Chapter 1

It is our first day at school. I am now sophomore in college, still taking up psychology. People, is what interests me. I do not usually socialize. I just want to observe people. Looking at them from a distant, thinking what they may be thinking at that moment. Maybe that's what leads me in taking up psychology.

Living outside of the city where my university is, I usually needed to make an extra effort to wake up early. Earlier than those of my classmates who live or rent rooms or bed space in dormitories. I'll be riding a bus for an hour or so and it depends on what time. If my class is seven in the morning, I need to be in the bus at five-thirty so I will not be late, while it's a wake up time for some of my classmates near the university. I so envy them.

I saw Jon walking, about twenty-feet ahead of me. I walked faster to near him. I'm sure it was him, judging from his unusual walking posture. His hair is now shorter than I last saw him. I pat his shoulder and he looked back.

"Hi Jon!" I said

"Hey…" Jon took me by the arm. He was the first person I knew in college. The story was during the first day in college, I was so late that only one seat was left vacant—beside him. We walked together up to the classroom for the first subject. Surprisingly, he's still my classmate in all the subjects. We're in block section.

"Meg!" I hear somebody called me. By the way, my name is Margaret—Meg for short. It was Hannah. She took Jon's right arm, and his left arm is tied around my right arm. We went inside the classroom holding each other's hands which seems to be afraid of losing each other. Jon was ever since close to females which makes him a subject of intrigues of being a gay. But that wasn't proved anyway.

Jon, Hannah and I were the best of friends during our first year, and I hope, still in the coming years. We occupied three vacant seats next to each other. In college, you need to sit next to someone you know. It's uncomfortable to sit next to someone you do not know. But, Jon and I do not know each other until we sat next to each other. Well, I guess, that's how it starts to know another classmate.

Almost everyone in the class had been our classmates in the previous semesters. It feels that nobody in the class was a stranger, except from those two new classmates we have. They're both sitting at the back row. From my observations, I can tell they knew each other. Maybe they're friends or cousins, or maybe they're from the same class in their high school. The girls in the front rows were talking about the two. I can tell, because I observe. Their giggles, laughs, stares, raising eyebrows, I knew it all.

There are only few males who study psychology. In our case, there are only around twenty-five percent males. Maybe because only few males care to know about human—their behavior, their mental processes, their personalities. While females can be considered as banks of curiosity, so as I.

They were talking about summer trips or classes they had during the vacation. The minds of those geeks, which they say I'm one, were clouded with things concerning the new professors and subjects.

Before nervousness occupies me, I need to push it away as early as possible. I decided to observe our two new classmates. They can both pass in my 'good-looking male standards'. Maybe they realized I was looking at them. I noticed they were talking about me. So I started a conversation with Jon and Hannah to distract myself from observing them. There were forty students in the classroom, thirty-eight of which I know, and two of which I have yet to know.

Our professor for the first subject of the day was late. He went in the class room half an hour before the subject ended. Usually each subject is an hour and a half. His name is Sir Frank and the subject is Logic. I think he's around 40.

"Logic requires the use of mind." He says. He's right. But not just logic, I mean, all subjects requires the use of mind, even in sports.

The bell rang before he could explain his grading system. I felt relieved. I felt he's not a tough professor. I felt like I can enjoy this subject without requiring total effort.

Each class we transfer rooms, and that's what we are about to do. They, the two new classmates approached me.

"Meg…" he said, I don't know his name yet. But what makes me think is how he knew my name. I'm sure that was the first time I saw him, or them. "…David, remember?" I was shocked. It was as if he knew me for a long time but I just couldn't remember.

"David? How d'you knew my name?" I asked him.

"Dave, are you sure you know her?" his pal whispered to him.

"I'm sure! Meg, right? You're Meg, right? It's me David. I just grew my hair a bit, and I'm now taller." he keeps on explaining, we're walking on the hallway. Jon and Hannah were looking at me with half believing expressions. I can't really recall.

"Yeah, I'm Meg. How did you know? I'm sorry, but I don't know you." I said. I can't explain his face when I said it. He stopped talking. Maybe he was a bit embarrassed. It felt like time stopped.

Jon hands pulled me for the next class. Time was too fast, the professor will not wait for late students. I pushed my thoughts about David and how did he knew me when the professor entered the room. But that's no use, because David and his pal joined the class for the next subject, and so. He's with us in the block section.

I expected David will approach me again after class, maybe in the cafeteria or while walking to the bus station. But, he didn't. So I thought he's just some stranger who saw my name or maybe asked my name from the others, then prank me, to make me believe he knew me. So I dismissed thoughts of him on my mind. Instead, I took a bus and rode home.

Bus is the best transportation for long trips, like mine. You can just sit there, or look outside the window, the streets, the buildings, or just sleep. I usually extend my sleep on the bus during the mornings. When going home, I enjoy the views of the poor in the streets. It's not that I like what I see or to see them suffer. I just reflect, I feel lucky to be studying in a private university, eating thrice a day, having a mother who can provide my needs, and those stuffs. I just feel blessed.