Orphanage

24

Cassandra.

I unpacked my last bag and smiled lightly. I'm excited, I'm in college - my dream college at that. New people and places, this is going to be a new start for me. Of course, Daniel doesn't know I'm in California, and I'm hoping he doesn't find out anytime soon. I heard the door open and close, I heard humming and keys dropping onto the floor.

"s**t!" She said loudly.

"Who's there?" I called out.

I walked in the kitchen and bumped into someone.

"Oh my, I'm sorry." I pleaded.

She held her head. "Who the hell are you." She grinned threw her teeth.

"C-C-Cassandra Ventura ... I'm new." I stuttered.

"This is your dorm?" She asked with a attitude.

I nodded.

"Let me see your schedule!" She yelled. I quickly handed her my schedule. She observed it and sighed. She looked at me. "I'm Paige , everyone calls me T though."

I looked confused, "Why do people call you T if your name is Paige?"

"Because it's short for thug." She explained.

I nodded again. "Well, nice to meet you." Even though it wasn't very nice to meet her.

She was caramel, shoulder length hair, tall, and had style.

"How old are you Cassandra?" She asked.

"18." I smiled. "You?"

She scoffed. "Damn your young! I'm 21."

"Sure don't look like it." I mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

She plopped down on a light brown couch, she grabbed a magazine from the coffee table and began to read it. I slowly walked back to my room and sat on the bed.

Ring-Ring!

I looked at the caller ID, Daniel.

•

•

Rayan.

After flirting with Miss.Johnson and taking my mind off of Cassandra I decided to head back to my dorm, when I got in a guy was on the top bunk reading the Stanford Handbook. He had on a dark grey hoodie and black sweatpants.

"Uh...Sup" I said.

He looked back, Chad? "Ray?" He jumped up.

"Chad? Wassup bro!" We have eachother dap.

"This your room?" He asked.

I nodded. "Is it yours?"

"Yeah."

"When you get here?" He said looking at me up and down.

"This morning." I said "You?"

He smirked and looked at me. "Same."

I threw my bookbag from off my shoulder. "We gotta catch up." I said.

He nodded. "Wanna go to Roscoes?"

"Let's go!"

•

•

Bahja.

I laid on the living room couch, watching CNN New. They were talking about the missing plane still.

Malaysian officials say they are still trying to determine if a radar blip detected heading west soon after the plane lost contact was in fact the missing jet. If it was, the plane would have been hundreds of miles off its original flight path and headed in the wrong direction. Malaysian officials say they have asked U.S. experts to help them analyze the radar data.We don't know why the plane would have turned around. While one expert tells CNN the plane's possible deviation could mean someone deliberately turned the plane around, another expert says power failure could have disrupted the main transponder and its backup, and the plane could have flown for more than an hour.

I sighed. "Where are you plane?" I whispered lowly. My phone vibrated, indicating that I had a text.

Sage❤️ : Are you hungry?

Me : Yes...

Sage❤️ : Meet me at Roscoes in 20 minutes.

I blushed lightly and hurried upstairs. I took a quick shower and put on my white lace bustier top, light denim boyfriend jeans, and my black leather jacket. I put on my black Uggs and flat ironed my hair. I put on some jewelry and light makeup. I went downstairs and Bre stopped me.

"Where you going?" She asked.

I smiled. "Roscoes with Sage, why?"

She shrugged. "Nothing, I'm gonna go to the music store though.

I nodded. "Okay, have fun."

"You to." She croaked.

I left the house and got into my pink Bentley, I started the ignition and Happy by Pharrell filled the air. I began snapping my fingers and singing along.

"It might seem crazy what I'm about to say

Sunshine she's here, you can take a break

I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space

With the air, like I don't care baby by the way" I sang while laughing along.

I pulled up at Roscoes Chicken & Waffles parking lot . I turned off my car and pulled my mirror out my purse, I looked to see if I looked okay then left out the car. I went inside and saw Sage sitting down at a stool, I sat next to him.

"Hey pretty boy." I smiled.

He looked up and smiled. "Wassup Ms.Bahja, how are you?"

"Good." I sighed. "I'm doing good, how about yourself?"

He nodded. "I'm holding up love." I blushed and looked at the menu. "Oh no it's okay, I already ordered for you." He said.

I looked up and nodded. "Okay." I put down the menu. "How was work?"

He looked down. "Good. You know Sleeping Dog 2 came out today." He laughed. "So we was pretty busy."

I laughed lightly. "Is it a fun game?"

He shrugged. "I haven't played it yet." He looked back up at me. "Maybe I can go get it and we can play." He bit his lip.

I blushed. "Yeah, maybe we could do that." I nodded. "If I'm not busy." I said quickly.

•

•

Chad.

"I'm not really worried about her anymore, of course I miss her and wanna see her but you know - she disrespected my bestfriend .. so she kinda disrespected me." Ray explained.

I wasn't paying any attention to him, my eyes stayed on Bahja and some guy. She never told me she met someone, she keeps blushing. She hasn't even called me , she knew I was coming to California today.

"Bro? You listening?"

I looked at him and nodded. "Yeah I'm listening Ray." I laughed. "Damn you got some s**t on yo hands." I shook my head and drank my water.

He sighed. "Yeah man. Anyway, how yo' relationships going?"

"I'm single." I scoffed.

"Looking for someone?" He asked.

I looked back at Bahja, she must be happy with that guy. I'm happy that she's happy, even though I wanted her to be happy with me. "Nah." I sighed. I looked back at him. "I ain't looking for nobody."

•

•

Zonnique.

I decided to go to the mall, I need to take my mind away from college and Mr.Iovine. I didn't wanna think about music, even the girls. I just really need a break. I bought a couple skirts, shoes, and jewelry.

Ring-Ring!

I pulled out my phone and looked at the caller ID, Rayan?

"What."

"Damn Star, you don't have to do me like that."

"Whatever Rayan, what do you want?"

"To see you, we needa talk."

"About?"

"Us duh."

"There is no us, and theirs nothing to talk about between us."

"Look Zonnique, I know we can work. We can't give up on what we had that easily, that s**t bold."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Just some to my dorm later on tonight, I'll text you my dorm number and the directions to get here."

"I know how to get to Stanford."

"Well excuse me."

"Yeah, excuse you."

I hung up and groaned. Even though I don't want us to work out - I just know we will.

later on that night

I went home to shower, I put on something a a little comfortable. I put on my slim fitted black jogging pants, blue crop top with daisies all over it, and my black moccasin boots. I put my hair in a bondu ponytail and fed Codi along with Swizzle and Neema. Neema stayed in the little castle inside the fishtank, she didn't even wanna come out.

I sighed. "Come on Neema." I whined.

Nothing.

I shrugged it off and went downstairs. Maria was wiping off the kitchen counter.

"Hola ¿cómo estás Azul?" She smiled.

I looked confused. "Uh, si." I smiled not understanding what she said.

I left out the house and got into my car. I blasted Mine by Beyonce, riding slow to Stanford University.

•

•

Rayan.

Miss. Johnson handed me a cup of hot chocolate and sat at my coffee table, she had on a dark purple robe and her long hair was pinned up.

"So Miss. Johnson." I said trying to start a conversation .

"Oh please! Call me Lucy." She laughed.

I nodded. "Lucy, I'm kind of tired and you should be heading home."

She sighed. "Your right Ray." She frowned. "Goodnight." She kissed my cheek and left out.

"Damn." Chad laughed. "Got the principal all over you huh?"

I sighed. "I guess." I smirked.

I grabbed a wash cloth out the closet and went in the bathroom. I showered for 20 minutes then got out, putting on some basketball shorts and some Nike socks. I went back into the room and saw Chad laying in his bead throwing a basketball up and down in the air.

"Wassup with you Chad?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Deep thinking, that's all."

I nodded. "Oh alright, well Star is coming over."

He looked at me. "Bahja to?"

I shook my head no. "Sorry man."

He sighed. "It's fine, look imma go to the court. I'll be back."

He left and someone knocked at the door. I sighed deeply before opening it, Zonnique.

•

•

Zonnique.

Rayan. Rayan Lopez. I missed him so much, FaceTime compared to seeing him in person is nothing. He been working out, cause his abs are amazing. His hair got longer, I can tell even though it's in a ponytail.

"So are you gonna come in?" He smiled.

I looked up and walked in. "Whatever." I scoffed.

I sat at a coffee table and put my purse down in the chair next to it.

"Want some water or something?" He asked.

I shook my head no. He got a cup for himself and sat in a chair across from me.

"Star, Star, Star." He said shaking his head.

"What?" I said with a attitude.

"Nothing." He sighed. "How are you?"

"Good."

"Enjoy your new life?"

I nodded yes.

"Cool." He said.

I started to play with my fingernails under the table, it was staring to get awkward. I looked under the table, he was tapping his foot. I sighed. "Why'd you call me over?" I asked while looking back at him.

He sat up and put his cup on the table. "Come on Star you know you miss me."

"What makes you think that?" I scoffed.

He smirked. "If you didn't, you wouldn't have came over here."

I thought for a moment, "You just think you know everything huh? What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing." He said while shrugging. "What's gotten into you?"

"Not a damn thing!" I yelled.

"Calm down." He said seriously. "Tell me how you feel, I know you want to let it out Star. We've been together for to long for it to just end like this, right now."

"It ended the day I broke up with you." I scowled.

I grabbed my purse and opened the door. He pulled my left arm, grabbing me back and pushing me against the wall. He kissed me forcefully and added his tongue. I let him enter and we made out for about 2 minutes. He let go.

"I missed you Zonnique."

"I missed you too, Rayan."