Page 11 of Your Side of the Offense

"Hey, tell your boyfriend that he had his time, it's mine now and I remember everything he told me, and my pepper spray is restocked."

"I should have gotten you a taser too. I'll mail that when I get home," my father says from behind mom, and me and my mother laugh.

"Don't laugh. These college boys can be creeps. Remember to never go to parties alone and look for decent responsible friends. Always cover your drinks."

"I mean Hazel is probably going to be one of my friends. She looks responsible." I shrug.

"She looks like a nice girl," my mother says.

"Yeah, well let’s leave before we start cramping your style."

I twist my face. "Dad, nobody says that anymore. Seriously you should get Nana to teach you the things."

My father rolls his eyes, and we move to the car. They hop in and I wave them goodbye, watching them go. It feels like the end of an era and the beginning of a new journey. I inhale deeply and exhale before turning back to my room. I have the whole weekend to chill before classes start on Monday.

I go to my room and change into a crop top and shorts to feel comfier. Then take nana's cookies and I go find Hazel. I figure the container will be a great conversation starter.

I knock on her door and she opens a few seconds later, wet with a towel around her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'll come back."

"Oh, nonsense, come in." She waves off my protest, then pauses. "Unless you’re like a perv?"

I chuckle. "Last time I checked I wasn't. But you can perv on me too." I gesture to my legs and exposed stomach, and she chuckles, ushering me in. She already has everything settled and decorated. Pictures of her family and her friends.

"Make yourself comfortable," she says behind me, walking to the other side of her room.

I remain next to her board and peruse all the notes she's made. This girl is organized. She has her calendar up with dates already marked with her tests, assignments, exams, when she’s free and when she’s doing everything. I feel so left behind.

"You have quite the schedule," I comment, clutching the tin tighter.

"Yeah, it will kill me, but it will be worth it when I have that penthouse in New York, and I stick it to my cousin." The hostility toward the cousin rolls off her.

Turning, I arch an amused eyebrow, waiting for an elaboration.

She shrugs. "She’s in med school, and there’s always been a war between me and her in the family. You know how things are in our communities."

I nod. Indeed, I knew. The 'healthy' competition in families of color.

Some people break their backs, and their mental health suffers just so they can get that job, that degree, that apartment, that car. Just so they can prove themselves in their communities. Although each community has its own brand of this culture, it's there in all black and brown communities.

"So do you know anyone here yet?" I ask after a moment of silence.

"You are the first person I've met other than the girl I met on the plane yesterday. I don't mean to put pressure on you, but college shows tell me that this means we are going to be friends till old age." She grins and I laugh. I like this girl.

"Unless you turn out to be a psycho who steals my boyfriend, we'll be fine."

"Boyfriend from high school?"

"Oh no, I'm…kidding about the boyfriend. I'm very much single," I say a bit embarrassed.

"Don't tell me you are a cliché freshman virgin who is here for all the college boys and the wonders they have to show her?" she jokes as she finishes moisturizing her body.

I laugh. "Um, no. The virginity train left me at the station long ago. I had a boyfriend." I omit the 's.' I don't need that enquiry yet. "Things didn't work out a few months ago."

"I dumped mine over the summer," she says nonchalantly and I have to turn again. "I was coming to college to meet all the cute boys; I wasn't going to let him weigh me down. Do you know how hard I worked to get here? I'm here for the full experience."

"You sure you'll have any time left? Your schedule is pretty hectic." I gesture to said schedule.

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