“I’m sorry, Darling. You are going to have to speak up in here.”
“A waffle. We would like to split a waffle, please.”
“Sounds good. Now where are you from Zara? I thought I heard a bit of Southern sweet in you.”
“Tennessee. Chattanooga.” Zara said lightly with a bit more authority and no hint of a southern accent that time.
“Beautiful city.” Vanesa says, walking towards the grill behind the bar.
“This place is unique,” Zara remarks, looking around.
“Ahhhh. The Golden Harvest is one of Lansing’s pride and joys. It’s the only place locals are willing to wait in line in all types of Michigan weather. We do that because once inside, we know that we’ll be treated to a wonderful eating experience.
“Vanesa and Zane own the place. It’s a neighborhood staple. Years ago, it caught fire and the customers came out day after day to help put it back together. We missed the food, atmosphere and company so much that a lot of us would come here after working all day and pick up paint brushes.
“Several of their long-time customers took vacation days and were here every day to help wherever they could. Some have a neighborhood bar where everyone knows their name, here we have a neighborhood diner that serves the best food in the entire city and everyone is a friend.
“This is my favorite place to eat. You’ll see. My favorite is a painting that hangs between the bathrooms. It reminds me of the old television show, The X-Files. I used to watch it all the time online. Have you seen it before?”
Giggling, Zara shakes her head no. Listening to Garrett sing the praises of the establishment, Zara is able to clear her mind of the conversation they had outside and enjoy being in his company.
Vanesa sets a waffle between them and gives Zara a huge smile, “Enjoy!”
“No, I have not heard of the files,” Zara tells Garrett after Vanessa backs away.
Garrett freezes. “You have not heard of The X-Files? Oh, we are definitely going to have to introduce you to Mulder and Scully.”
Shaking his head, Garrett picks up syrup. Lifting his eyebrow, he seeks Zara’s permission before smothering the waffle and hands her a fork from a mason jar in the center of the table.
Garrett and Timmy chat about old movies, neither of which Zara is familiar with. Laughing as they make their way out, Garrett assures Timmy he will see to it personally that Zara gets an immediate introduction to Dancing with the Stars.
I want to come back. I have a new favorite restaurant in Michigan.
Back in the car, Garrett’s tone becomes serious. “You will be able to do this college thing. Only someone raised to be put into a specific box, and who wants to break out of that box, would have made the choice you made not to finish the Ceremony. Zara… you are much stronger than you think you are. I see it every day that we spend time together. I know you will make friends and do well in your classes. What I am less sure of is whether you will choose me at the end.”
Zara keeps her eyes in her lap as she processes all of Garrett’s words. He believes in her. He believes she can handle all the new challenges that school will present. His only is concern is that she will discover there was something or someone else out there for her. The rest of the drive to campus is silent, both replaying the declaration Garrett had made.
Recognizing they are pulling up to Yakeley, Zara turns a bit in her seat. “I am so very thankful for this opportunity. I am nervous but I am excited. I will be living as my own person for the first time.”
Zara watches Garrett put the car in park and turn to look at her. “Thank you for coming to breakfast with me. I am going to let you jump out without walking you to the door since it’s move-in day and I shouldn’t take up the space. As I said at the beach, I am going to allow you to determine when and how often we talk. You don’t have a purse. Why don’t you have a purse?”
Reaching into the center console and pulling out her room key and student ID, Garrett looks at her picture and smiles before handing them both to her. Blushing, Zara does not answer his question.
“Okay. Take the credit card and go shopping this weekend. There are several good stores across from campus where you can pick up some items for yourself, including a purse. Am I clear?”
Zara nods. The nervousness that was gone the whole time she was with Garrett, bubbles to the surface. People are everywhere.
“Thank you for taking me to Golden Harvest. I liked the people and the food was amazing. I hope that we can go back.” Zara uses the moment to take a deep breath and square her shoulders.
“You’ve got this, Little One.”
Chapter 11
SUVs, U-hauls and cars jammed with students and their belongings wedged onto campus for the massive drop-off. Doors that had been closed before now stand open, ready to be filled. Zara politely excuses herself over and over as she makes her way through the crowd to the safety of her room.
Catching glances, Zara is conscious not to stare at the small groups of girls excitedly laughing and hugging after a long summer apart. A wave of loneliness catches Zara off guard.
Gone is the quiet emptiness and peace of the dorm. Concentrating on every step, the hallway seems much longer than when she left before breakfast. Grasping the pendant around her neck, Zara focuses on the hypnotic sound of loud music playing from the room nearby. After a few seconds, she realizes someone is singing every word over the artist
Errbody wanna be a dope boy
Errbody wanna be a coke boy, errbody gotta choppa
Errbody get money, errbody say they from the hood
Errbody real but they not boy
Err’bitch say that she a bad bitch
Zara continues down the hallway toward the music. She looks in open doorways until she is directly across from her room watching a short curvy woman in the middle of the room singing and dancing with her back to the door.
Zara unlocks her own door and slips in, shutting out the sounds behind her. Making her way across the room, Zara sits on the bed and clutches the pillow to her stomach, not sure she is ready to experience the journey she has started on.
Zara is startled by a loud knock at the door. She smiles to herself at the thought of Beth popping by to see her again.
“HI! I’m Ella and this is Liliana. We’re your hall mates. We share the room across the hall. We wanted to come over and introduce ourselves to you and your roommate. You’re stunning! Love that dress. Wait… are you alright? Hey… how are you all unpacked already?”
Zara stands wide-eyed, confronted by two strangers blasting her with information and questions. “Zara…”
“Your room is blue. I didn’t know we could paint. Lil, did you know we could paint? Hey, where are you from? I’m a junior in ‘I’m not quite sure’ and Lil is majoring in engineering. What’s you major? What year are you?”
“Fuck, El! Let her absorb all the questions you’re throwin’ at her. Shit. Sorry, this is Ella. Ella has only two gears, fast and faster. Welcome to Ella’s world.” Liliana speaks at a pace easier for Zara to follow as Ella works to look around Zara into her room.
Fearing she’s about to push past her way past, Zara relents, “Would you like to come in for a moment?”
Ella passes before the words are out of Zara’s mouth. Standing in the middle of the space, Ella slowly spins in circles.
Liliana causally follows her in and peers into the bathroom. Liliana shakes her head, “I would have never thought of a bead door for the closet. It gives more space but still provides a visual barrier. Nice. Excellent thinking.”
While Liliana wanders around commenting on the various space saving units in the room, Ella hops on the end of the bed and makes herself at home. Zara turns to close the door realizing her guests have no plan to leave any time soon.
“Oh, just leave it open. Then we can see if anyone stops by.” Zara is puzzled by the comment but yields to Ella’s request.
Removing her sandals, Zara climbs onto her bed and leans against
the headboard.
“What year are you again?” Ella repeats pausing for Zara to reply.
“This is my first year. I am a freshman.”
Ella and Liliana glance at each other and look back at Zara. Liliana walks over and sits in the desk chair.
Liliana approaches the subject again, “So, you’re a first year, but it looks as if you have a single. And you scored a room in the upperclassmen wing. Who are you really?”
“Yeah. Tell us. We will keep it just between us. You know… hall mates,” Ella chimes in leaning toward Zara to hear her response.
Zara’s body tenses and her eyes find her hands that are resting in her lap.
“My name is Zara. I am from Chattanooga, Tennessee,” She responds in almost a whisper. “I am not sure why I was given this room. Garrett just said that I was…”
“Who is Garrett? Father? Boyfriend? Pastor?”
“Ella. Stop. We just met her. Would you give it a rest?!” Liliana scolds.
“Shit… music stopped.” Ella bounces off the bed and heads over to their room. With the music started, Ella races back in and leap onto the bed.
Ella is speaking, but Zara’s attention is captured by the hymnal quality of the music.
“Excuse me. What is this song?”
Zara watches Ella and Liliana glance at each other as if mentally discussing what she just asked.
“This is Take Me to Church… by Hozier,” Ella says with a dramatic drawing out of the names.
“Hozier is just the ‘IT GUY’ at the moment. Forgive, El. She grows on you. Give her time,” Liliana smiles at Ella and Ella sticks out her tongue in reply.
“Don’t they play Hozier in Chattahoochie? What are you into?”
“I was not raised with music. My parents did not allow music in the house.”
“What about at school? Your friends?” Ella questions with hopefulness.
“My brother and I were home-schooled. I did hear some wonderful music when I arrived in Michigan. I do enjoy it,” Zara says.
Clapping and bouncing up and down, Ella plasters a big smile on her face, “Hooray, you will be our blank canvas.”
Again, Liliana comes to the rescue. “Zara, if our music is too loud, just let us know. We’ll turn it down. Ella tends to play it on full blast. There will be no hard feelings.”
“It is not a problem at all. I don’t hear anything once my door closes and…”
“What?!” Ella leaps off the bed again and shuts the door. As the latch clicks, all sound from the hallway is muted. Ella looks at Liliana and raises an eyebrow in the silence.
“NO FUCKING WAY!”
Liliana meets her at the door and begins opening and closing it over and over again. Zara sits staring in confusion at the strangeness of their behavior.
Liliana turns and gestures toward the door with her hands. “Your room is soundproof! How in the hell did you get a soundproof room? Why do you need a soundproof room? Ok… what the hell is going on?”
“I do not know. I thought all the rooms were similar. Are you positive your room is not soundproof?” Zara asks in a shaking whisper.
The question brings laughter that Zara is not accustomed to and she wonders if they are laughing at her. “Our room is definitely NOT soundproof. The walls are paper thin in this old building. Where’s your stereo? I’ll show you.”
Ella looks around. “Wait… you don’t have a television or a stereo in here. What are you going to do for entertainment?”
Shrugging her shoulders, Zara is beginning to feel self-conscious. “I was not raised with a television either. I read a lot. I will study, I guess…”
“Well, thank Christ that you found us!” Ella states matter-of-factly. “We have TV, music and video games. The door is always open if we’re home. It’s kind of a dorm thing… you’ll get used to it. You’ll come over and chill with us all the time.”
“Trust me, Zara, it’s so much easier to just say yes. She is short but mighty,” Liliana proclaims with a giggle. “And she’s correct. You’re welcome anytime.”
“Thank you. I would like that.” Zara forces out a small smile on her face.
“Oh, hey, Sara! We’re in here!” Ella yells at two blonds dressed in MSU tee shirts at the door of their room.
“Cool as FUCK room… score!” says Sara. Zara admires her waist length hair and blue eyes.
Walking in behind her is one of the most breathtaking women Zara had ever seen. With hair a darker blond than the first girl, her magnetic eyes and seductive smile make Zara forget where she is for just a moment. When the girl winks at her, Zara has to give Ella her undivided attention to regain her composure.
“Zara… these are more of your hall mates. Zara? Hell–O?”
“Yes…” Zara drags her eyes back to Ella.
“Sara… this is Zara and Zara’s room. She is a freshman from Tennessee. She has no music baggage and no bad TV show habits that we need to break. She is a perfect addition to the hall.”
“It’s very nice to meet you Zara. I am lovin’ your room. How did you get on an upperclassmen floor?” Sara asks walking further into the room with a wave and sits on the floor next to the bed.
“No point in asking… she is not giving up any info. Zara… this is Christine,” she finishes and moves on to a new conversation with Sara and Liliana.
Christine joins Zara at the side of her bed where Zara locks eyes with her. With a slight shift, unobserved by the rest of the room, Christine’s posture changes. Immediately, Zara casts her eyes down and modifies her sitting position to that of a submissive. In this moment, she realizes all her secrets have been told, for she knows she is in the presence of a Domme.
“Zara… it is a pleasure to meet you. Please let me know if there is anything I can assist you with.”
Zara nods, unable to reply. Without another word, Christine turns and walks from the room.
“I guess we aren’t staying to chat. See ya.” Sara stands and follows Christine out.
“We need to get to unpacking too… Ella. That was the deal.”
“It was very nice to meet you both. Thank you for coming over and introducing yourselves everyone.” Zara stands, grateful for the alone time to process what had just occurred.
“You can still keep your door open and listen to the music. Or come over and hang out in our room while we unpack,” Ella states with a lift in her voice.
Zara smiles back at her. “Actually, I am going to go shopping for a…”
“SHOPPING! We love shopping. Lil, let’s go shopping and put the room together later. We cannot let our new friend go shopping alone. Please… please… please,” Ella hops up and down in front of her roommate.
“Let’s shop!” Liliana concurs, giving Zara two new shopping companions and zero alone time.
In a matter of moments, they gather what they need and lock up their rooms.
From the hallway, Zara can hear the music from her hall mates’ room clearly. “Told you, not soundproof.”
At each open door they pass, Ella introduces Zara as her new friend that they have to get to know and by the time the three make it out the door, Zara has been introduced to over twenty-five new people.
“Don’t worry. I don’t remember any of their names. That’s Ella’s specialty. She knows everyone and remembers everyone she meets,” Liliana whispers in her ear.
Smiling as they make their way out, Zara cannot wait to tell Garrett that she has made new friends. For the first time since coming to college, excitement is outweighing the fear of being at Michigan State on her own.
Chapter 12
“Fuck! Look at the lovely 9 Series. I have not seen one of those around these parts.” Liliana exclaims, pointing to the white sedan parked at the curb as they make their way closer to the front of the dorm. Shifting the bags from their recent shopping expedition from one hand to another, Zara recognizes Garrett’s car.
As they get closer, the door opens and Garrett steps out angrily walking up to Zara. Both Ell
a and Liliana stop dead in their tracks, mouths open and unable to speak. For the first time since Zara has met her, Ella is not talking a mile a minute.
“Zara Faith, where have you been?”
“I went…”
“Where is your phone?” Zara set the bags on the ground in front of her.
Her body tenses, “I forgot it in…”
“You forgot the phone again. The phone that I have asked you to keep on you at all times. Is that what I am to understand?”
Zara’s eyes drop to the ground and her shoulders hunch over in shame because she has upset Garrett for a second time in one day. Awaiting the pending punishment, she realizes Garrett has picked up the bags she set down.
“Take these to your room. Call me when you get inside.”
Zara takes the bags and stands shaking before him. Having never seen Garrett so angry, she is unsure what is coming.
“NOW, Zara Faith!”
Without a word or backward glance, Zara heads to her room, her key out of the wristlet before she reaches the hallway. Inside her room, she immediately picks up the phone with her free hand.
Looking at the screen, Zara sees there are ten missed calls and just as many texts. Before she can dial, the phone rang. Knowing it is Garrett but afraid to speak, Zara swipes to answer the incoming call. While the packages crinkle in time with her quaking.
A deep breath precedes a calmer voice. “Little One, please go to the window and look out.”
With her packages in one hand and the phone in the other, she goes to the window and pulls aside the curtain.
“Put the bags down, Little One. Go on, I’ll wait.”
Another deep breath whispers in her ear as she sets the bags down. “Little One, I am sorry I raised my voice at you. I am sorry that I spoke like that in front of your friends. That will never happen again. Please forgive me.
“Listen, you are in a new city, a new state and I am the only person that you know. If you were to get lost and scared, that phone is your connection to me. But, Zara, it’s also my connection to you. I brought you here. I put you into a situation that you never expected to be in. I need to know that you are safe and handling the situation.
Before Him Comes Me Page 10
