It's been three weeks since college had started. Rose and I had been pretty settled so far. The boys have been there in and out of our lives.

Rose had started feeling serious about Jake. I mean she likes him. Usually, she would like a guy, talk round-the-clock about him for a week or two and then get over him.

But that had not been the case with Jake. It's been three weeks since she first met him and even now she talks about him like she just got to know of his existence.

I'm happy for her. But I'm also scared. God forbid, what if Jake doesn't ask her out at all? Or, the worst of all, What if he doesn't feel the same way about her?

Sure they smile and talk all the time but isn't he like that with everyone? It would just break Rose's heart. She would be grief-stricken. I would hate to see her like that.

"come down and have your dinner, hon" my mom called out from downstairs.

I shut my homework, piled my books and placed the pen in the holder. Yes, I like to be organized.

I walk down the stairs as the aroma of freshly prepared chicken fills the air. My eyes trail off on the table and to my delight, the chicken was kept ready to be eaten.

"What are you waiting for? Dive in," said my mother lifting her spoons.

"Yeah, " I replied at once as I took my seat and began with my meal.

"How is college going, hon?" my mom asked as she masticated.

"Yeah, it's good" I replied looking down at my plate.

"Do you have any classes with Rose? " she questioned.

"Yeah, three actually. Literature, English, and Drama," I replied looking at her.

"That's a good amount of classes you have together, " she said with a smile

"Indeed, I'm glad we get to be together most of the time" I agreed. "How is your work going?"

"Well, it is going ok. But I'll have to do some extra work beginning from tomorrow " she said.

My moms a nurse at the city hospital. She works round the clock. It's been only a few weeks that she was able to pull off work early and now she has to resume being busy and late.

We are a middle-class family of two. We don't have a lot of money saved up. So my mom just works day in and day out to provide me.

She wants me to get into a high, well-named university after I graduate. So she is putting her sweat and blood in for it.

I know how hard life gets for her. But she won't tell me a thing. I have asked her to share her emotions with me a million time but each time she shuts off the topic by saying that she is fine and has nothing to share.

But deep down I know how lonely she is. I know how badly she wants to just lay down and take a whiff but right now she just can afford it.

She has no friends or family here, let alone dating. Actually, I'm glad she hasn't been seeing anyone because right now I'm not ready to share her with anyone. Call me selfish but it is what it is and I can't help it.

As for her other relations, she was born and brought up in Florida. She moved here only a couple of years back. So all her friends are back there and since we moved in here, she has been too busy to make any new ones.

The closest she is to have friends are our neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. We met then when we moved here. They helped us without furniture and some other household stuff. That how we came to know them. They even use to send us food back then. That's how the exchange-of-the-food tradition began.

As we completed our meal, I stood up to take the plates to Washington when my mom stopped me.

"Wait. There's desert as well" she announced

A broad smile formed my lips as my ears heard those lovely words. I was delighted.

"What did you make? " I asked almost immediately.

"Apple dumplings," she said as she proceeded to the kitchen

My mouth watered at that thought of it. The raisins. The cinnamon and the apples just make a luscious combination.

As soon as my mom served it I began eating like I had been hungry for decennaries.

I trudged up towards my room, pretty satisfied with my feast. After a while, I felt drowsy and as soon as I laid on my bed I was fast asleep.

Soft sounds on my window woke me up. It was late at night and I had gone to sleep without changing my clothes.

When I turned around to see after the window I saw some stones hitting my glass.

I walked up to the windowsill and peeked down. I was astonished to see Austin standing down.

He waved at when me and signaled for me to come down. I instantly refused. But he yet again signaled he would come up if I didn't obey.

I couldn't risk a boy break into my room in the middle of the night when the entire street was sleeping. My mom included. I did as I was told

"Are you crazy? What in the world are you doing here at this hour?" I whisper-yelled at him

"I'm here to ask you why did you not come to college yesterday? " he asked

I was utterly confused. My brain went numb. I didn't know why this guy was even asking me that.

"Because I didn't feel like it, " I replied

"Why? are you okay?" he questioned touching my forehead and then my neck.

"Yeah I'm fine" I replied as I rolled my eyes.

"Okay. So are you coming tomorrow?" he asked

"Yeah, I guess" I replied

"Okay. Cool. Bye " he said as he turned to leave

"Is that all you came here for? To ask me whether I'm or not and whether I would be coming tomorrow? " I asked raising my eyebrows and crossing my hands across my chest.

"Nah. I was just passing by, thought I might as well drop by and see you" he reasoned place one had on the car door and other on the top of his car.

"At this hour? " I asked quite suspicious

"Yeah. Can't I drive at 'this hour'?" he shot back

"At two in the night? " I asked still not convinced.

"Yes, mom. " he rolled his eyes as he sat in his car and closed his door.

I watched him start his car. Turn on the lights and lowered his window

"Now get back in. It's cold out here. Don't wanna get sick again, do you?" he said signaling me to get back in the house

"Yeah sure. I'll do that once you leave." I replied.

"No. I'll wait till you go inside and lock your door" he stated

"Oh c'mon. What am I, five? " I asked

"Nope. Not taking any chances " he sat back.

I got annoyed and stormed back into my house and locked the door. I gave him a sarcastic smile and signaled him that I did what I was told.

With a smile on his face, he motioned his car forward and drove away.

I went back to my bed and laid down wondering did he come all the way from his house to mine just to know why I didn't come to college the other day. Did he take all the time and effort just for checking on me? Did he do all this for me?

It was strange for him to do something like that for a 'nobody' like me, but still, I liked it. I smiled to myself and slowly all those thoughts faded away and I dozed off to sleep.

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A/N
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