My alarm blared. I didn't normally need an alarm since my first class was at noon and I was usually up 9:30/10. I also wasn't normally hungover. Just in case I always set an alarm for 11:15. Thank god I did, I needed it today. I rolled myself out of bed and grabbed something to wear. I wasn't much of a fancy dresser but I also didn't go to class looking like I just rolled out of bed. That's not my style. I put on some jegging and loose T-shirt I halfway tucked into my waist band. I brushed my hair out and called it a day. I grabbed my keys off the hook and headed out. I closed the door behind me and riffled through my keys to find the right one. I heard the door behind me open and closed. I locked my door quickly and turned around to see Mason standing there with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Hey Miley, how are you feeling?" I ran my fingers through the ends of my hair.
"I'm okay, thanks."
"Luke said you were hungover yesterday."
"Yeah." I blushed a little.
"What, did you drink the whole bottle?" He joked.
"Just about." Masons eyes grew wide. I smiled a little. "Okay, bye." Why was I so socially awkward? Did I not learn how to socialize as a kid? Maybe I just was more shocked that Mason Heckle was talking to me at all, for the second time. I shook my head trying to ignore the whole thing. I just needed to get to class and take notes.

Once I got to class, I made it to my desk and sank into my chair. I lazily unpacked my stuff as my heartbeat slowed. A shadow covered the light above me. I slowly looked up. It was Luke who stood over me.
"How ya feeling?" I swallowed. Was this real? It's one thing to have Luke Sands naked in your dorm room, alone. Or have him bring you a sports drink when you're hungover the next day. No one would believe that. Ellie was there yesterday but she wouldn't tell a soul Luke came to see me and not her. Him standing over you in class, with others around? Now, that's believable! For someone who had a reputation to uphold he was sure blowing it by talking to me.
"I'm fine." I said quickly. He squatted down to be face to face with me. I usually had seen Luke from a far but up close his face was very delicate. His eyes were a pastel brown with freckles of gold and copper. It looked like he shaved last night and the prickly hair was starting to grow back. The strange thing was Luke's actual hair was a dusty blonde but his facial hair was a chocolate brown. Eyelashes too.
"You look better." His eyes danced around my face. I'm sure mine were doing the same.
"I really am." I said softly. I could feel my cheeks growing rosy. Then he hit me with a soft smile. Not like teddy bear soft but like silk. A small smile flickered on my face. The urge to reach out and touch his lips tickled my fingers. I rubbed my finger tips aggressively on my jeggings instead. The bell rang. Luke gently knocked his finger on my desk and walked back to his. I didn't dare look at the people around us, I could already feel their stares. I didn't need to actually see their faces too. What in the world was happening?

The entire class I blankly wrote down notes. I wasn't paying attention to what they meant or what they were. Mr. Shultz talked on and on but it was all just background noise to me. I kept thinking about Luke. How he checked up on me. But once again, so did Mason. Luke though, he cared how I felt. Well, did he really? Is it just common curtesy to check up on people if you see them hungover the day before? Maybe he was just being nice because that's what people do. Is that what Luke Sands does though? I mean I highly doubt he bursts into random girls dorms butt naked often. Well I guess I don't know that. I don't think he knocks on random girls dorms, naked often. Well, I'd hope. I also highly doubt there is a "proper protocol" on how to deal with that. So was that Luke Sands or a weird guilty conscious? The professor could have asked me 101 questions any other day and I could answer all of them but today I don't think I could have even formed a non gibberish word. Thank god Mr. Shultz didn't call on students often, and those he did call on were failing or close to it. The bell rang releasing us all. I jogged up to Luke.
"It was by pure accident you showed up at my door, you don't have to be nice to me." He looked at me a little stunned.
"I know." He said softly.
"So why are you?"
"Being nice?" I nodded. "Well what makes you think I'm not nice?"
"You're Luke Sands, I'm just a girl you thought was named Milly." I shrugged my shoulders and peeled off to the right. He opened his mouth to talk but I just kept walking. I didn't want to hear would he would say to that for some reason.

The rest of the day was, boring. No one else asked me how I felt or showed up at my dorm naked. So it was a normal day after class with Luke. I like things the same. I also liked paying attention in class but I struggled with that today. My mind just floated back to Luke and him standing at my door Saturday night. Then it would snapped to him Sunday afternoon. But the worst was being reminded of this morning. What was happening? Mason Heckle; my neighbor, whom my roommate has the biggest crush, on was talking to me! Luke Sands, his best friend and one of the cutest guys on campus; was talking to me too! Last week has a strange end. This week had an even stranger beginning.

I looked at all my homework spread out on my bed. I felt overwhelmed and unambitious simultaneously. A heavy knock came at my door. I sighed and got up to answer it. Ellie was horrible about telling her friend when she was going out and where. I always happened to be the weird middle man. I swung the door open to a fully dressed Luke Sands. I stared at him. Were his ears ringing? I think that's the wrong superstition, but still, weird.
"Hey." He finally said.
"Hi?"
"What are you doing right now?" He was giddy. I scrunched my eyebrows together for a moment.
"Uh, nothing crazy." My words seemed so small.
"Great." I stared at him waiting for more. "I need some advice."
"Don't show up to some random girls dorm naked." I started to close the door. He pushed it back open. Luke had a grin from ear to ear.
"Funny." I sighed knowing he wasn't done with me yet. "Let me rephrase, I need your opinion."
"Yes, you look better in clothing. Are we done yet?" He glanced down at himself then back up at me.
"No, but thank you." Luke pushed past me into my dorm. I rolled my eyes and closed the door. He took a seat in my desk chair and spun towards me. "I need girl advice."
"What makes you think I'm qualified?" I retorted.
"Well, you're a girl, so." I shook my head. Sure I was a girl but I wasn't that girl. Or like any girl he's ever dated. Those girlfriends from my knowledge only lasted a week or two.
"Thanks for stopping by Luke." I started for the door.
"Wait, wait, wait." I turned and looked at him. "Fine, let's just hang out." I squinted at him. There was another knock. What is happening?! I opened the door. Mason stood on the other side. My eyes widened. Was the world on fire and I'm not aware?
"What are you doing?" I asked before he could get a word in.
"I heard Luke over here." He pushed past me too.
"Please, both of you come in." Mason sat in Ellie's chair. She wasn't in the dorm much so a lot of the time her half of the room sat vacant.
"Sarcasm?" Luke pointed at me.
"Yes."
"Great, let's do something." Mason clapped his hands together. Mason and Luke must be two halves of the same person.
"Let's not." I complained.
"And what else do you have to do?" Luke leaned forward on his knees.
"Study."
"So nothing." I rolled my eyes.
"I'm thinking food." Mason licked his lips.
"I'm thinking no." I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Paint balling?"
"Bowling?" Luke's face lit up.
"Shopping?"
"Movie?"
"Dinner?"
"Joy riding?"
"Bar hopping?" My head shook back and forth as they blurted ideas out quickly. I widened my eyes.
"Okay. No." I finally stopped them. "How about we just go to the ice cream shop right off campus?" They looked between each other.
"Sure." Luke agreed. Mason shrugged his shoulders. I shook my head again. I think they were just rattling of stupid stuff until I gave in. Smart ploy. I'm almost positive if I spend more time with them I'll lose brain cells just from shaking my head back and forth.
"Alright, let's go."
"Wait." Luke said again. "Aren't you going to change?" I stared at him blankly.
"Why?" I felt like I'd regret the question.
"You can't wear the same outfit out twice in a day." I was right, I did regret asking. Mason and Luke stared at me. Was I the female or were they?
"And what will I wear?" I leaned a little into their delusions. Both boys jumped up to their feet. Mason started to riffle in my dresser and Luke looked through my clean laundry in the basket. Slight embarrassment prickled my face because he was looking in there. It wasn't just shirts and pants, it was everything! Not that I had ugly underwear, but still. If a guy sees your underwear it should be on and before sex; not on a day he invited himself to hang out, while he scowers for something for you to wear.
"This one." Mason held up a shirt of mine.
"No, this one." Luke held up his choice.
"No." I said to both of them. "I'm wearing this." I gestured to everything I already had on.
"You can't go out in the clothing you wore to class. It's got productivity written all over it." I sighed. I was defeated. I knew they were going to let me leave without changing my shirt at least. Quite frankly I didn't want to go at all, but that didn't seem to be a choice.

We finally made it to the ice cream shop. I was peer pressured into wearing the shirt Luke picked out. It was a black, flowy T-shirt. Decorative criss crossing fell in the deep V neck line. Mason said it was a 'going out shirt', whatever that meant. The ice cream shop was not big by any means, very much a Mom and Pop kind of shop. The walls were a melted vanilla and the booths were a sailor blue. The counter and table tops were a light wood. For some reason the shop felt so warm even though it was freezing inside.
"I think we should get a huge sundae to share." Mason looked between Luke and I.
"I'd do a huge milkshake." Luke tried to compromise. I looked between the two of them.
"How old are you two?"
"24." The both said in unison. I blinked at the two of them. Were they joking?
"Rhetorical but alright." I pushed past both of them and walked up to the counter. I recognized the girl behind the cash register. "Hey." I smiled at her. "It's Amanda right?" She smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. Milly, right?" Why was I Milly to everyone?
"Miley, but close." I waved my hand in a dismissive manner. "Can I have a half chocolate half strawberry milk shake?" She smiled and nodded.
"Sure, what size?"
"Medium please."
"Okay, what else?" I stepped aside.
"One if you two can pay for me." Luke followed me up.
"I'll have whatever she's having." He pointed at me. She rang up another one. Luke looked at Mason. "Yeah, I'm not paying for you." He handed the girl a $20. The guy behind the counter handed me my milkshake.
"Thank you." I smiled softly at him and ducked out the side door. I sat down on the one table they had. For being almost 6:30 at night the air was still pretty warm. I slid off my sandals and pressed my feet on the hot concrete. It made drinking a milkshake that much sweeter. It was probably a placebo effect, but I didn't mind. Warm feet just made a milkshake colder. The door opened behind me.
"Hi." It was Luke. He sat down next to me.
"Hi." I said softly before I took another sip. I drew in a deep breath. Luke Sands and I were sitting outside an ice cream shop together, voluntarily. He chose to come sit with me. He chose to knock on my door again. He chose to ask me how I felt this morning. Luke made all of these choices for some girl he 'officially' met yesterday. I opened my mouth to ask a question.
"Hey, look at this!" Mason barged out the door holding a huge banana split. The question still remained. 'Why does Luke Sands want to hang out with me?'
"See, this is why I didn't want to pay for you." Luke said before he took another sip. I reached forward and grabbed the cherry off the top.
"Hey!" Mason protested.
"I'm sitting at an ice cream shop with you two knuckleheads when I should be in my dorm studying. I deserve this cherry." He sat down on the bench across from Luke and I.
"You get a free milkshake and my cherry. What's next, my virginity?"
"I can't take something you don't have." I took another sip of my now half gone shake. Luke and Mason giggled. "And plus, I don't think there is enough alcohol to make me want to have sex with you."
"Do I need to flex?"
"I'd prefer you didn't, I want to keep my milkshake down." Mason pretended to yawn and stretch. In doing so he flexed his muscles. "Oh my god." I said under my breath as I rolled my eyes. "You're a show off." I stood up from the table and started to walk.
"Where are you going?" Luke called after me.
"To my dorm," I switched my footing so now I was walking backwards but facing them. "I figured there wasn't enough room in the car for me anymore next to Masons big head." Luke smiled widely. I liked when he did that. It was very becoming on him. Mason smirked. Mason was good looking and he knew that. He also used it to his advantage more than he should. That was the annoying thing about people like Mason and maybe even Luke, they used their looks or their social status to their own advantage. I just smiled at the boys with the straw in between my teeth in hopes it would be somewhat attractive. I flipped back around and kept walking. The air felt good. It was warm but with the soft breeze that fell on the night made it comfortable. If I closed my eyes it almost felt like home too.
"Miley!" Luke yelled after me again. I stoped and turned around. They both still sat at the table. I'm glad they both were still there, a walk alone would be nice. "What's your number?"
"Why?" I shouted back.
"What if you get lost?"
"I won't." I assured him.
"Miley." He said loudly, but by the time his words reached me they sounded soft. I sighed.
"660-555-0314." I reluctantly yelled back. He nodded and I started walking again. I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket, twice. I got two texts. My guess the second one was Mason. I pulled out my phone.
(573)555-1116: Luke
(239)555-1511: Mason
I rolled my eyes and slid my phone back into my pocket. I had a weird feeling I'd regret giving my number to Luke and Mason.

After almost 20 minutes of walking and an empty milkshake to go cup later, Luke pulled up next to me.
"Want a ride?" I sighed harshly knowing I'd say yes. Not on the account of them 'convincing' me, but on the fact that my feet hurt and I felt oddly lonely. I had stopped walking and stared in the car at Luke and Mason. "Well?" He pushed.
"Yeah, okay. Get in the back Mason." Surprisingly he didn't protest. He got out and held the door for me. "Oh, thank you." I didn't even attempt to hide my surprise. Yet I was shocked at myself for being surprised. He was chivalrous the other day when we went to the liquor store.
"Back to campus?" Luke asked. He still had the car idling in park. I looked at him. Both Luke and Mason had larger than life personalities. They had a way of filling in the cracks. Like holes in your thoughts and cracks in your entertainment. I could see why they were so popular now. Strangely enough, they we free on a Monday night. Maybe the rest of their friends were getting over hangovers. Neither of their phones seemed to buzz or be a hot topic for active at all since my door room. They seemed closer to each other than anyone else. Maybe it was all in my head, or maybe I was on to something. I know I only stared at him for a short moment as these thoughts flooded me but it felt much longer than that.
"Uh, sure." I finally said.

After we pulled into the parking lot we all walked back to my dorm. Well Mason and Luke were going to Masons but that's right across from mine. It's the same difference. I grabbed my keys out of my back pocket. Normally they'd be in my purse but since I didn't bring that, they had to sit in my back pocket. I rubbed my favorite key over and over. It was my parents house key but I had rubbed it so much it was smooth like a worry stone. Gave me the same effect too.
"Dude, I'm serious." Mason smacked Luke. I wish I knew what they were talking about. I sometimes get so into my thoughts the rest of the world just sort of melts away.
"Whatever Mason. Anyways, Miley." I looked at him as he turned his attention to me. "What are you going to do now?"
"Homework and going to bed." I sheepishly admitted. I also was going to sneak out for dinner somewhere in there but they didn't need to know that. The days been weird enough, why make it weirder?
"That sounds boring." I smiled a little.
"Well I like it."
"You like to be bored?" Mason asked. I shook my head a little.
"No, I liked to be relaxed. That's all it is for me, relaxing."
"You're weird." Mason shook his head. He wasn't wrong but I liked to call myself different. We reached our dorms.
"Well, goodnight."
"Wait," Luke said quickly. I turned to face him in my door way. "I never got my advice or option." I sighed and leaned on the door frame.
"What's your question?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"How do you know when you've got a good person in your life that you should keep in your life?" He hesitated at the word 'person' A small smile flickered on my face.
"If they make you want to be a better person since day one, they are. If he or she doesn't make you feel like you can change the world on day one, they never will make you feel that way." Luke nodded. "Does that help?" He smiled softly at me.
"Yes, it does." I nodded.
"Good. Goodnight boys."
"Goodnight Miley." They said together. I took a step in my dorm and closed the door. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket.
Me: Call?! So much to tell you!
Amy: I'm almost done at work, let me call you on my way home.
Me: Okay.
I slumped down onto my bed. I tapped my toes on the ground waiting for her to call. Finally my phone rang. I answered.
"Hi, I just want to start by saying I miss you." She laughed.
"And I miss you too." Amy had a sweet southern accent. She moved from Tennessee in the summer before 7th grade but she never lost her accent. It was still alive and well. It was probably one of my favorite things about Amy.
"I have so much to tell you."
"So tell me!" I could hear her smiling over the phone.
"So the other day there was someone pounding at my door. I was annoyed like anyone would be and I opened the door to one of the cutest guys on campus named Luke, and guess what?"
"He kissed you!" I don't think Amy understood that 'guess what' is a rhetorical question because she always guessed. Wrong too.
"No, he was naked!" I squealed. It felt nice to talk to someone about this.
"Oh my Atlanta!" She gasped. That was probably Amy's most famous phrases, and quite honestly, my favorite. "Why was he at your door naked?"
"Well, he thought it was his friends and in a panic he had mistaken my room for his. His friend Mason lives across the hall."
"Oh." Amy sounded disappointed.
"But wait there's more!" I excitedly yelled. "So then I decided I wanted to get drunk so I was going to go to the liquor store. I walk out of me room and boom! Mason is standing there. He is also cute by the way. Anyways, he gives me a ride to the liquor store trying to figure out why Luke was in my room naked. Well then I got really drunk that night and was most definitely hungover the next day." She laughed at this like I knew she would. We loved to make fun of each other when we got hungover. "So Luke came to give me my towel back and saw I was hungover and brought me a sports drink thing. So I drank that and whatever." I rambled on but I had no one else to talk to about this kind of stuff and Amy was a really good hype person. Also she gives some weird but good southern advice. "Well today on my way to class Mason asked how I felt because I guess Luke told him I was hungover. And then in class Luke asked me how I felt!" I took in a deep breath since now my talking had quickened. "Then later on Luke came and asked me to hang out and Mason joined us and I just got back." I finally breathed normally now.
"Wow." Was all Amy could day at first. "So two really cute guys came to hang out with you?" She sounded skeptical. If I wasn't apart of it myself I wouldn't have believed it either.
"Yeah."
"Girl, sign me up for your college." I laughed.
"What do I do?"
"Get flirty, stupid!" I don't know how to flirt really or even if I want to be friends with these two.
"Well, a better question is why are they doing this? Like I get the accident thing but why are they trying to hang out with me?"
"Probably because one of them likes you, stupid!" Sometimes stupid was a nickname for me. When it came to Amy at least.
"I doubt it Amy, they thought my name was Milly."
"Ain't it?" She joked.
"Why yes it is Annie." She was always called Annie and I always got Milly. It was a constant mix up for us. Especially over the phone. She laughed again.
"Hey, I just got home, I'll talk to you later, yeah?"
"Yeah. I miss you."
"Miss and love you."
"Love you too, bye."
"Bye." I loved it when she said bye because it sounded so southern.

Amy and I didn't go to parties, we were just little hellions on our own. Sure we wanted to go to parties, but we didn't need to to have fun. Sometimes we'd go out to dinner and sometimes we'd went mudding in her truck. Sometimes we'd go camping for the weekend and smuggle alcohol with us and sometimes we'd just go to the movies. It was never a dull moment with Amy and I. The first time Amy and I got drunk we were out in the middle of the woods in her parents old camper. We were playing the Santa hat drinking game. Where whenever the Santa hat we had taped on the tv lined up with someone we'd drink. We were trashed only a short way into the movie. She ended up throwing up. We still laugh and talk about that weekend. We weren't even 17 back then. So much had changed and I'm not sure how to feel.