A lil taste of freedom and a stomach full of butterflies...

Saturday

May 3, 2008

If someone would have told me a month ago I would be moving into my own place, I would have laughed or looked at them crazy, one of the two is for sure. But here I am unpacking the last of my stuff from my car and waiting for the Rooms to Go’s delivery guys to finish putting my bed together and leave. Looking around at the view of the lake and the townhouses that surrounding it, I take in a deep breath of fresh air; however to me it feels like a taste of freedom... Twenty - three and starting to live for me feels exciting and scary at the same time but I’m ready. 

“Earth to Ryan!” snapping out of my daze I glance over at my roommate Jackie, waving her hand in my face. “I’ve been calling your name for a good two minutes, where were you girly; in the land of la la?” 

“Ha ha funny, no” I say before pausing “but pretty damn close.”

Rolling her hazel eyes at me, “is there something you want to tell me? Like I don’t know maybe how you like to smoke that shit?” she questions as she lets her pointer finger meet her thumb, bringing it close to her lips as if to be smoking a bud. “Because I need to know this if we going to be roomies and all…”

“Shut up fool, what do you really want?”

“Well we’re almost finished unloading the last of the stuff and they’re packing up their tools.” She says shielding her eyes from the early summer sun, “I don’t know about you but I’m hungry and I remember us agreeing to a movie and ex-large pepperoni and cheese with our names on it. You still in or what, girly?”

“Mmm…Sammie’s does sound good, but let’s shower up before that. Smelling like a grown man is the last thing I’d like to call attractive.” I say as I grab the last box from my backseat.

“I’m already two steps ahead of you,” Jackie calls heading up the steps that lead to their new townhouse door.

“No, no worries I didn’t need help with the door, I got it Jack!” I call sarcastically as I bump my hip against the car door to close it.  

“I know sweet pea!”

 Shaking my head I follow her up the steps and into our new home…wow that sounds so nice.

~~~~~~

That following Wednesday afternoon…

Pulling up to the grocery store, I park and step out of my car with the cell phone glued to my ear talking to Jackie.

“Hey I’m going to go into the store to grab a few things before heading home, need anything?” I ask her as I walk towards the store.

Pausing, “Hmm, maybe something sweet, don’t care what, surprise me.” She says “Something nice and warm, oh or cold and creamy-maybe both…”

“What happen to surprise me?” I ask jokingly as I walk into the grocery store I grab a blue hand basket and begin to look at the fruit.

“Well I can’t help it I’m having a craving for both.” She whines in my ear as I grab a few pieces of fruit, I continue to walk around and talk to her bit longer before hanging up. Stopping I grab a new magazine from the stand and begin to flip through it.

“Aimee Ryan, is that you?” a males voice fills my ear, looking up from the magazine in my hand I notice one of my professors standing in front of me.

Smiling I reach over to hug him, “Mr. Pearson, long time no see, how are you?”  I ask.

“I’m doing great, thank you” his thick Jersey accent comes out. “Keeping busy with broad meetings and class, the usually but where have you been young lady? I swear I saw you at the beginning of the spring semester and then you disappeared on me.”

“I know and I’m so sorry about that, I’ve just been busy with this full work load at school and at work too. I’ve been meaning to keep in touch with you through. “

“Don’t worry about it sweetie, but I have been looking for you. Your grade’s and projects were out of this world, and your teachers just loved you.” He says “One of the few students that the Hospitality department talked about this spring.”

“Really? That means a lot, because this semester seemed to be the hardest so far. But hearing you say that made it worth it.”

“Hey I’m proud of you, you stuck it through and who couldn’t ask for more. This is why I wanted to speak with you; about a program that the school is starting this June.”

“Sure, what is up?”

“Well this following week, we have a group of hotel and restaurants coming to the school to meet and sign up students for our internships for the summer and fall semester. We pick the top fifty students in the program and I’d think you’d be great for you. Especially with this being your senior year coming up, this is what I like to call perfect timing and opportunity. Its starts this Monday morning at nine, do you think you can make it?”

“Wow, yes I’ll be there at nine o clock, this sounds too great to pass up.”

“Great!” he smiles enthusiastically, “Yes this program is and most of the student end up with career’s with these companies so it’s really something thing to think about.” He glances at his watch. “I really must go but I’ll see you Monday. But feel free to call me if you have any questions, k?”

I nod my head and smile, “Okay I can’t wait, and I’ll be there bright and early. Thanks again Mr. Pearson.”  Waving bye to him, I turn around to finish my shopping as butterflies of excitement dancing in my stomach.  Only for them to come crashing to a complete halt as I walk away quickly with my head in the clouds straight into somebody’s chest and knocked over the things in their hands. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry.” Dropping my basket and bent down to pick it up immediately and I could feel my caramel cheeks slightly warm.  

“No I’m sorry,” He says as he also bends down.  “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“You and me both, maybe we should…” I say with a slight smile I begin to hand him some of his stuff as I look up to meet a pair of warm brown eyes, only for my smile to slip and my words to get lodged in my throat, “I meant I-y maybe you should get you a hand basket.” Blushing I looked away quickly to check if we had picked everything up.

“Yeah maybe we should,” Looking back as his smooth voice fill my ear, I noticed he hide his rulely brown hair under a worn baseball cap. “but I think I got it from here…thanks” he smiles.

“Oh, of course you do,” Smiling back I grabbed my basket and stand up at the same time as him, I couldn’t help but notice his tall frame compared to my five-four. “No problem, I’m sorry again.”

“Don’t be,” as he starts to back up and turn away, only to glance back with smile to say, “maybe we can do it again next time.”

“Yeah,” I smile back “maybe…”