Running through campus, one strapping my backpack trying to balance by books and drink in my arms, I couldn't believe it was first class and I slept in, I was five minutes away from being late. I kicked open the history building doors, running full force to the lecture hall, with a minute to spare I made it to the door, quickly and quietly as possible made my way inside. Just my luck it was rammed, a few seats here and there and everyone in the hall stared at me as I made my way to the last available left-handed desk, middle of the room.
"I like my students to be in class and seated five minutes before class starts, miss. Remember that."
I stared wide eyed at the professor and nodded before quickly sitting down and putting my backpack under my seat. Drink, notebook and pen on the desk, deep breath and okay, ready to go.
At exactly 9am the professor started his lesson, introduction to the new semester and reading schedule. The student next to me was tapping his foot, I subtly glanced at him to see him writing the book list with a curtain of dark hair covering his face, I shrugged it off and got back to my own note taking. 2 hours later the class was ending, the professor asked everyone to pass his desk on the way out and take 1 sheet from the 3 stacks of paper on his desk, on the face down side of the paper would be our first essay. I waited in the queue of students picking theirs up, the foot tapper was behind me, the urge to glance around and see his face was strong, but as I finally plucked up the courage to look it was my turn to pick a sheet. I picked from the 2nd pile and as I walked out, I flipped it over;
America is also known as 'the land of opportunity'. Discuss. 3000 words.
Okay. I can do this, I mean I have actually come here from England to study. I can discuss the immigration in the 1900's and how it has changed modern day to still be a land of opportunity. Brilliant, I've totally got this.
As I was thinking this I was tapped on the shoulder, I turned around the see a guy with shoulder length dark hair.. Foot tapper!
"Hey, I sat next to you in last class, the name's Bucky, I figured I should introduce myself," He held out his hand, I felt myself frown, this is really… polite.
"Um, yeah, Kate," I shook his hand awkwardly, "So which paper did you pick?"
"Second, my buddy took this class last year, he said questions change but middle is what he'd always picked and he did pretty well," He smirked
"So, like a superstition?"
"I guess so, he passed going middle, I gotta try it, you know?"
I laughed awkwardly "Sure, I guess," Cue awkward pause.
"Anyway, I saw you chose middle too, if you need a hand with it, or anythin-"
"Why do you say that?"
"Well I just guess, you're not American right?"
"Wow."
"I didn't mean it like that it's just... I was trying to be polite- honestly," He generally looked upset at my response,
"Look it's fine. I'll be fine, I got this, see you around," I smiled shortly and walked away. What a strange guy, helpful and slightly offensive.
I walked straight to the library to get a start on the essay, I know, I know, I just need to do well over here, I got a brilliant scholarship to study over here and I have to do myself proud, I left a lot at home to come over here. I found myself a desk in the library put my backpack on the seat to save it and headed to the history section to find some references for my essay. I grabbed two America history books about immigration and settled back into my seat, I pulled out my notebook and started to read and make notes. Luckily for a Monday I only have that one class; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were busiest with 3 classes each and a 2-hour Lab on Friday, mostly the classes on Wednesdays and Thursday were core classes (as well as another History class with professor 5 minutes earlier), 'Renaissance and Revolutions: Europe', 'British Studies' and 'French History'. Which let's face it I only took these classes so I had at least some exams I could breeze through. Tuesday class was 'Women in War Studies' and Friday's Lab was actually more of a Research Seminar which I'm actually looking forward to, I love the idea of a chill day of just introductions to new and different fields of research.
Anyway, enough of me nerding out about College. Besides all of this... College, I'm also looking for a part-time job, the scholarship helped with the tuition and got me into a dorm, but other than a 22kg suitcase I came over with nothing to my name and I'm struggling to feed myself one week after living in the dorm, I need money.
After taking a few hours of making notes and writing the introduction and concept of my paper I put the books back and packed up, I printed a few up to date resumes I made earlier in the week and set about finding a couple of local places to hand them in. I found 2 coffee shops, a student bar and I gave my resume to the student shop on campus. I then made my way back to dorm to type up and finish the paper on my laptop, as I walked in my roommate Nat was on her way out.
"Oh hey, Kate, I'm off to meet some friends for some food, want to come?"
"No thanks, I got my first essay today and I want to finish-"
"No. There's no way you're gonna teacher's pet your way through the class, when is it due?"
"Next Wednesday" She rolled her eyes and leaned against the door frame
"Five minutes, go change your shirt. Seriously"
"But-"
"I won't repeat myself,"
I quickly put down my bag on my bed and searched for a nice top. As much as I liked having Nat was a roommate (for the last week) I will admit she does scare me a little.
"Not that one, go for the grey cold-shoulder one"
I grabbed it, pulled my t-shirt off and pulled that one over my head, paired with the blue skin-tight jeans I've worn all day and my classic black adidas, I grabbed my purse and phone and nodded,
"Is this ok?"
"Yeah, let's go, pizza sound good to you, they're waiting at the little Italian place just off campus,"
"Sure, that's good," As we walked out of the dorm and off campus, I asked "So who's going? I'm guessing your friend Clint?"
"Yeah so, Clint, Steve, Sharon, Sam and maybe Bucky,"
"Looking forward to seeing them?"
"Yeah, I mean I saw Clint a bunch over summer but everyone else went away for most the summer so I haven't seen them for going on 2 months, you're gonna get on great with them by the way, Sam's going to love you"
I rolled my eyes, "That better not be you thinking of setting me up... Because that's not happening"
"No, no, I wouldn't set you up with Sam anyway..." she trailed off before pointing over the street "There it is, let's go!"
We ran across the street to miss the cars and walked into the restaurant.
"Nat! Over here!" A tall blonde and downright gorgeous guy shouted from a booth in the corner,
"Come on," Nat grabbed my arm and pulled me over "Guys, this is my new roommate, Kate," I waved a little "And this is Steve, Sharon, Clint, Sam and Bucky"
A chorus of Hi's and Hey's rung out before I caught the eye of Bucky
"Hey..." I smiled "Guy who doesn't think Foreigners know about the US right?"
"I deserved that..." I smiled a little,
"I'm just pulling your leg, honestly I'm not upset, you may be when I get better scores then you on the tests-"
"Wow. Okay, I get it," he laughed, smiling up at me.
"Nice to meet you Kate, come on you too grab a seat so we can order!" Steve announced.
Nat squeezed me in next to Bucky, who shuffled up as Nat squeezed next to me. Soon enough the waitress came and we ordered a few pizzas to share on the table, some sides and some pitchers. After a few questions aimed at me about what I was studying and how I found the area, conversation turned to what they'd all done over summer break, I was just happy to listen and laugh, especially to Sam's mad stories about his time travelling with his cousins. When the food arrived, the stories continued with occasional breaks for bites into the food.
"So Kate, what brought you over here?" Clint asked with a mouthful of fries. I hid a laugh behind my pepperoni slice
"Scholarship, only free pass I could get happened to be out of the country,"
"Must me hard leaving your friends and family?"
"Um, yeah I guess, I still get the facetime my friends and to be honest, I don't really have much family left, parents passed away a few years ago and immediate family haven't really kept in touch, I lived with my best friend and her family when my parents passed, but yeah I speak to her couple times a week. I kinda appreciated the opportunity to get away to be honest…"
"How'd they die-" Sharon hit Clint
"Clint that's rude-"
"No, no it's fine, they were driving me to the train station, I was going to an interview to a college a few towns over and a truck crashed head first into the car, I was told they were killed on impact, I was in a medically induced coma for 6 months and another 6 months in therapy because at the time I lost the use of my legs, but luckily it was just temporary paralysis…." I paused to look at every staring at me in interest,
"Man, I am sorry," Sam said,
"Hey, honestly it's fine, I wouldn't have went into it if I wasn't comfortable talking about it, I kind of have a bit of detachment from it because I actually don't have any memories from it, everything I know about it was told to me by doctors, I lost some memories from before the accident too, I mean I remember my parents but a lot is gone, I say some, it was a lot of memories," I laughed awkwardly, "Wow, this is a bummer, sorry guys, nice first meeting right?"
"Clint, you ass!" Sharon hit him again, I laughed out loud,
"I was I supposed to know that was the story?!" He exclaimed, before wincing "Ah sorry Kate, that sounded bad,"
I laughed at his face "It didn't, honestly this is still a fun night, thanks for having me"
"You have a strange idea of fun, roomie" Nat push me with her shoulder, I smiled
"Weird foreign kid syndrome, sorry" The table laughed.
Whilst we finished our slices, sides and pitchers, we all discussed our classes and plans for the weekend, mine obviously being essay and whatever the other professors wanted to throw at me, to which Bucky muttered nerd under his breath.