It was evening at Gressenheller University, and most of the students had either left to get to their dorms or they stayed on campus to work on their school like responsible people.
In the case of Cecilia Deadmen, however, she's once again hiding in a tree, trying to avoid an older man that is trying to find her.
After a while, the old man gave up and walked away. Cecilia waited about five minutes, before getting down from the tree.
Cecilia signed loudly as she slid down to the ground. "Why are the professors here so obsessed with me being in archaeology or mechanical engineering?" she asked out loud, "I've worked hard to get into the University and go into the Theatre. I'm not taking those A-level classes again to be something I don't want to be!"
Cecilia fidgeted with her silver bell necklace, "But what if they're right", maybe my profession lies elsewhere. Maybe Theatre is a waste of time. Maybe I should go into more 'productive' subject. Maybe I could go into mechanical engineering like mum or…."
Cecilia shook her head, "I don't know what to do", she said somberly.
Cecilia rummaged through her bag and pulls out a book titled 'The Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde' "Maybe reading can take my mind off of things", she said.
Cecilia opens the book where she left off and started to read. She was very engrossed in her book, so in engrossed in fact that she didn't hear footsteps coming towards her.
"Excuse me?" a meek voice said, "mind if I sit next to you?"
Cecilia whipped her head up to see a girl. 'Oh, it's that girl in the coral dress'
"Um, sure, be my guest", Cecilia said while gesturing the spot next to her.
"Thanks", The girl in coral said.
The girl walked to the spot next to her and sat down next to her. Cecilia glances at the girl next to her, trying not to make it obvious that she looked at her. She always wanted to talk to her, but every time she tries to, some professor is trying to convert her to a different subject, so she had to hide in a tree or a bush and the girl in coral is gone by the time she comes out of hiding.
Cecilia now has a good look at her up close. She had long chestnut brown hair, pull up into a ponytail, tied with a red ribbon, her bangs curled in a way that reminded her of a cinnamon roll. Her eyes are so dark brown they appeared to be black. She wore a long sleeve turtleneck light coral orange dress, with red and cream accents on the dress, and leather high heel brown boots.
'Maybe I should introduce myself', Cecilia thought to herself.
Before she could utter a word, the girl in coral beat her to the punch, "My name is Flora", she said," Flora Reinhold".
It took Cecilia a moment to process what had been said.
'Oh, she just introduces herself', she thought to herself, 'I probably should do the same'
"Cecilia", she meekly said, "Cecilia Deadmen"
'Well, that came out pathetically', she thought to herself.
Flora gave Cecilia her a bright smile, "Nice to meet you, Cecilia!"
Cecilia gives her a nervous smile, 'Quick think of something to say!'
"What brings you here to Gressenheller University?" Cecilia asked
'Alright, that was a good question to ask a fellow student!'
Flora nervously laughed, "Just waiting for my legal guardian to get off of work"
'Wait, what?'
"Wait, you're not a student here?"
Flora shook her head, "No, she said, "why do you think that?"
Cecilia subconsciously hooked onto her necklace with her pointer finger and started to fidget with her silver bell pendant. "Well, every time I see you, I see out and about around campus. So, I safely came to the conclusion that you were a student here".
'God, stop rambling'
"Oh", Flora said, "that's understandable."
Then there was silence.
'Gee, I don't know what's worse, my rambling or the deafening silence.''
"So, why are you here?" Flora asks.
'Oh boy' she thought, 'here we go'
Cecilia fidgeted with her pendant again, "I'm a student here."
Flora's eyes widen, "How old are you?"
'Should I lie? No, she figures out sooner or later'
"16", Cecilia finally said.
"16!" Flora exclaim, "you must be really smart to be here!"
Cecilia shrugs, "Yeah, I guess I am"
"What's your subject?" she asks.
'Oh boy, this is going to be fun'
Cecilia fidgeted with her necklace again. "Theater. I want to be an actress"
"That sounds like really exciting! I bet you're really good at it!"
'Wait, what!?' Cecilia thought. 'Did I hear that right?'
Flora tiled her head, "What?"
Cecilia waves her hand in dismissal. "It's nothing"
Flora looks unconvinced. "Alright, in you say so".
Cecilia got up from the ground and stretched, "I better get going. I got homework to do
Flora got off the ground as well. "Yeah, I better get going too, my legal guardian has probably finished his work by now."
Cecilia smiles at her, "Can I see you again?"
Flora eyes light up like a Christmas tree, "O-of course!"
Cecilia giggled, "See you tomorrow? Under this tree?"
Flora nodded vigorously, "Yes!"
Cecilia and Flora said their goodbyes and went separate directions. Cecilia doesn't know what to think of Flora yet. She's sweet, a bit weird, but she not one to judge. What really blew her away was what she said when she mentions that her subject was Theatre. Nobody had ever said that to her, almost everyone has told her that she throwing her life away for some as meaningless as Theatre.
Hot tears started pouring down her face. "I better get going".
Cecilia rubbed her face with her sleeve and starts to walk home.
