Unordinary Ordinary Love
Welcome to Villa Julie College Emily Luna Burns! Here is your freshman class schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday (8:00-8:50am)— Psychology 101 Dr. Radford, Michelle E.
Monday, Wednesday (1:00-1:50pm)— Sociology 101 Dr. Lessner, Lisa R.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday (10:15-11:00am)— English 151 Dr. Harris, Terry J.
Tuesday (lecture 11:00am-12:30pm), Thursday (lab 11:00am-12:30pm)— Chemistry 111 Dr. Perry, Kelly N.
Move the pointer up… up… ok… click File and click print. Done. The thin paper spat out of my old printer and landed sloppily on my dorm's cheap, blue, carpeted floor.
"yeaawwww…aww…ah" I bellowed a yawn without much care on my appearance as I combed my fingers through my long, messy, wavy, brown hair. I allowed the strands fall on my face only to annoyingly huff them away a second later.
I was staring at the college's website on my silver Dell laptop for how long? Three hours? Four? Who knows. I had a busy day. What did I do? Oh yeah. Today I spent around six hundred dollars on two oversized text books for chemistry, a decent sized text book for both psychology and sociology, and three small essay composition text books for English. I also had to buy goggles and a cheap, plastic, white lab coat to match. Yes, I was in style for my sciences. But no, I wasn't that excited to start college so soon. It felt like summer vacation had sped by without making its presence known. I guess that was due to me staying inside my small townhome all day with my mother, father, and younger brother. I didn't like the heat. In fact, I absolutely hated summer. And trust me, so would you if you lived in Maryland. It was like walking into a penetratable wall of mist through the 90oF sunny weather. That's how humid it gets here. Ridiculous. But I love thunderstorms. They always entertained me as their dark, monstrous clouds rolled in over the neighborhood, cascaded their shadows, and blocked away the sun completely. Immediately the heat is sucked up and replaced by a cool, windy atmosphere. I love it. It got even more exciting when the power got knocked out as a result, but that's another story to tell for another time.
I had a small circle of good friends, and yes, I did spend some time with them during the summer. Sharon especially. She was someone who understood me completely. Secrets weren't considered secrets when it came to me and Sharon. Everything that came to our minds were openly discussed in our own humorous ways. "Do you remember Brad when that girl he was flirting with decided to dump her cup of red Kool-Aid over his head?!" Sharon asked me with wide, green eyes. Brad McMurphey was a strange kid. One of those flirtatious video gamers who only picked girls with big boobs. One of those anime obsessed porno guys you'd find on the computer all afternoon. He sure picked a winner that day in our small cafeteria in high school last year in the fall. God, he would never give up, too. He was so persistent, so annoying, just so… obnoxious. I'm just glad he strayed clear from Sharon and me although he had tried to court Sharon during the beginning of the school year. What a failure that was. "He got what he deserved" I told her. We both laughed.
It was a shame though. Sharon was still in high school. Except this year she took my place as the senior for Howard High's class of 2007. I was the only one going off to college in my friend group. That sucked. I don't know anyone who attends this college. No one. I was alone in this strange environment, but I was sure I'd make a few friends tomorrow when my Monday classes began. You see, this college has got to be the smallest college in all of Maryland. Perhaps I should have gone to Towson University, or perhaps Salisbury University? I got accepted to both, maybe I should have chosen a larger university. No, I think I'll like here. Villa Julie College has small classrooms. No large lecture rooms. I liked that. Plus Villa Julie College was very secluded. Nothing but green forests and large farms surrounded the campus. It was nice, peaceful, relaxing. Yes, I think I will enjoy my school career here. Very much so.
I quickly covered my mouth to stifle another reoccurring yawn. What time is it? I looked down towards the bottom, right hand corner of my laptop's monitor. 2:10 am it read. Wow. It was very late. I don't know how I could possibly wake up for my eight-o-clock class this morning. I doubt I'd wake up in time. That usually happened in high school when I stayed up until three to four in the morning. It was sad. I'd miss the bus and had to walk the extra mile to get to school only to receive a scowl from my teacher. "Hey, I could have stayed home and slept in if you wanted me to" I told Mr. Richards, my trigonometry teacher. With that he'd frown, turn around, and continued whatever he was lecturing on before I had so rudely interrupted his class. You know, when I think about it, I'm surprised I got an A in that class. Hell, I'm surprised I graduated with all A's. I had a big mouth. A very opinionated one at that. I didn't like others telling me what to do, and if I didn't agree with someone I made them know I didn't. In fact, my big mouth got me detention when I decided to back talk our school principal. I don't regret it. It was worth it.
I lazily got up from the dorm's provided wooden, blue cushioned chair and stretched, allowing my ridiculously thin arms to reach above my head. All of a sudden, I felt heavily dizzy from the blood rush, so I quickly grabbed a hold of the chair while I held my eyes shut until the uncomfortable tingling sensations passed. I hated when that happened. It usually occurred when I stood up to fast, or if I was tired and sat for too long. Either way, it was a horrible feeling.
Finally my vision came back. No more black spots, so I pulled the covers of my dorm's bed by the large window which contained the wonderful view of a nearby dorm building, huddled in, wrapped my large, lime comforter tightly around my petite frame, and pulled the small switch from the lamp on my night table to kill the light. Finally, it was dark except for the blue-ish lighting of the half moon and the bright green numbers from my alarm clock. Everything became still. Everything became silent. Slowly my eyes droop and I feel myself being pulled into unconsciousness.
MEEP MEEP MEEP! My hazel eyes flutter open instantly as my hand slams hard on the snooze button. The sun was rising. I could tell. My single dorm room was lit in a strange orange glow. Not too bright, but just enough to keep me from falling back asleep.
My eyes widen. That's right. Today was my first day of classes. I turn my head quickly to face my alarm clock. 7:00am. Shit. I only had an hour before my psychology class started. I could've sworn I had set my alarm clock to wake me up at 6:30 am. I must've slept through it. I wouldn't be surprised if I did.
I slowly removed the covers, got out of bed, and searched through my unpacked suite case for some clean clothes. Fresh socks, a white t-shirt, denim jeans, the usual. I was never one for dressing beautifully, never into the styles and fads, I dressed for comfort. So with my clothes in hand, I took a few steps to the bathroom, changed, and brushed my teeth. Unfortunately I didn't have time to wash my hair this morning, but I did take one last night. My hair was fine. Maybe it was unruly and 'all over the place', but clean nonetheless. Good right? So I brushed it a few times until it looked nice and well-combed. I was happy. Nothing too special in the hair style department. It was plain. It suits me.
Quickly, I left the bathroom, grabbed my book bag off the floor by my bed, picked up my printed schedule from the floor by the printer, and took another look at my alarm clock. 7:45 am it read. I had fifteen minutes.
I hurriedly unlocked the door to my dorm, fast walked down the blue carpeted, white painted hallway, down the dark green steps, and out the front door of the building. Immediately the humidity slammed against me, knocking the breath straight out of my fragile lungs. The air was so heavy, so muggy, and the above morning sun only made it worse. I hated it, but there was so little one could do about the weather. It didn't matter, so I pushed that aside.
I noticed other students leaving their dorm buildings to head out to class. Some were wearing their pajamas, others were dressed to perfection. I honestly couldn't figure out why people wake up so early just to look "decent" throughout a day of school. As long as you got up, got dressed, and made it to class, everything will go comfortably.
I slung my bag higher on my shoulder and took a look at my school schedule. Psychology 101 Owing Mills caves. The 'caves' was a small building down the hill by the college's dining hall building. Not far at all. It will take me three to five minutes give or take.
It felt strange walking past many college students. I wasn't used to it. I missed the high school atmosphere, the teachers yelling at unruly students, the cliques clotting the thin hallways, all of it. Gone. College is different. Very, very, very different. Never in my life had I experienced such…openness. I swear everyone looked the same here. There was a preppy, mature, professional vibe. People carried laptops and fancy school equipment and were clad in Hollister, American Eagle, or Abercrombie & Fitch clothing. Yep, I was so plain. So plain that my standoffish style stood out amongst the crowd of style fanatics.
Finally, I approached the front doors of a small, hutted, concrete building. The outside wasn't at all flattering, but the inside was a different story. It was beautiful. There were so many windows, a curved glass wall caging a study room in front of the entrance, a fancy empty receptionist desk, and a small student lounge complemented with large sofas and small tables at the back. The health center was located directly to my left next to the study room and to the dark green stairs curving downwards towards the lower floor. Green. My school's theme color. It was everywhere. On the walls, the floor, the receptionist desk. Mustang pride was apparently displayed on the nearby wall as small solid black horses ran towards the professor offices on the wall.
My eyes settled on the clock placed upon the green wall adjacent to the receptionist desk. 7:58. Crap. I didn't know which class room. I began to panic.
Luckily a girl around my age walked past me holding our class psychology text book. Perhaps she would know.
"Umm excuse me" I began. The girl stopped and faced me.
"Yeah?" she sounded rushed. In a hurry. That gave me hope.
"Are you in Psychology 101?" I asked.
"Uh yeah? I'm heading there right now" she seemed confused and bothered.
"Oh thank God I have that same class. I'm new here so I don't really know where everything is" I told her.
She seemed helpful, but I could tell she didn't want to be bothered. She was obviously in a hurry to get to class, and someone like me just had to stall her from accomplishing her task.
She smiled understandingly, "sure! Follow me! It's the first class room to your right down this hall"
I quickly followed her from behind and watched her enter the bright class room. I was amazed at how fast the students beat me to the class room. It was filled. Packed. I didn't think such a small room could house that many students. At least the windows aligning the opposite wall gave the illusion of space. I could live with that.
The desks were white, rectangular, and long. They stretched from the far end of the room by the windows towards the door. No, I wasn't bothered by that. I just wasn't used to seeing a class like this. It was strange. Unusual. Unlike high school, the chairs were comfortable. You know, like those chairs for your computer desk. It was nice.
I looked around the room in search for vacant chairs. The back row? One, two, three, four…no. All the chairs were filled. I scanned towards the front. Damn.
"We have two seats open right here if you'd like"
I averted my gaze from the seats in front of me to a plump lady standing at the front of the class room. I assumed she was the professor. She smiled.
"Where?" I asked. I honestly couldn't see any open seats.
She walked a few steps towards the middle of the front row and pointed to the only two vacant seats.
"Right here"
"Oh, thank you" I must have been blind. How could I not see that?
As I took the seat more towards the center of the class room, I noticed that some students were staring at me; others were eyeing the clock above the entrance door. They all looked impatient. I was obviously holding the class back. I felt embarrassed.
"Alright" the professor began, "I think we have everyone. So did all you have a nice summer break?"
I quickly pulled out my binder and my pen, placed it on the desk, and prepared myself for fifty minutes of class time while the rest of the class either nodded their heads or verbally replied.
"That's good" she said as she picked up a large stack of packets and handed out a couple to the end of each elongated table.
The students beside me each took one for their own until the last packet was handed down to me. I flipped through. Only five pages. Not bad.
"Alright. What I just handed out to all of you was…" she stopped and turned her attention to the opening door. I, like the rest of the class, followed her gaze.
A tall man, very tall, wearing a black buttoned-down shirt with the sleeves rolled back, dark blue, form fitting jeans, and black converse sneakers quietly shut the heavy door. I swear he had the palest skin. So strangely pale. And his hair? Black. Almost a dark blackish-blue and stylishly unruly. But when he faced the teacher and the class, I forget how to breath. Like the time a speeding soccer ball landed hard against my chest knocking my wind out. I have never seen someone quite like this person. Never.
"W-welcome! Please join us" apparently the teacher was just as surprised as the rest of the female population. The guys, however, thought differently. In fact, I could've sworn I heard one of them cough out 'pretty boy' in the back row. How mature.
He began walking towards me. Why? Because the only seat provided just had to be the one next to mine. That usually was my luck. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind having someone so attractive sitting next to me, but I hated the attention. This guy would definitely bring bundles of unwanted attention. Too late though. It was already happening. The girls were glaring at me.
It was sad though. As much as I hated flirty girls, I couldn't blink. I couldn't take my eyes of him. His beauty paralyzed me. I didn't like it. Luckily his eyes were facing the front board as he walked towards the seat next to mine. Stop staring, stop staring, stop staring. Crap. He averted his gaze.