I had actually wanted to make this into two chapters but decided against it. I do feel Alex going to college is important but I don't really feel I need to get into a whole lot of detail about her education.

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Chapter 21

Well, finding the classroom was harder than Ellie and I could have imaged. There were so many buildings and so many numbers. I was surprised to find that we actually did show up to class on time. The room looked old and the paint was beginning to peel off. The board was completely covered in chalk

"Looks cozy." I said.

"Really." Ellie replied sarcastically.

We found two seats in the back. I was relieved to know we were sitting together. I pulled out my textbook. I was actually going to try to do well this semester and I felt I should be as ready as possible. Ellie noticed and mimicked my action.

"So this is college." She stated.

"Yep." Was all I could think of in reply.

We sat staring at our books for awhile then the Professor finally walked in. He was a tall man with dark hair and rather young. He didn't even look like he noticed the students in the classroom. He placed his bag down on the desk in front of the class and started removing books and papers from it. When he was finished he looked up and smiled.

"Welcome to English 1A. My name is Professor Wilson and I don't go by Professor Will. This class will focus on your ability to comprehend and write in the English langauge. It will also widen your knowledge about literature. Any questions?"

The class was silent. So he continued.

"Good. Shall we begin then?"

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"Okay, was he not beyond cute or what? You know, I think I'm really going to enjoy English." Ellie said as we left the classroom.

I looked at Ellie is disgust.

"Oh, right. Sorry Alex. I forget."

"It has nothing to do with that. He's a teacher Ellie."

"I know. But there is nothing wrong with a little eye candy." Ellie replied looking a little excited.

I gave a doubtful look.

"Alex, don't worry. We can find you some eye candy too. That girl who sat in the front row was kinda hot."

"Not my type." I replied. I was a little surprised to find that it didn't really bother me that Ellie had a crush on the English teacher. I had known Ellie was straight. I also knew nothing was ever going to happen between them. Besides...to me Ellie was more of an infatuation.

"Well what is your type?" Ellie said, she was digging through her bag for her schedule.

"I dunno." I replied. I really wanted to talk about something else now.

"We'll, we will figure it out. Besides, maybe our math teacher will be a really hot girl." Ellie said trying to cheer me.

"Maybe." I said doubtfully.

"Let's see." She began looking at the map, "We have class this way."

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The math class was noticeably brighter than our English room and bigger. Ellie and I picked seats in the middle so were weren't to close or to far from the board. We had a few minutes of pleasant chit-chat before an older man wearing a cotton suit entered the classroom. He walked right to the desk in the front of the class and removed a math book. He glanced around the room. His face was stern and serious. He turned around and wrote his name on the board. Professor Shwiz.

"Alright. Lets get started." He said.

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"Well, think it's safe to say that Professor Shwiz is definitely not my type." I laughed as Ellie and I walked out of class towards the bus stop.

"I think so too." Ellie replied, "I can't believe he gave us homework on our first day of class."

"I can."

"What time do you have class tomorrow?" Ellie asked as we took our seats waiting for the bus.

"Umm.." I said thinking, "Not till 11:00 I think. You?"

"I don't have mine till 2:00."

"That's when mine gets out." I said.

"Wow, photography is a long class." Ellie said.

"Lots to do." I said cheerily.

"You sound excited." Ellie replied.

"I am."

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I was actually excited to wake up the next morning. I had pretty much read my entire photography book from cover to cover and I had even noticed a dramatic improvement in my photography skills. I knew I would be taking the bus today because Mr. and Mrs. Michalchuk had work. I spent the earlier part of the morning working on my math homework which I managed to get through pretty easily. Around 10:00 a.m. I decided to head off towards the bus stop. I was determined not to be late. I made it to the classroom fifteen minutes early. I was very pleased with myself for being one the first people there. I took a seat close to the front. Slowly people started gathering into the classroom. Finally the professor appeared. She was medium height with long dark hair. She was middle aged but was very pretty. She wasn't like the other teachers. Instead of first ignoring the class and heading straight to the desk she stopped at the center and clapped her hands together.

"Welcome. I am Professor Evelyn Graham, but please...please...please...I prefer to be called Eve. I hope everyone is looking forward to a fun filled semester of photography. This is photography I, so I assume everyone here has had little no experience in photography. So I don't expect to be seeing professional work here." She smiled and continued, "Though should any of you posses the hidden talent."

She had me hanging on every word. I was actually taking notes.

"Well first off, I consider photography to be an art. Something of free expression. During the course of the semester I will try to limit the rules of what you can and cannot do for your assignments. I believe photography is about capturing a moment you want to hold on to forever and it is you, not me, who can decided what that moment is."

The class was silent and Eve continued.

"Now let's get started by getting to know each other a little bit. I'll start. I am Evelyn Graham. I grew up in Winnipeg Ontario. I attended Banting and majored in Liberal Arts. I am a huge activist and I believe everyone has the right to live by their own rules. And oh, by the way...for the record, I'm not a hippie." She laughed as she finished. The class also chucked. I thought she was purely brilliant.

"Alright then..." She continued, "Lets move on."

We moved around the class and everyone shared something about themselves. Sometimes Eve would stop the person and ask them questions. I started to get little tense and she moved closer and closer to me. I hated to talk about myself and I didn't want to so seem anti-social or curt like I sometimes did. I wanted to appear nice and friendly. Finally she got to me.

"And what's your name?" Eve asked. I could feel the class's eyes staring at me

"Alex." I said.

"Okay, Alex. Tell us a little bit about yourself."

"Okay," I started, "Well, I was born and raised here and I attended Degrassi High. Oh and I like photography. That's about it." I couldn't think of damn thing I had ever done in my life.. All my memories seemed to have taken a vacation.

"Well, what do you like to do?" Eve tried to encourage me to speak more, "Do you have any hobbies or passions or interests?"

I tried to think but nothing came to me...common, I must have done something.

"Just hang out with friends. I work a lot...and I was vice-president in 11th grade."

"Alex, aren't we the modest one." Eve smiled and I instantly blushed.

I quickly turned my head down hoping no one noticed.

"Alright then. Lets move on." I head Evie say.

I looked up. She was still smiling at me.

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I'm goin to be brining the photography a little more into play within the next few chapters. I'm doing this because this will be important in the story later. But obviously the story isn't about Alex and her camera so I wont be spending too much time with it. But there will be things here and there. I also have a good 85-90 of the rest of the story worked out so I pretty much know exactly where I'm going and what's going to happen. And it hasn't changed much since I started writing (I've always known where I was going.) And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the camping trip. That will still be a chapter or two away. The camping trip will also be the last huge event to happen with Alex before Paige enters the story. After that it will just be Alex resolving a few things (which I only expect to be a few chapters.) And then I will be Paige. I know everyone is ready for Paige now. (It's getting close.) Every chapter brings the story closer and closer to Paige.

Okay that was just to give you all an idea of where the story is. I am getting close to the end of Alex's journey without Paige. But like I've said, I'm not going to rush it.