stay out of the conversation, since eavesdropping was frowned upon by my late mother, but I couldn't help myself. I had to know.
"Dakotah, I'm sorry." Rebecca said. She looked on the verge of tears and I almost felt sorry for her. Glad I wasn't on Dakotah's bad side, I thought.
"Sorry isn't good enough." His voice crisp and sharp. "You can never undo the damage you caused." He then got up to leave. Almost instantly, he spotted me. "Are you ready Will?"
Feeling embarrassed for being caught like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar, I stood up abruptly and walked toward them. Rebecca gave me an icy glare, hate just coming off in waves around her. Jeez, what'd I do to piss her off? "Hi, I'm Will." I say, a smile plastered on my lips.
Rebecca smiled back, "Nice to meet you Will. I'm Rebecca." Offering her hand, I firmly grasped it. As soon as our hands touched, she started squeezing hard, and I mean like a vice-grip. I thought my hand was going to break off, but I returned the favor ten-fold. I even had the pleasure of seeing her grimace a little. Paybacks a bitch ain't it?
At the end of the brief exchange, I let her hand go free and she clutched it to her bosom like some wounded animal. I wondered if it was an act or if I had actually broken her hand. I was hoping for the latter, but knew I wouldn't be that fortunate. "See you later Dakotah, Will." Rebecca hissed my name, rather than spoke it. Glad I could make at least one enemy here, I thought. Dakotah seemed to have noticed our earlier exchange and made a grab for my right hand. Pulling it towards my chest in reflex. "What are you doing?"
"I wanted to see your hand." Holding out his own, I reluctantly placed my reddened one into his. With deft fingers and a gentle touch, Dakotah examined my palm and fingers. His skin on mine sending shivers all over my body as he started massaging the sore and tender spots.
"Thanks." I mutter, my face feeling hot.
Still massaging, "You're welcome."
We stood there for a while, my embarrassment almost reaching it's peak. It would've been alright if I was girl with a hot guy massaging her hand, but instead it had to be two guys. Maybe if I hadn't started liking him it would've been bearable, but my heart was racing now, my pulse was thrumming and it felt like I had just finished a marathon. I was desperately hoping Dakotah wouldn't notice. I mean, how embarrassing would it be if a seeming heterosexual man was getting hit on by a bisexual individual like myself? I think I'd rather die than let my rival know he was slowly winning without even putting up a fight.
After the hormone-inducing massage, I felt myself calm down immensely. His touch had almost put me into a panic and it made me want to blurt out my newfound feelings. Good thing I had to use the bathroom right then-and-there. It gave me enough time to escape the…how to put it…weird atmosphere.
Thankfully Dakotah didn't follow me. He stayed in the Admissions Office and I—I made my escape. Okay, okay. You're probably thinking: "Why did you ditch him Will? He just gave you a hand massage, a horse even and has been the best thing to happen to you at the academy so far." Of course, you'd be right: he was the best thing to happen to me, but I was not going to let myself suffer a heart attack—which, by the way—would've been the likely cause of my death. I know, it sounds lame…and pathetic, but I can live with that.
Leaving the building through a side door, thanks to a fellow student, I ran around the back and towards the student dorms. I kind of had to run across the grass at an angle in order to reach the Hawthorne dorm, but I was ever so grateful when I reached those doors, used my fob and they opened. Walking inside, I had to find where "12A" was. Turned out, it was on the very top floor. Taking the stairs because elevators made me nervous, my mini workout left me a bit exhausted. Exiting the stairwell, I went right and walked down an endless hallway of navy blue carpet, white alabaster walls and mahogany doors with silver handles.
Near the very end, I spotted my dorm. Using the fob again, a soft beep sounded before the door unlocked and I turned the handle. Opening on silent hinges, I stepped inside and was shocked. The room looked like a suite. There was a full kitchen, all stainless steel and top-notch electric appliances. The counter even had white granite with silver flecks for its surface. The living room had a fifty-two inch flat screen television with one of those "u"-shaped sectional couches, pure dark brown leather. Easy to clean kind of stuff. The carpet and walls matched the hallway of the dorm and the drapes hung down in waves. They were navy blue as well. The windows were arched, with flower boxes on their sills and I felt…well…unwelcome.
Walking to the sectional, I notice a glass table with a blue abstract vase. Inside, pink and white stargazer lilies resided. Bending low, I sniff them, enjoying their fragrance. They were my favorite kind of flower and I briefly wondered if they were a coincidence or on purpose.
From the sectional, I moved around the room in a clockwise motion. I admired the pictures of nature that hung in frames made from black walnut, the cool looking clock that you could see the gears rotating in, the acrylic (and sometimes) watercolor art that also adorned the walls, giving life to an otherwise empty room with their vibrant colors and last but not least; the awesome instruments that seem be the main focus of the room. I noticed a violin, clarinet, panpipes and some other instrument that was new to me. I looked at each one carefully, knowing how expensive each one must've been… Playing violin and clarinet myself, my curiosity towards my roommate grew.
Speaking of roommates, I hadn't run into him yet. I knew it was a guy because the dorms aren't co-ed unless you had proof of an engagement or marriage. Which meant I was in the boys dorm and by looking at the place, I was in the one made for the "elites". This dorm had two bedrooms and two baths (thankfully) and curious to see my room, all I had to do was take a right from the living room after leaving the kitchen.
Using the fob once more, I opened the door to a very large room. Almost the size of the living room if not bigger. My bed looked comfortable, and brand new. The bathroom, from what I could see, had its own jacuzzi inside along with a full bath. There was also a walk-in closet, a full length mirror that hung on the far wall and a spacious desk next to another arched window.
Going over to the bed, I notice a small note and scrawled in cursive: "I went ahead and put away your things. Your gear and skates are in the closet along with your clothes. Notebooks and other school supplies are in the desk and your gaming consoles and tv have been set up on the low dresser. If you need anything, let me know. Love, Dad."
Getting a letter from my dad was new, but I was more surprised by him coming here and unpacking my stuff. Out of curiosity, I checked everything that had been listed in the note and everything was indeed, in its place. Placing the letter on my desk and feeling exhausted, I sprawl out on the bed and take a power nap…