Page 18 of Set me Free

All throughout my space, I had added hints of myself; trinkets and bits of home including photos of me, my family and even Iman. The breakup was still fresh and my emotions about it were still all over the place. Part of me was honestly mad at Iman for not even attempting to make it work, but the other part was relieved that he had the balls to do what I would have never done. I missed him, every single day but I knew this was what was best for us.

"This is it, Tootie," Arielle grinned beside me, taking in the view. "No parents. No rules. Just us."

I grinned, spinning around, feeling the kind of freedom I had never had before. I’d just finished unpacking and needed a quick break. But before I could fully enjoy it, my phone buzzed in my hand.

I sighed seeing my daddy’s name and picture appear on the screen. Then I got up from the couch before stepping into my room to answer.

"Hey, Daddy."

"You settled in?"

"Yeah, just got done unpacking."

"Good, good." There was a pause before he added, "She should’ve called you, you know."

I clenched my jaw, already knowing exactly who he was talking about.

"Daddy, please don’t," I sighed.

"Serenity, she’s your mama?—"

"And she didn’t even call to wish me well," I cut him off, voice tight. "She hasn’t called. She hasn’t texted. Hell, I doubt she even cares. She got up out of California to get to Atlanta so fast, you’d think she actually loved it there."

"That’s not true," he tried, but I was done making excuses for her.

"Daddy, stop," I said softly. "Maybe it’s time you accept what I have been trying to. Me and her, we’re never gonna be what you and I want us to be."

Silence.

And that said more than anything.

"I gotta go, Daddy," I muttered.

"I love you, Tootie."

"Love you too."

I ended the call, pressing the phone to my forehead for a second before shaking it off.

I wouldn’t let her ruin this for me. This was my fresh start. And I was going to enjoy every damn second of it.

The first weekof classes seemed to arrive before I was fully ready for them. I had gotten my schedule at a freshman orientation and had been trying to acclimate myself to where my classes were so I could map out my route to class.

"Drama 101? Are you serious?" I groaned, staring at my schedule like it might change if I looked hard enough. I was in the middle of the atrium surrounded by other eager freshman all with the same excited and anxious looks on their faces.

"You got stuck with it too?" a voice beside me asked.

I turned to find two girls standing there, both holding their schedules, looking just as unamused as I did.

"Unfortunately," I sighed, tucking my paper away. "It’s giving unnecessary."

The girl who had spoken first let out a small snort, shaking her head.

She was stunning—slim-thick with rich brown skin, big brown eyes, and pouty lips. She had a button nose, soft chipmunk cheeks, and a sleek, shoulder-length black bob that framed her face perfectly.

"Right?" she agreed, sighing dramatically. "Like, who needs to study drama? It’s literally people pretending for a living."

"It’s an art," the second girl chimed in, her raspy Southern accent dripping with sarcasm.

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