You know, college can be a pain.
You have to worry about your classes, the homework load, the schedule you might have to make to tackle all that homework and somehow not become a social hermit.
Freshman year, well it was hard but luckily I survived the ordeal. I missed home, my mom and sister and little town but I adjusted to life on campus over time. Heck, I made friends that are now like an extension of my family: Carlos is crazy but funny and helped me a lot in Spanish, and Logan...he was a genius period. I wasn't alone, the three of us lived in a townhouse like dorm together as roommates; I shared a room with Carlos, since we were both so messy while Logan roomed alone downstairs. We had another upstairs bedroom but no one got picked to bunk with us so we turned it into a video game/T.V. room for those stress-free weekends. Homework often murdered me but hey, I wanted a higher education than high school. Plus I was here on a scholarship; getting paid to go to college, what's better than that?
So yeah maybe college isn't that big of a pain, but...that's was just the academic stuff I was touching on. And a bit of the social aspect, but what IS hard is the relationships aspect.
What I mean? I mean dating. Dating, when you go out with someone to see if you're compatible, like Logan usually phrases it. Now for him dating is easy; he and Carlos have been a couple for three, long strong years. They're the experts in keeping a relationship alive and passionate so if I something to ask they'll help me figure whatever out.
But being in a relationship and wanting to be with someone are two entirely different animals!
Where am I going with this? I'll be straight with you all, instead of continuing to pull the chain around: I like someone.
I like someone, I like this person very, very, very much. And I've known this person since freshman year. We met in a math class more simpler than Algebra (since I can't do math for crap) and have talked a few times, but from the moment I saw him I liked him.
Something about his smile, his easy-going and down-to-earth nature...it just got to me. He was a freshman back then too, but he was sixteen. I was eighteen; a little bit of an age difference, but that was because he was smart as hell. He graduated from high school at fifteen, I know sounds like Tony Stark huh? You don't hear that very often, a kid leaving high school at the age most are just sophomores but he was different. He was special, someone you don't find every day.
And now starting my sophomore year, I'm nineteen while he's just celebrated his seventeenth birthday. Most people would say he was "jailbait" since he was a minor still but he was very mature for his age too; you wouldn't think he was seventeen. With his god-like looks and sweet personality...you'd think he was an adjunct professor.
He was just so amazing, I can't find the right words and I'm sorry.
But I'm not sorry for liking him, or that we have some classes together.
-Page Break-
I sighed as I left my 10-10:50 A.M. religion class, still sleepy. I'm not much of a morning person. I envy Logan sometimes; he's an early bird and it can be like one in the morning and he's not cranky. If I don't get enough sleep, I'm a moody zombie.
"Man, I hate this class." I mumbled under my breath, dirty blond hair stuffed under a blue-and-white beanie.
"To be honest, me too." A deep, musical voice tickled my ears, waking up every cell in my body.
I swallowed hard, face no doubt red as a tomato as I met a pair of alluring, warm hazel-green eyes. They were showed off by the black thick, whole-rimmed glasses perched on a straight-arrow nose; a pair of soft, light pink lips were curved upwards in a small smile, laughter suppressed by his tongue.
James Diamond. The boy that's had me hypnotized since last year: the sweet and way-more-mature-than most seventeen year old English major. His wild chocolate brown hair was everywhere in a messy tangle, but it suited him. He was wearing a gray long-sleeved shirt that showed off his god-like body and dark-washed skinny jeans. They clung to his runner's longs very nicely, and his face...that perfect face was filled with energy, cheerfulness that I found somewhat soothing so early in the day.
How does someone like him even exist?!
...I soon realized he had talked to me, so I tried to my best to play it cool and respond. "R-really, why?"
Damn it, I choked!
He either didn't notice or (thank God) ignored it, because his smile only broadened. "Well I don't think religion should be a requirement. I mean if you're a Religion major then great go for it, but I'm an English major. I have to take certain classes, like reading poetry and early American lit. I'd like to get those under the belt so I can graduate on time. I mean I'll be nineteen my senior year but hey, got to make it work right?" His laugh made my stomach twist up, it so soft and gentle like wind chimes.
Yeah, I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic. Some people were surprised I wasn't an English major myself since some of my poems and songs were the school's literary magazine. I found myself drawn more to music though, hence the Music major in me. Religion was a class I didn't get to take the fall and spring semester of my freshman year though, so I made it my mission to knock it out of the park this year.
I kind of wanted to graduate on time, too.
"Y-yeah, you have a point. Plus Mr. Griffin doesn't do much to make his lectures interesting, so…" I trailed off as we began walking down the hall. I had a break before my second class today, and I noticed he wasn't going off to meet his usual friends for lunch.
Part of me was hoping that he'd rather spend time with me, even though I rarely get the guts to talk to him. And did I forget to mention that he happens to live in the unit like next to mine? Yeah, he lived in the same dorm as I did, the townhouse right next to mine, Carlos, and Logan's. We were in unit E. He roomed with Dak and Jett from the theater department in unit F.
Life is evil, isn't it?
He laughed again, fixing his glasses as they were about to slip off his face. "Totally, I fight to stay awake in that class. Guess it's good I run every morning, it helps get the blood flowing to my brain." He said with a shrug, a few books pressed to his chest.
I smiled to myself, making sure he couldn't see it. He was a really cool guy: he had a strap backpack with the words "Stark Industries: changing the world for a better future" on it in big, bold red letters. He had several buttons pinned to the strap: buttons of Sherlock and Watson from the BBC Sherlock show, a demisexuality pride button and a few Marvel buttons of Spider-Man too. His converse were of DC, though: Joker and Harley Quinn.
A cute, smart, funny, sporty dorky derp. Hahaha, I really do like him.
"And what sucks is that I don't have the textbook we need to read from over the weekend. I'd ask to borrow from my friend Lucy, but I hate having to do that." I admitted, a frown sinking in.
Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful Lu was so nice to let me borrow books and study with her when I didn't get things. Logan's a genius but he had his own work to do; I couldn't always steal him away from his demanding Nurse major.
But if I start to miss the readings, I'll be screwed over big time. And I felt like I was taking advantage of her, even when she said it was okay.
"You don't have a copy yet? The school's bookstore is slow again this year?" James asked, stopping and placing a hand on my shoulder. I bit my lower lip and nodded, trying to pretend his touch didn't sent a jolt of electricity down my spine.
"Yeah, I placed the rental order like before August even started and they still don't have it."
"That does suck. Well it's a good thing I can help, here!" James dug through his bag until he was holding the thin, small book with a picture of Jesus on the front.
"Wait, what?"
"Here, you can have this. The bookstore actually screwed up my own order and gave me an extra copy. I'm renting them both for the price of one; I don't really need an extra though, I'm not that of a study-aholic so here! Have this copy and you can give it back to me like...the last week of this semester so I can turn both in. I also put a sticky note inside it with my number in case of emergencies, so yeah have it." He answered with a wink, that making my heart race hard against my ribs.
This isn't happening...right?
"A-are you sure? I mean, you're the one renting it."
"But I'm not using it, you are now. Listen, it's okay; you let me borrow that math book last year remember? It's the least I can do and you're pretty good at religion. I'm a devout Jew but no way do I understand every single thing Mr. Griffin says so maybe you can tutor me sometime, if it's not a bother? I mean if it is then it's okay, you're pretty busy yourself an-"
"No, no, no! I mean, it's okay! I'd be happy to tutor you, James! Heh, if it wasn't for Lucy I wouldn't be as good in religion so I'll teach you what she taught me! She gave me these notes, power-points, the works to survive this class! It's not a bother really, just let me know w-when! I live in unit E, so…"
"Rad, I live in F! Okay so how about this weekend? To be honest the reading for Tuesday I'm lost about, so I could use the help!" James exclaimed, blushing a bit when his outburst caught some attention. His eyes never left mine though, which just made this all the more nerve-wracking yet exciting.
"It's a date. My unit or yours?"
"Umm yours, I'd like to get to know you a little better. Okay so this Sunday, say seven?" I couldn't trust my brain or tongue to form the words, so I just nodded.
"Great, see you then! Oh wait, are you going to lunch right now? Do you want to come with me?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.
Oh God, yes!
I nodded again, shooting him a smile. He smiled back, looping his book-free arm through mine's. "I was hoping you'd say yes, come on! I go off campus for lunch; there's this really quaint cafe not too far from here, the food's good and the prices ideal for college kids! I'll pay for our meals, my treat!" His nose lightly brushed mine's as he pressed closer so that only we could hear what we were talking about.
I forced myself to breath in and out, in and out evenly as we headed for his car. The sun was beaming down on us, but it didn't make me want to jerk away.
This had to be some dream or something, because no way he was-
"I hope we'll be friends by the end of the year, Kendall. I'd like that, I'd like that a lot."
And I think my heart just exploded...!
Yeah, this might just stay a one shot! Sorry about the long absence, everyone: I was a bit under the weather, some of my dorm mates are sick, plus I was still learning the groove for this new year! I might be back to updating my stories this weekend, I'm not sure but hope this one shot was good and made it clear that I'm NOT dead! I'm alive, and I might be super busy right now but I will NOT abandon my stories! Hope you enjoyed this one shot, highly recommend the son 'Que Vida La Mia' that inspired this one shot and see you beautiful people in the next one! Also, the backpack James has is the one I have! And the buttons were inspired by a friend's! Again, I hoped you enjoyed this one shot and see you lovely dears in the next one! Don't forget to tell me what you think, the input of my readers make me who I am! :) Disclaimer: I don't own BTR! I also don't own the song that inspired this one shot, though I wish I did! I only own the plot of the one shot!