"I don't really have any stories to tell," I shrugged as I sat opposite Nadia, each of us on our beds facing the other.

"Come on," She urged, "You have to have something."

"No, not really," I sighed, frustrated with my dull existence and bland interior.

"I'll tell you one of mine first," Nadia suggested.

"Okay," I said, ready to switch the focus off of me.

"When I went skydiving last summer, I felt exhilarated. The wind in my face and the view from up so high were incredible. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins as I fell to the ground. I was strapped to a professional, which made it a little weird, but it was still awesome. When it was time to pull the parachute, it didn't expand."

"What?" I asked, intrigued.

"Yep. I freaked out. I was prepared to die."

"What happened next?"

"The expert tried it again, and it worked."

"Thank God. If you had died, I never would have met you and could have been stuck with a snotty roommate," I joked.

"I know. I still don't know what happened or why it didn't work the first time. All I know is that I'm grateful to be alive."

"Wow."

"Okay, your turn."

"I seriously don't have any stories to tell."

"You have to have at least one."

"Nope."

"Have you ever bowled a perfect score?"

"I have never even been bowling," I said, thinking back to my family offering to take me but me deciding to stay in and study instead.

"What?" Nadia exclaimed.

"I've never been bowling."

"Why not?"

"I just never had the time."

"You have to go bowling at least once this year."

"Deal," I replied. Now that high school was over and I had gotten into college, I had time for pleasantries like bowling.

"What about horseback riding? Have you ever been thrown off a horse?"

"I've never been horseback riding either."

"You'll have to do that too," Nadia proposed. "Have you ever been camping and got attacked by a bear?"

"Never been camping."

"Wow. We should create a list of things you need to do!"

I thought about that for a second. It sounded a little overwhelming to have a whole list of things that I should accomplish, but I knew that I needed to gain life experience and try new things if I wanted to live a fulfilled life.

Talking to Nadia made me realize that I had missed out on many things that normal teenagers did. I wanted to do these things before I was old and couldn't anymore.

"Okay, let's do it."

I reached into one of my drawers and grabbed a pen and notebook to write down some ideas.

"Okay, put bowling, horseback riding, and camping down first," Nadia urged.

After jotting down those three things in my best handwriting, I turned my head toward Nadia.

"What are some other things that you haven't done?" She asked.

"I've never been to a party."

"Never?"

"Nope."

"Not even a birthday party?"

"I've been to parties for my family but never one with people my age."

"So, you've never gotten drunk or made out with someone?"

"No," I said. I had never even kissed anybody. It's not that I didn't want to. It's that nobody was willing to kiss me.

"Write down going to a party, getting drunk, and making out with someone," Nadia demanded.

"I don't know," I said, unsure if I wanted to do those things.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

On the one hand, I could never see myself getting drunk, going to a party, or making out with a stranger. It was so out of character for me that I couldn't even imagine it. On the other hand, I knew that these were all some people's best experiences in life and that I was missing out by not engaging in these things.

"Okay," I said, writing those ideas down.

"Skinny dipping," Nadia said.

"What?"

"Add skinny dipping. I'm assuming you've never done that."

"No, I haven't," I said before writing it on the list.

"What else have you always wanted to do?" Nadia said as she thought of other things.

"I've always wanted to make some friends. I've sort of already done that, though."

"That's great! You can put that down, and we can cross it off the list since you have me!"

"Okay," I laughed, happy that Nadia considered us friends already.

"Have you ever been to Wonderworld?"

"No. I've never even ridden a rollercoaster before," I said.

"Write that one down."

"We need two more to have ten," I said.

"I'm hungry. I can't think when I'm hungry," Nadia whined, "Do you want to finish this list at Fiona's?"

"Fiona's?"

"It's a cafe on campus."

"Okay," I said, getting up.

Nadia and I pulled on our shoes and headed outside. Once we got to the Cafe, we acquired our food and drinks and sat down at a booth.

"A drive-in movie!" Nadia exclaimed.

"What?"

"For the list," She said, digging into my bag to find my notebook and pen. I found it funny that she was already comfortable looking through my purse without asking.

"Oh, okay. That sounds fun."

After writing it down, Nadia looked at me.

"I have the last one, but I don't know if I should say it."

"What is it?" I asked, curious.

Nadia paused for a second before blurting out, "Are you a virgin?"

Her bluntness threw me off, but I answered the question.

"Yeah, I am."

"Okay, well, we don't have to put this on the list if you don't want it on there. I don't mean to pressure you at all, but we could add losing your virginity."

I thought for a minute. I had watched porn and experimented by myself before, but that was about it for my sexual experience. Losing my virginity was a big thing for me. It was something that I wanted to do, though. I had been ready for a long time but didn't have anyone to lose it to, which was frustrating.

"Okay," I agreed, jotting it down, "So, I'm assuming you've lost your virginity?"

"Yeah," Nadia responded.

"When?"

"To some guy named Mike in high school."

"Did it hurt?" I asked the question that I had always been nervous about and afraid to ask. Every time I thought about losing my virginity, the thought of how painful it would be entered my mind.

"A little, but it's so worth it."

"Do you have a boyfriend now?" I asked.

"I have a fuck-buddy."

"Wow, okay," I laughed.

"Do you ever wonder what it's like to be a bug?"

"Uh, what?" I asked.

"A bug seems like it would have a pretty horrible life. Humans walk on thousands of bugs without even realizing it. We kill innocent little bugs without even thinking twice. I feel bad for them sometimes."

"I guess."

"Sorry if I'm acting crazy. I like to say whatever thoughts come to mind."

"It's completely fine."

I liked Nadia's weirdness. I felt like having a friend like her would add excitement to my life, but I had no idea why she would be friends with me since I didn't offer much. Why did she like me?

"Nadia?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any other friends?"

She paused before saying, "Not really," causing me to feel bad for her. Even though I was okay with not having friends, most people didn't feel the same way.

"Why?"

"People find me weird," She said. I understood why some people might think that, but to me, weirdness made someone special.

"I like your weirdness," I reassured.

"Thank you. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Nadia joked as I grinned.

"I agree."

Nadia and I talked for the next hour, pushing the list aside and connecting as real friends would. The whole experience was a new feeling to me. Sitting with someone my age that wasn't in my family is something I'd never done before, and I liked the feeling it gave me. It made me feel like an interesting person, even though I knew I wasn't.

"Oh, no," Nadia said as the bell at the entrance of the Cafe rang.

"What?" I questioned, looking around.

"River Cohen is here."

"Who's River Cohen?"

"The hottest, most popular, and jerkiest guy on campus."

I turned my head and was amazed by what I saw. I could tell who River was without Nadia pointing him out. River was the most attractive boy I had ever seen. He had warm brown eyes that I could see from across the cafe and dark hair that framed his face perfectly. I was sure his smile and dimples got all the girls into his bed.

"Let's go," Nadia suggested as I continued to stare at him.

"Okay," I said before we stood up and left.

It was late and dark by the time we got back to our dorm. We had our own bathroom, so it was easy to shower and get ready for bed. The bathroom wasn't the cleanest, but what dorm bathroom was?

As I washed myself in the shower, I smiled. I had become excited for my first day of classes. If my classes go half as well as my dorm arrangments went, then I should be in good shape. It looked like it was going to be a great first year of college.

After spreading the suds all over my body, I thought about the list that Nadia and I made. It was the beginning of a new adventure. What I planned on doing was changing myself into the person that I wanted to be. I wanted to break out of my secluded shell and see the world, and that's exactly what I was going to do.

When I got out of the shower, I got ready for bed and snuggled under the covers.

"Want to get to know each other more?" Nadia asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's ask each other some more questions."

"Okay," I agreed, wanting to know more about Nadia.

I learned that she played almost every instrument imaginable, had a pet fish named tucker, and wanted to own a cupcake shop when she was older.

Nadia didn't learn that much about me, mainly because there wasn't much to learn. She did learn that I wanted to be a school therapist and that I had never had any pets before. My parents always said they were too much work whenever my younger brother would beg for a puppy.

Once we finished talking, I laid down on my pillow and began to drift off. I was about to fall into a deep sleep when I froze.

We had left the notebook, which had my name on it, at the Cafe.