authors note: here's another chapter! Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Fresh Start
Instead of waking up to the sound of my old fashioned alarm clock this morning, I was woken up by my sister throwing pillows on me.
"Wake up!" she shouted as I groaned and covered my eyes with my hands.
"Come on, you can't be late, you have been talking all summer about how things are going to be different this year, and things won't be if you show up late!" Carly continued to yell as she left my room. I could not believe how chipper she could be in the morning. I fought every desire to just throw myself back in bed, pull the covers over my head and never leave my room, but I did make a promise to myself and I needed to honor it. I quickly washed up and got dressed, I chose a simple outfit of blue jeans, and a light pink top. I pulled my boots up to my knees and threw my hair into a ponytail.
I double checked everything in my bag to make sure I was prepared for the day as I walked into the kitchen and poured myself some coffee. Carly came rushing out of her room moments later, wearing all black.
"Come on" she said as she pulled me away from the counter and basically out the door.
"What is with you today?" I asked as she ran down the stairs and I locked the door.
"I don't know honestly, I just feel as if things really are going to be different, like good things are coming" she called out as it echoed throughout the entire staircase. When I finally caught up to her, she was already standing at the bus stop across the street from our building. Carly and I took the same bus in the morning, I got off a few stops before her as she continued to go further on her own. I didn't say much while we rode together, I was trying my best to keep my mind clear of any thoughts that would distract me, while I also fought a deep feeling of nerves in my stomach. When we reached my stop, I stood up, adjusted my shirt and made my way to leave.
"Make sure you tell me everything!" Carly said before the door closed, I simply smiled as I watched the bus pull away until it was completely out of sight. I took a deep breath as I approached my school, I stared at the new sign they put directly out front.
Monroe College: Where No Dream Is Impossible, I really hoped that will be true for my sake. I made my way to the main office where I picked up my schedule for this semester, my major was still English and Literature Studies, I didn't plan on changing that. I glanced over the papers as I went into bathroom, I had about twenty minutes before my first class would begin. The bathroom was empty upon arrival and I took use of the long table near the sink, which had towels and soap on it. I went over a mentally checklist in my mind as I went down my list of classes and made sure I had all the notebooks, pens, paper, and textbooks needed for each.
I took comfort in the fact that I had everything I needed and I felt myself actually looking forward to the day in that moment. I glanced at myself in the mirror quickly, I took notice of some slight puffiness under my eyes and I gently ran my fingertips over my olive skin. I decided to take my hair out of the ponytail, my dark locks fell onto my shoulders as I played with it to make it neat, I then grabbed my Psychology textbook for my first class and started off.
I kept telling myself "things are going to be fine, everything will be okay, things are going to be...", my mental mantra was cut short as I unexpectedly bumped into someone. I gasped as I staggered on my feet for a moment and dropped my textbook as well as some papers that had come loose in my bag. I hurried to pick up the papers while I was on my knees, I was expecting the person I bumped into the say something nasty or rude to me but they didn't say a thing. I simply saw the person bend down slowly and pick up my textbook, my eyes were locked on him the minute I looked up.
He was unbelievably handsome, had striking facial features and his dark hair was pushed back nicely. As I stood up slowly, he reached out to me with my textbook in hand.
"Excuse me" he said softly as his eyes met with mine. In that moment I was frozen, I had never been so captivated by a man before, I felt as if I literally couldn't speak but I knew I had to say something unless I look like a pure and total fool.
"I, uh, it's...sorry" was all I could manage to get out as I was feeling myself become increasingly more nervous and uncomfortable with his intense gaze on me. I shot him a quick smile as I practically snatched the textbook from him and rushed to be out of his sight. I couldn't believe what had just happened, I was so embarrassed, a few minutes ago I was truly believing nothing could bring me down but I guess it serves me right for being overly confident for once in my life. I don't why I felt so strange in that stranger's presence, I felt helpless as if all the air around me disappeared for a brief second. But I continued to walk as I got further away from where he was, I made myself believe that hopefully I wouldn't see him again. Plus there is no way he was a student, I have never seen anyone dress so elegantly for school in a suit and tie before, maybe he was a professor, or maybe he's something else...
I managed to get through my Psychology, Italian, and Biology classes without another thought of that stranger. It was already mid afternoon and I was finally going to be in the class I loved the most, English. The professor began the lecture as he discussed what we would be covering this semester, I jotted down almost every word that came out of his mouth and my eyes were fixed on the board. My concentration was broken moments later, when the door to the class opened suddenly, and once again a well dressed, handsome man was being brought into my view. I couldn't believe it, he really is a student, and he has this class with me.
Great, now everyday I can be reminded of our embarrassing encounter out in the hallway. He took a seat a few rows behind me and as he passed me I looked away before he could make eye contact with me. I fought the urge to turn around throughout the rest of the class but I was able to fight the temptation. When class was over, I was one of the first ones out of the room, I glanced at my schedule and realized I only had one more class for the day. I sighed in relief as I took my time getting to my last class, American History. I looked around and saw no sign of the stranger anywhere, I leaned back in my chair and focused on the remainder of the class.
I didn't understand why I cared so much about whether or not he would be in the same room with me again, I felt utterly confused, more conflicted if anything, "things like that happen all the time, just let it go..." I told myself internally and I tried my best to take my own advice. When my day was over, I looked at my cell phone and realized I had another hour or so before Carly would be home. Actually it depended on whether or not Carly would immerse herself in countless after school activities like she did last year, who could blame her? I guess it was her way of taking her mind off everything. I could feel my stomach grumble as I realized I hadn't eaten anything this morning so I decided to get a little something before I make my way home.
A few blocks away from Monroe College, was the Java Brew, a quaint little coffee shop that has some of the best muffins and sandwiches in the city. I found myself coming here a lot last year, to grab some coffee or even just to sit and read or even work on a paper. I haven't been there all summer so I thought it was a good idea. I made my way inside and took in the surroundings all over again as if I was just coming here for the first time. I ordered a ham and cheese panini and my usual iced caramel coffee. I sat at a table closest to the door as I flipped through my notes of the day, I was fully focused on what I had in front of me but once again my concentration broke. I saw a waitress bring a hot mug of tea over to a man sitting tables across from me, he was sitting with his legs crossed as his eyes were glued to a newspaper, he thanked her without looking up but then in that moment I realized, that was the same man I had seen twice today already. This was truly unbelievable, I even felt a little creeped out, no matter where I had gone today, he managed to appear, when I came in minutes before he wasn't here and then out of the blue there he was.
"Is he following me?" I thought but at the same time I wondered, maybe I'm being too paranoid again, like I was last night. Just because I thought someone was following me, doesn't make it true, just like now.
"Maybe he has come here a million times before, maybe he knew about this place before I did and maybe he's new at Monroe or was always there and I never noticed him", all those thoughts ran through my mind and in a way in calmed me, I can't constantly be on edge and even afraid of another person, my main focus should be my business. With that new thought in mind, I threw away my empty coffee cup and made my way out. I had only taken a few steps outside when yet again, I felt a sudden nudge at my shoulder that caused my bag to fall off me as a few notebooks fell out onto the ground. I snorted in disgust as this time the person who bumped into me was obviously in a hurry, because he didn't even bother to look back. I bent down again as I picked up my things and when I organized it all back into my bag, I turned around and was met with a pair of dark eyes staring at me.
He took me off guard for the third time in one day and the only thing stopping me from running away from him was that he spoke to me.
"Every time I see you, your picking something up" he said with a small smile on his face. I rolled a few strands of hair behind my ear as I choked on my response.
"Yeah I, um, I guess I am" I said feeling even more embarrassed than before. He laughed quietly to himself as he stood with his hands in his pockets.
"Do you need help with that?" he asked, I shot him a look of confusion unsure of what he meant.
"Your bag" he said, as he reached his hand out to me.
"No, it's fine, really" I said,
"Please, I insist" he said. His voice sounded so smooth, almost like velvet and as if his looks weren't captivating enough, his eyes were over the top, they were truly hypnotic. Without a second thought I handed my bag over to him as we began to walk down the street.
"I apologize for earlier today, I didn't mean to startle you" he said as he walked very close to me.
"Oh, um, don't worry about it, I should have been looking where I was going" I said.
"How long have you been studying at Monroe?" he questioned.
"I started last year" I said quietly, "I've never seen you before today..." I said wanting to know more about him this time.
"Yes, well that's because I just enrolled" he responded.
"Oh, okay, that makes sense" I said.
"What's your major?" he questioned again.
"English and Literature Studies, you?" I asked.
"History" he said quickly.
"I take a history class too, I didn't see you there" I said.
"That's because I study Ancient World History, that is my major, I intend on becoming a historian" he said.
"A historian?" I thought, that's interesting, you don't really hear people saying that everyday.
"Aren't you a little overdressed for school?" I asked as I caught myself staring at his apparel. He laughed again at my question.
"Maybe I am but I enjoy dressing like this" he said as he shot me another flawless smile, I couldn't help but mirror his smile in that moment.
"You have a very beautiful smile, you should show it more often" he said, I felt my cheeks get warmer as he said that and that caused me to look away from him. For the next few moments, we walked in silence but I found myself wanting to talk to him more, to look at him more, I still didn't even know his name.
"You know, you don't have to walk with me all the way, I usually take the bus to and from school so..." I began.
"No, please it's the least I can do and I don't mind it" he said, I simply nodded in response, a part of me was happy he didn't want to leave and return to where ever it was he called home just yet. I then felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket, I jumped slightly as I wasn't expecting it to, it was Carly, she had sent me a text message saying that she would be home soon. I looked up and found him staring at me when I tore my eyes away from my phone.
"That was my sister" I said.
"Your the older one?" he questioned.
"Yeah I am, it's just the two of us..." I had to stop myself there, after I said that I couldn't help but feel a tug in my chest and I was desperate to change the subject to anything else.
"Do you have any siblings?" I questioned wanting the topic to be off me.
"I do, and I am the oldest as well, but my relationship with them is, complicated" he said and I could tell by his tone of voice, he didn't much feel like talking about his family either.
That was understandable, I mean how much are you supposed to say to a total stranger anyway. Before I knew it we were standing in front of my building.
"Well this is me, thank you for doing this" I said.
"It was my pleasure" he said as he handed my bag back to me. When I took it out of his grasp our fingers brushed ever so lightly, I felt a wave of nerves as well as goosebumps form on my body at his touch, it was warm yet cold at the same time. I could tell he felt it too because it caused him to pull back from me, I said nothing about it, I just continued staring at his hands and my eyes noticed he had a ring on his middle finger of his right hand.
"That's, um, a really beautiful ring" I said as he fiddled with it.
"Thank you, I've had it for a long time" he said.
"Is that a Ruby?" I asked still curious about the red gemstone his ring contained.
"Something like that, yes" he said.
"Well thanks again" I said as I went to go inside but before I entered I realized he still didn't tell me his name and after what I had just felt, I desperately wanted to know.
"I'm Natalie, by the way" I said as I turned to face him one last time.
"I'm Elijah" he responded.
"Elijah?" I said aloud, it was a very old fashioned name.
"Like the prophet?" I said.
"I suppose you can say that, yes" he said with a smile. I nodded and said nothing more as I turned to enter my building, I could still feel his eyes on me and I glanced behind my shoulder to get a view of his face one last time.
"I hope to see you again" he called out behind me, I simply smiled and made my way upstairs. I rushed into our loft and dropped my bag on the kitchen table and ran into my room, I peaked out my bedroom window and I could still see Elijah down in the distance. I wondered how much longer he would be there, my view of him was broken when I heard a key turning in the front door, Carly must be home.
I turned away from my window for a brief second but when I looked back, Elijah was gone, I looked up and down the block and there was no sign of him. That was strange, how he disappeared so quickly, I couldn't think about it any longer because Carly came into my room looking excited. "So, tell me all about today" she said as she plopped onto my bed. I smiled at her enthusiasm and took my place beside her, I wondered if I should mention what had just happened, either way I knew that I would be definitely writing about it in my diary tonight.
authors note: reviews will be much appreciated. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my story so far, truly it means a lot to me and I hope you continue to do so! This chapter was a little longer but I wanted to get some good interaction in there. More character and plot introductions are coming. I will try to update as much as possible, I have so many ideas and I can't wait to share them all with you! thanks so much for reading xo