A Learning Curve
A/N Mostly AU although it is true to the series in some parts. Alice is a 4th Year university student. She is moving to Cape town uni. There is a reason she had to leave her old one, and why she is so mistrustful of men in particular. Hope you enjoy :D x
(X)
Alice walked down the halls of Jo'burg University. She was late! Late late late! On her first day too! This is not good, not good at all. She walked in the sunshine towards a large imposing building she hoisted her bag up onto her shoulder, it was kinda stupid going to the wrong side of the campus, but c'mon she was new! It wasn't her fault. Plus 4th year was supposed to be a clinical setting anyway.
Hopefully her new lecturer would take pity on her and let her off. If they were a pain in the ass then she was basically screwed wasn't she. Her last lecturer at Cape town had been a sod! Then again…..she stopped her thoughts there. She was so NOT getting into that right now! He had been a full on letch and just coz he was good looking didn't mean people we gonna fall at his feet!
She pulled out her handbook and saw she was in room A201. She walked through she double doors and through a archway. Jogged up two flights of stairs. If she was reading this correctly it was the first door on the left. She came to a door knocked quickly then walked in.
"Sorry I'm late." she said to the female tutor.
"Good Morning I am Dawn Benson."
Alice smiled and took a seat. "Alice Collins." pulled out a pad and a pen.
"Ok people." Dawn continued. "As I was saying welcome to University."
God they must do this every year. She had endured 3 years of this welcome crap. She was welcome already!
Dawn was soon explaining about certain models they would be studying. Alice felt very stupid all of a sudden. Had she missed something in her previous University?
"Here on the Disability Studies course you are expected to….."
Alice was on her feet in a second. "Disability Studies?"
"Yes." Dawn said smiling. "First year Disability Studies."
She hadn't had she? Alice got up and popped her head out of the door, checked the number. A202.
She looked back and saw Dawn watching her.
"Dammit." Alice groaned.
"Wrong room?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah. I'm sorry for disrupting you."
Dawn smiled. "Happens to all of us. I'm a lecturer and end up in the wrong room all the time."
"Mostly it just happens to me." Alice replied leaning over her desk to collect her stuff. "Keep up the good work though." she added sailing through the door. Found the room she was supposed to be in opposite.
She knocked and then walked in, was making sure this time. The lecturer had his back to her and was writing on the board.
"Hi I'm new, is this 4th year Vetinary Medicine?"
The lecturer turned and smiled at her. "Yes."
Alice's mind went blank for a second. Then she shook her head. "Thanks, sorry I'm late. I've just been in a Disability Studies lecture."
"Ah with the lovely Dawn?"
God another lecturer who was a letch! "Yeah she was nice." she replied dryly.
"So Miss, since you are new what is your name?"
"Alice Collins, now may I take seat?"
He frowned slightly at her brusque manner then nodded. "I'm Daniel Trevanion by the way. You can call me Danny."
Alice disliked the way he singled her out to call him Danny. Like it was specifically her who called him Danny and no one else. "That's ok Daniel. Let's keep it professional."
As she walked down the walkway she was sure she heard whispers. Why had she started the course so late? Why had she transferred away from her friends? No doubt they knew. People who knew people. Didn't matter. She hadn't done anything wrong. Nothing they thought mattered anyway. She wasn't here for people to like her. All she wanted from this place was to learn to be a vet. It was HIM who had been at fault. Not her. Everything she had worked for in 3 years was in jeopardy. She had poured her heart and soul into it and now…..she exhaled. Her only saving grace was that she had been able to prove she hadn't done anything wrong - not that it mattered. Mud sticks. She hadn't even been directly accused…no she wasn't going there. This was a fresh start. She saw an empty seat by a young girl with short brown hair and brown eyes.
"Can I sit here?"
The girl looked up. "Go for it."
The girl on the other side of her tutted playfully.
"Have I missed anything?" Alice asked.
The other girl beside the brown eyed girl shook her head. "Just the usual beginning of year drivel!" she had longish light brown hair and green eyes.
"I'm Alice by the way."
The girls smiled. "I'm Katie, and this is Chloe."
Chloe nudged her. "Tell her your surname."
Katie exhaled. "I am lucky enough to share the same surname as Danny. She thinks it's hilarious and sees fit to make everyone know it."
"He's her uncle." Chloe's eyes shined.
"No he isn't. I didn't even know him! Will you replace her as my friend. She drives me crazy!"
Alice laughed softly.
They were set a group task and began to talk.
"So you are new?" Chloe asked leaning forward.
"Shouldn't we be talking about medical procedures?" Alice said uncomfortably.
Chloe nodded. "But we can still get to know you."
Alice exhaled. "Yes I am new."
"Was your last Uni any good?"
"Not according to the news." Alice muttered opening a book.
"What?" the girls asked.
Alice smiled at then. "Nothing."
The lecturer began to talk again and they focused back on the task at hand.
(X)
They were sat in the café at dinner time. Katie was eating a panini, Alice had a jacket potato and Chloe was munching salad.
"You eat the same stuff as your horses." Katie drawled.
Chloe flicked a carrot at her.
Alice smiled. "You have horses?"
"You should see Mary go!" Katie laughed. "I clung on for dear life."
"She's my baby." Chloe said. "She's an angel."
Katie snorted playfully.
"Don't be dissing my horse." flicked another carrot at her
"You know I love her really. We still setting her up later?"
"You bet!"
Alice watched them. "You two are mad!"
They laughed. "So." Katie said taking a bite of her panini. "Where did you go before here?"
"I went to cape Town." she admitted.
Katie winced. "That's the one where that student slept with her tutor for marks. Did you know her?"
"Yeah!" Alice replied angrily. "It was alleged! Unproven! It would never have been proven coz it din't happen!" Alice said heatedly.
Both girls knew by her reaction that she was the student.
"Sorry." Alice whispered taking a sip of fanta.
Both girls shrugged.
This was where they made their excuses and left, Alice thought sadly.
"So what happened?" Katie asked.
"He got accused, for some reason my name was pulled into it." There was more to it than that but she wasn't going any further.
"Look I'll ask you once, did you do it?" Chloe asked.
Both girls fixed her with an unblinking stare.
Alice looked back unflinching. "No."
Katie and Chloe shared a look. "Ok. Now that I over we need to get down to business."
Alice frowned. "That's it?"
"Yeah." Katie replied simply.
Whoa! Most of her old friends stopped speaking to her because of this. These two woman believed after her one denial.
"So where is your placement?" Katie asked.
"We got placed at the same place. Danny likes us." Chloe laughed. "Or it could be…."
"Don't be saying it again or you'll be wearing this." Katie waved her panini at Chloe.
"Your not big enough!" Chloe laughed.
"Says you!" Katie replied playfully.
Alice mistrusted lecturers who played favourites. "Dunno."
"You should have got it by now. Got a letter with all the details."
Alice shook her head and checked her watch. "C'mon we better get back."
"Back to this o so brilliant first year rubbish." Katie muttered.
"Quick recap he says. I missed a lie in for this!" Chloe drawled. "We know this stuff!"
Alice laughed. "We don't wanna be late."
A/N my two most loyalist reviewers got special parts in this story, if i can i will try to find a way to keep you both in, or add you in as much as i can :D
Anyway hope you enjoy, this goes deeper soon x