Chapter One

Leaving the community was the single hardest decision that Charity Miller has ever made. Every step she has made in this new world has been difficult and uncertain. Her whole life if she was ever lost in a situation she could turn to family or God, but now that she has forsaken the Amish community she isn’t sure who she has to turn to. Her hand goes to the small golden cross around her neck and she sighs, don’t think like that Charity. You left the community so you could forge your own path. Find your way in this modern world. This is an opportunity. Don’t focus on the negative. Just the positive.

She takes a deep and looks forward. College. That’s what all the books said that people her age did. They went to college. She had never attended public school so when she applied for the local community college they had her take a variety of standardized tests, they explained to her that it was so they could place her appropriately in classes. In Charity’s opinion it was all a waste of time, but she was raised never to complain and so she did so. Once the results were back she had to apply for student loans. The terminology was dizzying, but she was able to get through it and now here she is. College.

The campus was small but homely. It had a building for just about every major department, and a large football field. Charity had read about football. It is something that many American people enjoyed and so she is interested to see it in person. Sure there was sports when she lived in the Amish community and she knew what football was, but knowing and experiencing are two different things.

She looks down at the paper in her hands, it had her room assignment. Who would her dorm mates be? Hopefully they are nice and willing to help me learn the campus. She heads up the stairs and sighs looking at the room number. She straightens her cardigan and smooths out her long frizzy brown hair. She could do this.

With a deep breath she opens the door, “Dylan is that you? You’re taking forever love! We have plans and you know we don’t want to start the semester off by—“A young attractive man comes around the corner and blinks at her confused. The smile on his face replaced with a furrowed brow before spreading over his handsome features again, “Oh! You must be the other roommate!”

The color drains from Charity’s face. A man? This college would room her with a man? Where was the decency? How could she feel safe? Her fingers grip the handle of the single suitcase she had brought with her, knuckles turning white with fear. The young man immediately notes her discomfort and flushes,

“Oh honey, I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s okay, my name is Remy. Come inside I’ll show you your room. Did they give you your key?” Charity nods and cautiously follows after Remy into the room. Once inside she sees a small hallway with three closed doors and a shared bathroom for the three of them. She immediately lets out a sigh of relief when Remy stops, “this is yours, you have your own key so Dylan and I can’t enter without your permission. I am in the room next door and Dylan is in the furthest one.” She nods, the nervousness slowly decreasing. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. They weren’t sharing a room, they were her neighbors. She could live with that.

She puts the key in the door and smiles seeing a dresser, desk, and bed. The room was small, but Charity had meager possessions so it was perfect for her. She sets her suitcase next to the dresser and her backpack in the desks chair before turning to look at Remy,

“where’s my manners? My name is Charity Miller. I will be your roommate for the year, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Remy.” She smiles at him politely and folds her hands in front of herself not sure what to do.

Remy laughs and bows to Charity with a flourish, “the pleasure is all mine.” He winks at her through his black curly hair. His green eyes rise to meet hers and he smiles again. Remy found his new roommate to be a bit peculiar, but nothing he wasn’t used to. “Are you new tot own?” Charity nods shyly and begins to fidget with the bottom of her shirt, “so are me and Dylan! We can get to know the area together. You’ll like Dylan, he’s a peach. Kind of quiet and brooding. Between the two of you I am sure we will all have blossoming conversations.”

Sensing she is being teased Charity blushes, but cannot help but raise her hand to her mouth to hide a giggle. Remy is infectiously charming and she cannot manage to keep her nervousness up as he continues to chatter at her.

“If you aren’t from here Charity, where are you from?” Remy asks as he leans against the wall, laidback and open. He wanted to get to know the woman he would be living with.

Charity’s heart stops for a moment, she had not considered what she would tell her dorm mates about her home. From her experiences so far coming from an Amish community was bizarre and often others would question her intensely about it or avoid her altogether. She just wants to fit in and she finds as the conversation continues that she wants Remy to like her,

“Oh. I am from Virginia. Just a few states over.” She blushes thinking that the lie was good, but feeling guilty for lying to Remy all the same. She came from Ohio, but she didn’t want to say that because what if her roommate wanted to meet her family? She couldn’t very well bring him to the community nor could she return there herself. No, it would be easier for him to think her family lived nearby, but just out of visiting distance.

“Virginia huh? Dylan and I are from New York ourselves. Do you have any family in the area?” He smiles, “and if not what made you choose this little old community college? It’s not exactly state of the art.”

Charity nods and her heart quickens, all this lying was hard on her. Her whole life she’s been told that lying is a sin and now every word from her mouth is a lie. “No. No family. I’m an only child and uhm, I just, I wanted to get away from them. Forge a new path for myself. I, uhm, I didn’t want to have to live up to the family traditions.” Remy is nodding and smiles,

“Dylan and I moved for the same reason. Well, Dylan more so then me. My family actually moved out here with us, they’re real nice. We will have to have you over for dinner sometimes, they love meeting my friends.” He smiles at her and checks his watch, “I wonder where Dylan is? He said he just had to grab a few things for the dorm….”

Charity sees her opportunity and leaves her doorway shutting and locking her room, “speaking of supplies, I have to go and get my own. It was nice meeting you Remy, see you soon.” Remy blinks and looks at her blushing embarrassed,

“How rude of me, of course you do honey. Nice chatting with you, be careful out there!” He waves as she exits the dorm and makes a beeline for the campus map. She stares at it for a good five minutes before realizing there were smaller versions for her to take and she smiles opening it up and heading to find all of her classes. Always prudent she memorizes each class’s location before heading to the campus supply store to get the recommended materials for each class. With her nose buried in the map she is oblivious to her surroundings until she walks straight into something hard and strong. As she falls backwards the map falls out of her hands and she lands bottom down on the concrete.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t even see you.” A tan skinned man looks at her sheepishly and pushes his chocolate brown hair behind his ear. He leans down and offers his hand, “here.”

But Charity didn’t hear any of this, instead her eyes zoned in on the face coming near her as her mind races. School hasn’t even started yet and you’re making such a mess, running into people, you should be watching where you are going! Were you not born with any sense? Her eyes snap into focus as his hand is right in front of her and the world stops, before she can think she pushes his hand away and shakes her head at him before running off.

The man is left standing on the walkway awkwardly, face red as a fire truck. He mutters, “Sorry.” And puts his hands in his pockets while he watches Charity run back to the dorms.

The man is headed that way as well, but he meanders awhile to make sure he doesn’t run into Charity again. Once he feels enough time has passed he walks into his dorm, “Remy! You would not believe what just happened. There was this girl, I knocked her over and—“before he can get another word out he sees Charity with Remy and he drops his bags.

“Dylan! I am glad you’re back, this is our roommate Charity.” He gestures to the girl besides him unaware that the color has completely drained from her face. How mortifying that the man she ran into would be Dylan! Her other roommate! “Dylan love, you look like someone slapped you a crossed the face. What in the world is wrong with you? Say hello!”

Dylan looks down and murmurs, “Hey, uh, sorry for knocking you over at the store.” Remy gasps and looks over at Charity noting her pale expression and bursts out laughing,

“My dears! You are so cute. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about Charity, Dylan is just an oaf.” Dylan’s chest puffs out but he doesn’t refute the jab which only delights Remy more who grins and stands up clapping his hands, “ I can already tell, this is going to be an amazing year.”