Unpacking [Triple-J]

[Ashton Rucker]

It was that time of year again. The time of year when the weather got just a bit colder, the leaves changed colors, and jackets and jeans were brought out after a long, hot summer full of t-shirts and shorts. It was the time of year to start school again, the time most high school-aged students dreaded most in the year, especially when you didn't leave school for nine months.

Ashton Rucker was dropped off by his father in the parking lot, where he took his many suitcases full of things with him to the boys' dorm. He got a lot of greetings from his friends and other people he knew, such as teachers.

"Hey, Rucker!"

"'Sup, Ruck?"

"Hey, Ashton," a girl waved.

He smiled back at everyone who greeted him, almost glad to be back. He dragged his many suitcases with him into the elevator, just barely squeezing himself in because of his luggage. He traveled all the way to the fourth floor, where the seniors stayed. He took the slip of paper that had his dorm assignment on it out of his pocket.

"Room one-thirty-one," he muttered, and shoved it back into his pocket. He walked along the hallway, scanning the doors, muttering, "One-thirty-one...one-thirty-one..." over and over under his breath, until finally, he found it - a wooden door with the number 131 on it in brass numbers, like an address.

"Ah! Here we are...one-thirty-one!" he said to himself. He took the room key out of his pocket and unlocked the door, stepping inside. There was a single bed, bunkbeds, a small sofa, a desk, an entertainment center, and the windows gave a perfect view to the ocean. Ashton smiled. He had the perfect dorm.

He began to unpack when he realized that he must have a roommate if there were two extra beds. He took out the slip of paper with his dorm on it and looked for a roommate. Close to the bottom of the slip of paper, it read,

ROOMMATE: JAMES JACOBSON

James Jacobson? Who's that? Ashton thought. I guess I'll find out soon... He continued unpacking, but he soon heard a knock at the dormitory door...

[James Jacobson]

It had been a long day for James so far. He'd woken up at the crack of dawn this morning to get to the first day of his Senior year at Blakewood Academy; and for the first time ever, he got to drive his new convertible to School that he'd gotten for his birthday. He'd been so thrilled about it ever since he got it, but he didn't want to show it off to everyone who didn't happen to be as lucky as him.

Lugging his suitcases, laptop and backpack out of the car, he just barely managed to drag all of his things to the Boy's Dorm from his flashy silver convertible. He strode along campus, a few familiar faces stopping him and chit chatting with him a little. All they really said was 'Hey' and 'Nice to see you again.' Then, he'd wave goodbye and finally after seeing four familiar faces, he made it to the Boys' Dorm.

Inside his pocket was a small piece of paper he'd received in the mail over the summer. He knew that he was in room 131 on the Fourth Floor of the Boys' Dorm, which he knew was the Senior floor, having attended Blakewood Academy for the past four years. He wondered who his roommate was as he climbed into the Elecator and rode it to the fourth floor.

He stepped out and strolled down the hallway, eyes scanning each of the doors. He passed by room 140 and journeyed all the way down the hallway to find room 131 in brass numbers on the nice wooden door that lay before him. He knocked on the door, thinking that perhaps his roommate had arrived already. If not, he would have to unlock it.

"Yo!" He called, hoping if his roommate was there, he'd hear it. "It's James. Open up!"

[Ashton Rucker]

I guess that would be James Jacobson, then, Ashton thought with a small grin as he heard the muffled voice outside the door. He stepped over a suitcase and opened the door, letting the guy in. He was a bit tall, with medium-length brown hair and a smiling face, like he was excited to be there. He was carrying about as much as Ashton had been.

"'Sup, dude?" Ashton said in a friendly manner, holding out his fist, waiting for the other boy to pound it. "I'm Ashton...call me Rucker; that's my last name." He grinned. "I'm guessing you're James Jacobson?" He looked at the other senior precariously.

[James Jacobson]

As the door was pulled open, James had a curious expression on his face, ready for a good surprise on how his roommate would look. He was a pretty tall figure with a muscular build and sandy brown hair, a little shaggier than James's. He also looked a bit more sophisticated than James himself, and James admired that.

He pounded his free fist with his, "Not much Rucker." He gave him a friendly grin and nodded, "That'd be me, James Jacobson at your service! Mind if I come in?" He asked, gesturing to his overload of bags, wanting to drop them on the floor in their dorm and just collapse on his bed.

[Ashton Rucker]

Ashton grinned as James called him by his last name, the way he liked to be called. As James introduced himself, he said, "Nice to meet you, bro." Then, James asked if he could come into the dorm. Ashton stepped aside and said, "Of course you can come in, man, this is your dorm too. Make yourself at home."

He let James in and shut the door. "As you can see...I got a shitload to unpack..." Ashton muttered as he finished hanging up his clothes. All he had left to do was set up his video games and stuff like that. Soon, they'd be getting their schedules.

[James Jacobson]

James wandered inside the room the moment Ashton stepped aside. He gazed around and took in all that was to take in of the room - which in fact, was a pretty sweet room. "Man, this room's sweet..." He stated with a soft grin as he tossed his things onto the un-used bed next to Rucker's, which was going to become his.

He glanced over at Rucker and laughed gently, "Same here, but it'll all be worth it when it's done," He added, unzipping his suitcase and beginning to take out his shirts and pants. As if reading Rucker's mind, he glanced over at him, "Say, you like videogames?" James played them on occasion when he wasn't busy as heck running all over the place.