Bidding Goodbyes

First day of college. Well, not just any college. St. Bellamy’s, the ivy-drenched sanctuary of the elite. A place where old money met glossy futures and gossip spreads faster than grades. Gen had already survived her first year there, and Adrian was deep into his third. Then there’s me. I’m just beginning.

The house smelled like espresso and citrus, Dad’s morning smoothie ritual. I padded into the kitchen, still in my robe, the weight of my nerves tucked under a smile.

“Someone looks like she’s barely slept,” Dad said, seated at the island in his usual tailored loungewear, sipping his violently green concoction.

“That’s because someone didn’t,” I murmured, grabbing a mug.

He raised an eyebrow, “Excited?”

“Terrified,” I admitted, sliding onto the stool beside him. “There’s something about starting from scratch. New classes. New people, new everything.”

“You’ll be fine, baby,” he said, his tone softer now. “You’ve got your sister. And if anyone gives you trouble, you know where to find me, or my legal team.”

I snorted. “Comforting.”

“You’re smart, Kim. Smart and good. You’ll hold your own.”

I smiled into my coffee. Dad always had a way of saying just enough. Not overbearing, not pushy. Just enough to remind me who I was, and that I was never alone, no matter how hard things felt.

My phone buzzed on the counter. I almost ignored it, expecting a campus update or text from Gen about what shoes to wear, but when I glanced down, my breath caught.

“Adrian Thorne just followed you.”

My heart stopped. He didn’t have my number because we never exchanged contact information. And the last time we spoke was... that night.

And that’s when the memory hit fast. His hand beneath the table, the heat of his touch against my thigh, the way I didn’t stop him. Couldn’t and wouldn’t.

As I blinked down at the notification, chest tightening, another ping came in.

Message request from Adrian Thorne.

Adrian: “You looked beautiful that night. I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

I stared at the screen, frozen. This was the first time he’d reached out, after a few days of silence.

“Everything okay?” Dad asked, eyebrows pinched with quiet concern.

“Yeah,” I said quickly, forcing the phone screen down. “Just campus email. Orientation junk.”

He nodded, rising from his stool. “Tell your sister to hurry up. You two don’t want to be late on your first day.”

“Will do.”

But as I watched him walk out, my hands were still curled around my phone. I couldn’t stop the flutter in my stomach, not from nerves but from Adrian. My fingers hovered above the keyboard, my breath shallow. I typed slowly.

Kimberly: “Thank you.”

I hesitated for a second before hitting send. But once I did, it was like a dam broke, cause his reply came almost instantly.

Adrian: “You’re welcome, princess. Wait... are you really a student at St. Bellamy’s?”

I smiled a little, the corners of my lips betraying me.

Kimberly: “I am. First year, just starting today.”

A pause. Then.

Adrian: “D*mn... You’re really close now.”

His message shouldn’t have made my chest tight, but it did. And something about the way he said close now sent a chill down my spine.

Another bubble popped up.

Adrian: “Will you be staying with Gen?”

I shook my head, thumbs already moving.

Kimberly: “No. She prefers her solo off-campus lifestyle. I wanted the full college experience, including staying in the dorms and meeting new people. I’ve got a roommate.”

The response came quickly again.

Adrian: “Can’t lie... I kinda hate that you’re not staying nearby. But I get it.”

I laughed under my breath. Why did he sound almost possessive?

Kimberly: “Are you on campus yet? Starting today?”

There was a longer pause this time.

Adrian: “Wasn’t planning to. But now? Yeah, I think I’ll stop by.”

Another message.

Adrian: “Figured someone should properly welcome you to college life.”

As soon as I ended the chat with Adrian, I went back into my room to get ready. I wasn’t getting ready for the first day of college, not anymore. I was getting ready to see him.

Two days ago, after I got my driver’s license, Dad surprised me after brunch with a set of keys wrapped in a velvet box. I didn’t even know what was happening until the garage door lifted and I saw the sleek, 2024 BMW Z4 Roadster in pearl white with red leather interiors. A car, I showed him an image of weeks before my Grandparents' anniversary.

I heard a knock before I could even reach for my perfume.

“Kim,” Gen’s voice came through, followed by a rhythmic tap on the door. “You ready?”

“Yeah, just about!” I called out.

I took one last glance at the mirror, grabbed my handbag, and hoisted the last packed bag onto my shoulder before pulling open the door.

Gen stood there, flawless as always. Long blonde waves tucked behind a pair of designer sunglasses, and a silk scarf tied loosely around her neck. She looked like she walked off the cover of a fall issue of LUXÉ.

“Look at you,” she smirked. “Little college girl.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled. “You’re only two years ahead.”

“Exactly. Which makes me wiser, more experienced... and entitled to give you unsolicited advice anytime.”

We both laughed as we walked out. Both Mom and Dad were waiting at the front door.

Dad opened his arms immediately. “There she is. My freshman.”

I melted into the hug, burying my face into his shoulder for a moment longer than usual.

“You call me if anyone gives you trouble,” he said into my hair. “Even if it’s a professor.”

“I will, Dad.”

Mom wrapped me in a warm, vanilla-scented hug next. “You’ll be amazing, sweetheart. Just don’t skip breakfast.”

Gen laughed beside me. “Says the woman who raised us on coffee and croissants.”

“Designer croissants,” Mom corrected with a wink.

Outside, both our cars were parked at the base of the grand front steps, polished to a mirror-like gleam. Gen’s 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe, powder blue, with white interiors, looked like it belonged in a fashion film. Mine shimmered in the California sun.

“Is that the car you’re taking to college?” I asked.

“For this semester, yes,” Gen answered.

We both turned to our parents one last time. Tight hugs, glossy kisses on cheeks. And then we were off.

Gen slipped into her coupe like she’d done it a thousand times. I opened the door to my car and smiled again, not because of the engine’s roar but because I knew who was waiting on the other side.

Adrian.