Chapter 3: The First Day
Ariadne wandered aimlessly through the maze of hallways while she dizzily looked at her schedule. She looked at a bulletin board to make sure she was on the right track, and then she realized she was five minutes late for freshman orientation.
"Oh shit."
She rushed to the gymnasium. It was a good thing nobody seemed to noticed her as she grabbed a seat in one of the back rows. There was a girl who sat a few chairs away to her left, and she felt relieved that she was not the only one who was late.
Thirty minutes into orientation and Ariadne felt anxiety grip her stomach. The requirements were all too overwhelming and she realized she would be deprived of sleep and a social life for the next four years. As she pondered on how complicated her life would become, the MC asked everyone to stand up.
"Alright freshies, as an icebreaker, face the person to your left and give him or her a shoulder massage. I'm sure the orientation stiffened your nerves."
Ariadne awkwardly looked to her left and she saw the girl politely smile at her. She thought the girl seemed nice, so before she would suddenly rub the girl's shoulders, she introduced herself.
"Hi, I'm Ariadne."
"Macy." Macy continued to smile.
"Um, so Macy, don't take this the wrong way, but I wouldn't want to awkwardly rub your shoulders, knowing that we're strangers and all..."
Macy's awkward laugh put her at ease. "It's okay, Ariadne. And besides, I think we'll get along just fine."
Another thirty minutes passed by and Ariadne made her first friend. It turned out they both have the same classes and they both liked The Great Gatsby.
When the orientation ended, she bid goodbye to her new friend. Ariadne set out to the bookstore to buy some of her requirements.
As she wandered through the aisles, she spotted a copy of Jane Eyre, her most favorite book. She scrutinized the book, scanning the pages and feeling the smooth spine. She smiled at it and joyfully placed it into her shopping basket.