Chapter Text
It probably all started when I moved to Seattle. An aunt of mine lived there and invited me to stay while I went through college. Starting over was part of my plan to become more independent and distance myself from my nosy parents. When I went to community college, it was much easier to just stay with them and avoid spending money on housing if I could. Unfortunately, that meant having to tell my mom and dad about everywhere I went, who I was with, and what I was doing at any given moment. It was infuriating at the very least. So Seattle was the next best thing. The university I had been accepted to wasn't bad by a long shot either. I was warned about my aunt being just as nosy, but at least I wouldn’t have two people constantly checking on me. My phone buzzed in my pocket. Flipping open my phone, there was a text from Mom asking where I was. I wasn’t even at my aunt’s house yet. But I reassured her that I was almost at the house. I could tell exactly which one it was by the flag in the yard and the many decorations I knew my aunt liked. I thanked my driver before grabbing my bags and heading inside.
A stout old woman was who greeted me. At 5’8, I was already taller than most women, but my aunt made the average look tall at 5’1. I had to bend over to give her a hug. She smelled like fresh linens and flowers. It was clear the woman was excited to finally have someone else in the house who wasn’t her or her husband. My aunt ushered me into the house, where more decor, themed around dogs and flowers, littered the space. The smell of baked chicken wafted into the room from the kitchen. If I didn’t have to worry about meals either, then this really was great. My fear with moving out was becoming the college stereotype: living off of ramen and staying up all night. While I’d probably still end up staying up all night for some projects, at least I’d be eating healthier.
“Thank you again for letting me stay. I can’t express enough how grateful I am. I looked at university housing, and I think I’d have to take out a loan for that alone,” I joked. My aunt gave a knowing smile.
“Of course. You know I’ve needed some company for a bit now. It gets so lonely when it’s the same routine every day. I miss having other people around the house.”
“You won’t be saying that when I’m up at midnight to finish my work,” I joked.
“Oh hush. Your uncle has stayed up far later with noisier projects than just writing a paper.”
As if my aunt summoned him, my uncle slowly came into the living room to greet me as well. He’d gotten a lot more frail since I last saw him, but nothing could keep that man down. I gave him a small hug.
“So you’re gonna be staying with us, huh? Well, how about we get you working on some chores to pay for that meal?" He laughed before coughing a little. Just seeing my uncle and how often he coughed made me never want to smoke in my life.
As we talked, a dog ran out to see what was going on. It looked like it wanted to bark before seeing the expression my aunt was giving it. So the dog settled next to a chair and sighed. You’d think the dog was working harder than anyone there with how tired it looked.
“That’s Benny. Don’t mind him. We don’t have guests often, so he gets a little feisty. Oh, and don’t give him any food. He will try to beg for some.”
Looking down at the dog only confirmed it. His eyes looked at the kitchen and then back at me. I just shook my head. As my aunt and uncle got the food ready, I set the table and washed my hands. The two outdid themselves with the meal; baked chicken with roasted vegetables (seasoned, thank god) and some soda they bought just for me. The chicken was cooked perfectly. I’d gotten so used to my dad’s cooking that I forgot chicken could taste good. Benny thought the food looked good too because right as we started eating, I could feel him walking under the table to look for any scraps of food.
Dinner was pleasant enough. Most of it was silence with occasional small talk about how college had been going up until now and what my plans are. It wasn’t the most interesting, but at least I got to know a bit about my aunt and uncle. As soon as the conversation turned to me making new friends, my aunt looked like she remembered something really important.
“You know my friend who works at the local middle school has been telling me stories for years. So I know what your generation is like,” she started.
“I’m not-”
She cut me off, “I know you’re not in middle school, but how someone was like to teachers can say a lot. So I’m warning you to stay away from the Shays. The older one was always running stupid little pranks, and the youngest practically tortured my friend!”
"How exactly did they torture her?"
"She didn't give specifics," my aunt shrugged.
.
“Oh…" I didn't want to question her judgment, given it was only my first night. It was easier to go along with it, "Well, that’s still not great. I guess I’ll keep an eye out and avoid them then.”
My aunt nodded, happy that she could help keep me out of trouble. Whoever the Shays were, I doubted they were that bad. They were probably both still kids anyway, so it’s not like I’d have to try and avoid them.
I headed up to bed soon after dinner. It felt strange to be in a completely different state, but it didn’t seem like it would be as daunting as I thought after all. Classes were starting within a few days but I’d heard great things about my university. The only pressing thing was getting to explore the city I’d be living in for the foreseeable future. Daydreams of sitting in a quiet coffee house and getting my work done made me smile.
The first day at university was expectedly easy. Professors introduced themselves, the class, then handed out a syllabus. For now, it felt just like the community college I’d attended back home. Sure, the upcoming work was more than I was used to, but at least I knew what I was getting into. The first assignment for all my classes was just introductory work. Since I had time, I decided to explore Seattle a bit.
Seattle felt so different yet similar to the cities I’d visited back home in California. Sure, everyone knows Los Angeles, but I had never visited often enough to lose the awe of a big city like this. Small shops and local sellers seemed to be everywhere. I couldn’t stop myself from looking at nearly everything. One building in particular stood out to me. It was a small place called the Groovy Smoothie. Looking inside through the windows, the inside looked nothing like the outside. It was like night and day. The inside was an almost blinding mix of green, orange, and pink. Yet it worked at the same time. As I stepped inside, the smell of smoothies and fruit hit me immediately. The next thing I noticed was the man at the register who was busy trying to force another man in line to buy… bagels on a stick? Probably one of the easiest foods to eat on a stick, I supposed. Almost feeling sorry for the man, I walked up and tapped him on the shoulder.
The man who turned around was by far one of the most attractive people I’d ever met, at least for a second.