Author's note. The following takes place between Shudder and Mind Hack. You do not have to read Mind Hack to appreciate this new story, but you might appreciate the ending of this arc slightly more if you do.
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Aubrey Johnson felt the fog of sleep lift as brightness surged uninvited into her college dorm room. Her eyes fluttered open and she used a hand to shield the sun's rays that were now streaming through the only window. It was a window that was usually was heavily curtained, allowing no naturally light to penetrate. This was how Aubrey's roommate, Lola, liked their room to be, dark or dimmed with artificial light only, and since Lola was a sophomore and Aubrey a freshman, she had not rocked the boat. But at the moment, Lola had apparently had a change of heart because she had pulled back the curtain and was staring outside at their bustling campus.
Aubrey thought she knew why her roommate's habit had changed, but first she did a mental check on herself. As she became fully awake, she checked for control of her own body. She flexed her fingers while still under her covers, and when that proved successful, she sat up. That was usually enough for her to be sure, but just in case, she did a final mental sweep. She was looking for someone, an interloper in her mind, a stowaway that often took over control of her body completely.
Feeling alone in her thoughts, Aubrey tentatively whispered softly to the other person in the room, "Derek?" She said it more internally, as if asking herself the question, but it was still loud enough for her roommate to hear.
Lola continued to stare out the window for a few more seconds, the brightness bathing her and causing her light skin to seem alabaster. She had told Aubrey that she burned very easily, her excuse for a constant aversion to natural light in their room. Apparently done with the view, the woman turned her pretty face to Aubrey's. Lola's reply erased all further doubt as a low, masculine voice replaced the much higher, sometimes almost squeaky one. "What's up Bri? Oh crap, I woke you, didn't I?"
In response, Aubrey just smiled and shook her head. No matter how many times she saw it, it was still so strange to hear her brother's voice coming out of another person's mouth.
Derek's voice continued as Lola's body approached Aubrey's bed. "I'm sure you're already mad at me anyway because I sort of abandoned you after we got here. First time away from the parents and on our own and I just, I got excited and wanted to get the lay of the land, you know? And I also wanted you to be able to have your own college orientation experience without having it hijacked by your brother."
Aubrey couldn't stop herself from smiling, then shook her head. She stretched out her arms to Lola, beckoning the girl to come to Aubrey's bedside. Lola obliged and when she was within reach, Aubrey tugged at Lola's hands, pulling her into a sitting position next to her on the bed. The young woman's face was downcast and it was clear that Derek was expecting some sort of lecture for abandoning his sister to sight see. Instead, Aubrey hugged her roommate, squeezing the girl tight.
Aubrey had felt alone since she and Derek parted ways minutes after their parents settled Aubrey into her dorm room. She knew this was normal, a part of growing up. It was necessary to leave the nest, cut the cord, pick your euphemism for moving out and finding her way in the world. But she thought she'd at least have Derek with her. When Derek had piggybacked on someone else the second her parents had left, she'd felt a little abandoned. But with Derek out exploring, she figured she had the power to make new and lasting friendships, starting with her roommate.
Lola had come later in the day and barely acknowledged Aubrey's presence. She had wheeled in a large suitcase, put it next to the empty bed, all while looking at her phone. She gave a small giggle at something on the small screen, then glanced up, acknowledging Aubrey for the first time. "Hey," then looked back at the phone.
Aubrey had been lying on her bed with a pillow propped up against the wall, reading a book. She had watched this stranger come in, and grew excited at the expectation that she was watching the person that would most likely become her future best friend. She stood up quickly, then reminded herself not to appear too excited, just to play it cool. When Lola said hey, Aubrey took her cue. "Hi! I'm Aubrey and it's so nice to meet you!" Aubrey moved in to hug the girl, but a hand flew up, blocking her path.
Still without looking up, the girl just said, "Lola."
"Oh, not a hugger, that's fine. Well it's very nice to meet you. I'm sure we'll become good friends and..."
"I'm out," Lola interjected. And Aubrey watched with anxious disappointment as new best friend potential walked briskly out of the room.
The next few days passed with a rush of new experiences that come with college life. She learned how to navigate a communal living space, learned the campus buildings and tried not to be late for lectures, all while trying to put to memory a constant flood of new names and faces. Each day, Lola had said at most, five words to her. Among the new sea of people, Lola was her only constant and should have been an easy relationship, but the girl had been anything but. The only thing Lola had felt like sharing was her current year of college, and the fact that the curtains should be closed at all times. Aubrey had tried in the few minutes she got to see Lola each day to tell her about her life, her hopes, her dreams, but it had been like talking to a wall that was fascinated with a cell phone.
But now, Lola was sitting on her bed, holding her hands, giving her all the attention in the world. In that moment, she didn't care that it was fake, she threw her arms around her roommate and gave her the hug she had wanted to give on day one. She held on for a long time, getting some of the bonding fix she craved, while also assuring her brother that there was no ill will between them.
