Cru (pronounced crew), is seen as cold and distant by his dorm mates Jacob Carter, Echo Rivers, and Kaelan Rhodes.            Cru made the mistake of loving the wrong person and hasn’t forgotten. How could he? They were manipulative and smart. Smart enough to know how to convince me that I could be loved. His name was Grayson Hoult. I wish I could’ve walked past him when I met him in daycare. We were eight when we met, his dad was in prison for abuse and he learned how to act. And damn could he act. His mother signed him up for a local theater group to get him out of the house. One day when he was changing into his costume, someone noticed the fist sized bruise on his rib cage and called the CPU. His dad was caught attacking his mother and was sent to jail. Grayson was then put in my daycare and I was told to make him feel welcome. We were friends for five years before I figured out that I loved him. We would stay at each other’s houses staying up past midnight telling stories. Then I told him how I felt, I saw who he really was that night. I got my mom to sign me up for a swim camp that lasted all summer to escape daycare. To escape him.

That was three years ago and I’m sixteen now, and I’ve learned that everyone I let in leaves me. Every friend I make moves or grows distant. I’ve learned that it’s safer to leave first, or better yet, not let anyone get close to me. Every year since that night I’ve gone to the swim camp. When I was there I could forget the memories of him, could forget that I still loved him, could be someone else. This year my roommates are Jacob Carter, Echo Rivers, and Kaelan Rhodes. My assessment of Jacob is; soccer star, plays forward, makes the most shots out of anyone on his team. Lives in Salem, Oregon. Is openly bisexual which means he likes girls and boys, no you don’t have to choose between the two. Sixteen. My assessment of Echo is; quiet, easily forgotten. Non-binary. Loves reading. Track star known for their sprints. Lives in a small town outside of the Idaho border in Oregon. Disowned by their parents, lives with their aunt. Sixteen. My assessment of Kaelan is; his heart’s been broken for a long time. Hides behind laughter and smiles that are faked well. Center defender in soccer, mostly hangs out with Jacob. Sixteen. My assessment of myself; cold, detached, distant. Won’t let anyone in. Won’t let anyone see or know who I am. Swim camp. Best stroke is butterfly. Sixteen. Then there’s the empty bed that we’ve been informed will have an occupant in two days.