Six months ago

I swipe my hand across my forehead to dry the sweat, courtesy of California’s summer sun, as I walk across the Berkeley campus after my first class as a Sophomore. I’m excited to be back after spending the entire summer with my family. I love them, don’t get me wrong, but when you’re the oldest of four and have a million aunts, uncles, and cousins, things tend to get a little… overwhelming. Especially when you stay months away.

When I got back home, it was like I spent a full decade halfway across the world and never once talked to them. On my dad’s side things were a bit more chill after the first day’s overreaction. But my mom’s side? Peruvians never waste a chance to have a party, and my family sure as hell lives up to that. They threw parties — yes, plural — to welcome me home.

Again, I love them, but it’s too much.

I pull my phone from my pocket to check my schedule to make sure I’m going to the right room for Calculus. The screen is filled with text notifications from Daisy, my best friend, but I don’t open them, I’ll reply when I get to class.

Daisy and I met on the first day of class when we both were Architecture Freshmen. We were paired for a few activities and haven’t stopped talking since. In some aspects we are almost polar opposites, but in others we’re the exact same, there’s pretty much no middle ground. I believe that’s the “secret” to our friendship, we complement each other but we’re also the same person. It’s kind of confusing, I know, but it works.

I get to Evans Hall and wince at the ugly exterior. Seriously, who let this tragedy happen? From this hideous exterior to the weird floor layouts, the building makes no sense. It’s just a big concrete box. I shrug and get to my classroom.

After finding a seat to settle down, I pull my phone out of my pocket to open Daisy’s messages, since I still have some time before class starts.

daisy 🌼

i cant believe you let me sign

up for a class this early

i hate you

and i have a horrible headache

i think a piano was dropped

on my head

send help

Allie

I told you to not get your

hair braided the day before

class starts

You know your head hurts

for like 3 days straight

daisy 🌼

im dumb

is it a sin to want your hair

to look fresh when you get

back to school?

Allie

Stop the drama

You’ll be fine

daisy 🌼

if i die its your fault

Allie

You’re not going to die

daisy 🌼

theres no way you could

know that

Allie

I guess we’ll find out at lunch

daisy 🌼

ill come back as a ghost

and haunt you until the

day you die

Allie

Goodbye Daisy

I’m still laughing at Daisy’s drama when a girl with long dark hair enters my row, holding her phone to her ear. She furrows her well kept eyebrows and widens her dark brown eyes.

“Are you kidding me?” she whisper-shouts, sitting a couple seats away from me. “Jess, how does one ‘forget’ to tell their friend that? Especially when they’re your roommate.” She pauses, probably for an answer, and rolls her eyes. “You know I’m only in this class because of you and now you left!” She drops her bag to the floor and some of its content comes flying out. “Jess, I gotta go, I’ll talk to you later. Bye.” She puts her phone away and bends down. “You gotta be fucking kidding me,” she whispers.

I get out of my seat to help pick her things up. “Is everything ok? You seemed a bit upset.” I hand her a couple of pens that fell next to me.

“Yeah. It’s just that my friend dropped this class without telling me and now I’m stuck here because I don’t want to drop out. And I’m only here because the other options weren’t that interesting and she was going to help me with it, but now I’m all alone.” She sits and lets her head fall back. “Thank you for helping me, though. I’m Jamie, by the way.” She turns to me with a sweet smile on her lips.

“I’m Allie.” I smile back. “You know, if you’re planning on staying in this class I could help you. I’m minoring in Math so it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Really?” Her brown eyes widen along with her smile. “I mean, you really don’t have to. The classes haven’t even started, but it would be great if I had someone to help me out if I needed.”

“It’s totally fine, I don’t mind.”

“Thank you so much! I’m not the type of person that freaks out with classes and all that. I actually kinda enjoy Math and I honestly thought I had a good shot here since Jess and I would work like one brain, but she just vanished.” She huffs.

I laugh and reach out my hand “Here, let me give you my number so you can talk to me when you need help.”

She pulls her phone out of her pocket and hands it to me. “You have no idea how much I appreciate that. You’re literally saving my life.”

As I hand her phone back, the teacher enters the classroom and starts the introduction.

After the class is over, I pick up my things and text Daisy.

Allie

Hey

I’m done here

Is lunch still up?

daisy 🌼

im almost done

ill meet you there

Allie

Ok

I put my phone away and look at Jamie, still on her seat, staring into nothing. I walk towards her and glance at her notes.

“Already lost?” I point at all the scribbles covering the piece of paper in front of her.

“Is it that obvious?” She drops her head and sighs. “I should just drop out already.”

“Nope. You’re not giving up. I’ll help you.” I pick her bag up and she looks at me with defeated eyes. “C’mon, I’m having lunch with a friend and you’re coming with me. After that, I can help you with all of this if you have time.”

“You literally do not have to do that.”

“I know, but I want to, you seem nice. Now, let’s go. Pick up your things, you’re going to have the best lunch you’ve ever had.”

“That’s going to be hard. My mom is a chef.” She laughs a little while following me out the door.

“Challenge accepted. Elena’s bruschetta is the best thing I’ve ever had.”

I talk to Jamie the whole way to Elena’s cantina. Daisy and I found this place while exploring the surroundings of campus and fell in love with the food. We ate there so much we were friends with Elena before the first semester ended.

When we arrive, I introduce Jamie and the old Italian lady to each other. “Elena, Jamie doesn’t believe you have the best food in the world, so I need you to make the best bruschetta you possibly can so I can prove her wrong.”

“You’re going to love it,” she says with her light accent while laughing.

I lead Jamie towards a table. We talk until Elena comes out of the kitchen with a big plate of bruschettas.

“Here you go, ladies.” She places the dish between the two of us. “Now let’s see what you think.”

Elena and I keep our eyes glued to Jamie as she picks up a bruschetta and takes a bite. Her eyes go wide after a few seconds and she raises a hand to her lips.

“Damn, Elena, this is so good! I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is the best thing I have ever eaten in my entire life.” She closes her eyes and moans after taking another bite.

“I’m glad you like it.” Elena laughs and goes back to the kitchen.

“My mom can never know about this.”

“I won’t tell her.” I laugh, grabbing a bruschetta for myself.

“I can’t believe you started without me!” Daisy’s voice fills the cantina and I turn to the door to spot her. The brand new, waist-length, purple braids mixed with her natural black hair moving around with every rushed step she takes towards us. “This is a crime, Allison.” She pulls the chair next to mine and plops down. “How dare you?” She grabs a bruschetta and takes a slightly aggressive bite.

“You’re very dramatic today, aren’t you?” I laugh and she frowns. “Daisy, this is Jamie. I met her today in class. Jamie, this is Daisy, my best friend. I promise she isn’t always this dramatic. I think the braids are messing with her brain.” I laugh and dodge Daisy’s elbow.

“It’s nice to meet you, Daisy.” Jamie smiles. “And I must say that your hair looks amazing.”

Daisy smiles and shakes her box braids. “Thank you! I got them yesterday.”

I pick up another bruschetta and take a bite, listening to the two girls talking about Daisy’s hair.

“So both of you are majoring in Architecture?” Jamie asks us as we walk around the campus.

“Yes, ma’am,” Daisy answers.

“What about you?” I turn to Jamie.

“Marine science.”

“You study fish? That’s gross!” Daisy crinkles her nose and furrows her brows. “Why would you do that?”

“Because it’s fun!” Jamie’s face lights up. “And it’s not only fish. The ocean is so gigantic that we have explored only about 20% of it. People want to know what’s out in space, but we don’t even know what’s already here.” She pauses and her lips form a big smile. “And the fishies are cute.”

I laugh at her childish statement. “I’m with Daisy on this one. Fishes are not cute. Some are kinda pretty, sure, but not cute.”

“One day I’ll take you to the aquarium and prove you wrong.”

“I’ll pass.” Daisy turns to face us and starts walking backwards. “I gotta go now. I have a class in,” she looks at her phone, “15 minutes. Shit. Bye.” She takes off without another word.

“Ok, then.” I laugh “Wanna go to the library and study? I have some time now.”

“You are an angel.” She giggles and we walk towards the library.

We get inside the big angular building and find a table to settle down. I show her my notes and explain all the topics from today’s class.

We stay there for almost a full hour, and when we’re close to the end, I look at Jamie while she’s staring at her notes. The fingers on her left hand constantly tap on the table and the back of the pencil presses against her temple; her eyes never leave the papers and her lips pulled in a thin line.

Her fingers stop and her widened eyes meet mine. “I get it!” She throws her hands up and smiles. “Oh my god, thank you so much, Allie!”

“You’re very welcome.” She pulls me in for a hug.

“Ok, I’m buying you ice cream. Let’s go.” She packs up her things, puts her bag on her shoulder, and drags me out of the library.