For the First Time

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

I stood outside my new dorm, key in hand. I placed the key in the lock and took a deep breath as I turned it. The door unlocked easily, and I slowly pushed open the door. I stood by the door frame as I silently studied the room. It was a medium sized room with two single beds, one against each side wall. The bed to my right was unmade and looked as though it had been slept in. So I had a roommate. And she had already moved in. Beside each bed was a bedside locker and a small wardrobe was at the foot of each bed. 'Mother would be impressed.' I smiled sarcastically to myself. The room wasn't much but it was mine. For the first time I was on my own, away from my mother. I'd never been so happy.
There was only one window in the room and a small desk sat in front of it. I walked over to the window and looked out onto the entrance of Embers. My town car was parked in front of the entrance, and my driver was walking to the girls dorms with the first of my many trunks of clothes.
Mother had objected to me having a dorm on campus. She wanted me to stay in our apartment that was just three blocks away from campus. But I put my foot down. I wanted the full university experience and sharing a dorm was part of it.
Mother was a little overwhelmed with my decision so she went on a shopping spree and bought me a complete new wardrobe. A huge one at that. One that filled four large trunks. There was no way I was going to fit it all in this room. I smiled at the challenge.
I turned from the window, still smiling, to face the door, only to see someone standing in the door way.

[Frankie Blake]

I wouldn't have know thaat there was someone in thee room if the door haadn't been open. The girl was standing silently by the window. It was kinda creepy. She looked like she should have been in a mentle institution. And it didn't help that she was smiling.
"Hey" I said, giving her a little nod. I entered the room, closing the door behind me. I put my iPod on the docking station and it continued to play Misery Business.
I went over to the mirror on the wardrobe, probably the only thing I'd use it for. My hair was a mess and my eyes were baggy. I had no eyeline on and my hear was still damp from the shower I had that morning. I picked up my eyeliner from the bed and started applying it.
"I'm Frankie by the way." said whilst applying. "Franklin Blake. Your my room-mate I'm guessing"
I looked at her after finishing putting on a thik enough coat of black. It made my eyes look a little better. "And you are?" I asked, but not in a mean way. May as well get along with her. I'd be living with her for a while.

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

The girl made her way through the door, her damp long hair swaying as she did so. She walked over to, what I'm assuming is her bed side table, and plugged her ipod into the decking station that was sitting there. Misery Business by Paramore began to blast through the speakers.
'This girls has taste' I thought to myself. She walked over to the mirror on one of the wardrobe and pulled, a black eyeliner and began to line her bright blue eyes.
She introduced herself as Frankie, and turned to face me when she had finished with her eyes.
"And you are?" she asked, looking at me directly in the eye.
"I'm Beth, Elizabeth Rossmund. Its nice too meet you." I smiled holding out my hand for her to shake, as Gerald my driver entered with my first trunk.

[Frankie Blake]

I shook her hand. Beth. She didn't look like a Beth. She kinda reminded me of Eliza Goulding.
"I'm gunna call you Eliza" I smiled, just as a butler type guy came in with a trunk.
"This your stuff?" I asked her. My one bag was so crappy compared to her trunk. I'd buy clothes eventually though. Money was stil going into my account from dear old mammy.

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

Eliza. Hmm no one's ever called me that before. I kinda liked it. A new name for a new beginning.
"Oh thats just the beginning of it." I sighed. "Em you can put it beside the bed." I smiled at Gerald as he came through the door. "Thank you, I'll be down in a moment to help you with the rest."
Frankie gave me a look as if to say more.
"Mother dearest was a little upset when I told her that I was moving out. So she went shopping. And long story short, I now have four trunks of new clothes with me today. My books and Cd's are coming tomorrow." I explained. "I wonder whats in this trunk. Tops, trousers, dresses or shoes." I laughed to myself as I opened the trunk to reveal forty three pairs of shoes. Mother really went all out.

[Frankie Blake]

Wow. Talk about a lot of shoes.
"Your never gunna fit all that in there!" I nodded to the wardrobe. "You can have mine. All I have is a bag"
I threw my eyeliner on my bed and followed them out the door. "I'll help with your bags. Or trunks..."

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

"Thank you."I smiled at her offer. "You're welcome to wear any of my clothes and shoes. As much of a pain my mother is, she does have a great fashion sense." I laughed as we exited the room.
We made small talk as we walked to where the sleek black town car was temporally parked. When we got there, Gerald pulled out two of my trunks from the trunk of the car and the third from the back seat. The trunks must have been heavy because Gerald, a man of great build, struggled to pull them from the car. "Thank god they have wheels" was all I could say.
Gerald handed us both a trunk and we wheeled them as far as the dorm buildings entrance. I opened the heavy oak doors and held it open for the other two. We waited for the elevator in silence and I sighed with relief when the doors finally opened.
"Thank you for helping." I said as we waited in the elevator. The elevator doors opened when we reached the first floor and we made our way silently down the hall to dorm 16.

[Frankie Blake]

"Don't mention it" I said, glad she had broken the silence. It wasn't like I had anything better to do. I guessed that this girl would be pretty rich with all the clothes. And a butler. It was like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
When we got to the room Gerald and Eliza said their goodbyes.
"Later" I said to him as he left. I turned my music off so I could talk to the girl.
"So four trunks and a butler. Sweet" I grinned. "Where you from Eliza?"

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

"Bye kiddo" Gerald smiled as he rustled my hair. "Have a good time at uni and remember you can call on me for anything, even if it's just to buy you beer" he winked and laughed as he said this.
"Bye Gerald, thanks for everything. I'm gonna miss you." Í smiled sadly as I said goodbye.
"No problem kid, just don't tell your mum that I let you help me bring your things up" He joked as he waved good bye and shut the door behind him.
I walked into the middle of the room where we had left the trunks. I knelt down as I opened one filled with my designer jeans and trousers.
"Oh I'm from Manhattan, the Upper East Side." I blushed as I opened another trunk filled with my tops and sweaters. "You?" I asked as I opened the last trunk, it was filled with my favorite items of clothing, my dresses.

[Frankie Blake]

I watched her unpack all her clothes. All designer. She didn't seem like she was from the Upper East. Well, yeah, with the clothes and the butler, but not her personality. Maybe I'm just stereotypical but I always thought that Upper Easters were snobby.
"The 'elite' side of town. Not bad" She was taking out her dresses at this stage. "My story? Conceived in Franklin, Tennessee, born in London, England and moved to New York, New York."
My mother married into money. My step-father is an asshole. But he still gives me money I suppose. That's down to mummy dearest though.

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

"Wow. That must have been exciting, moving I mean." I carried one of my own creations to her wardrobe to hand up. It was a soft beige dress that fell about two inches above the knee. Delicate hand dyed silver lace was fitted over the beige lining. It had a high straight cut neck, but a low 'v' cut back. It was one the first dresses I had ever made and it was one of my favorite.
"How long have you lived in New York?" I asked as I placed the dress in the wardrobe.

[Frankie Blake]

"Umm... Since like freshman year in high school. I lost my British accent even though I loved it." I said. "I plan on going back there. And Franklin of coarse."
I admired her dress. I wasn't one to wear dressy up dresses but this one was really pretty.
"That's such a nice dress" I said, just as she was about to close my wardrobe. "Where'd you get it?"

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

"So you grew up in England. That must have been amazing. I've always wanted to visit England." I smiled. "Do you have many friends there?" I asked when she said that she wanted to go back some time.
She commented on my dress.
"Thank you" I smiled, "I made it a couple of years ago. My father brought me to see a fashion show when I was fifteen and since then I've be-"
"Hey Frankie," Someone called out as they opened the door to our dorm, cutting me off mid sentence. "There's some party at Theta Pi tonight. You up for it?"

[Frankie Blake]

"I have one or two" I said, "My best friend, Kat, is over there" And God did I miss her.
I turned to the blond girl standing in the doorway.
"I'm in." I shrugged. When was I not up for a party. "You up for it Eliza?"
She nodded.
"Cool. It's at eight. Here's some wristbands" She handed them to us. They were green this time.
"Thanks" I said taking one. "Do you know if Jamie is going to be there?"
"Red-head? Well she's invited. I heard about ye two the last night. Fun was it?" She laughed before leaving. Things spread fast around here.
"Who was that?" Eliza asked.
"No idea" I shrugged in reply.

[Elizabeth Rossmund]

"Who was that?" I asked curiously.
"No idea." She shrugged and handed me one of the wrist bands.
The party started at eight and it was now three o'clock, that meant that we had five hours until the party started. My first college party. I smiled to myself.Ii continued to unpack my dresses, trying to contain my excitement, until I came across a dress that i could wear. It was a simple black mini dress that flattened my stomach and enhanced my very few curves. Perfect.
I lay the dress flat on my bed as I went looking for the perfect shoes to wear with it.
"So who's Jamie?" I asked as I pulled my trunk of shoes out from under my bed.
"Oh and help your self to any of my clothes." I pointed to the two packed wardrobes as I said this.