Chapter 20
On my first day of college, I was like any other freshman, trying to navigate the campus and find my classes. Despite getting lost a few times, I managed to make it to all of them on time. I really should have taken the tour they offered. I'm excited about the classes I'm taking, especially Musical Theatre Performance and Improvisational Acting, I hope both classes will be really enjoyable. Tomorrow I have more new classes including a literature course and Introduction to Acting Techniques, I've never done anything like this before in school and I'm looking forward to challenging myself in different ways.
The next day as I walked into the contemporary literature class, I quickly scanned the room and saw that it was already filled with about a hundred students. I noticed a seat in the front row, which was perfect for me as I liked to sit in the front.
As I walked over, I noticed the girl sitting next to the empty seat. She had wavy black hair that flowed down to her shoulders, and she wore a shirt that read, 'I'm fluent in sarcasm, irony, and satire.' I smiled at her and asked, "Hi, is this seat taken?"
She looked up at me and smiled, "No, go ahead."
As I took my seat, I couldn't help but notice that she seemed friendly, so I decided to introduce myself. "I'm Bella. Love your shirt," I said, trying to start a conversation.
"Thanks, I'm Jill," she replied, looking at me with her piercing green eyes and a kind smile.
We started talking and realized that we had some common interests. We discussed our favorite authors, and what our classes had been like so far. As the professor walked in, we exchanged smiles and got ready for class.
By the end of the first week, I felt like I was getting the hang of things. All of my classes were unlike anything I had ever taken before and I was really enjoying the change. All of the teachers appeared well-versed and knowledgeable in their respective subjects,which was definitely a plus. I made a point to introduce myself to as many people as possible in my classes and worked on being outgoing. When the teacher asked questions, I raised my hand if I knew the answer. In my acting classes, I volunteered at every opportunity to participate. It was exciting to perform the acting and improv scenes and have fun with it. My general attitude towards school was to take risks, put myself out there, and enjoy the experience. So far, it seems to be working well.
Three weeks in and I was off to go to my first college party. My new friend Jill honked outside our house, and I made my way down to her car. "Hey, Bella, are you ready to have some fun?" she asked, a smile spreading across her face.
I chuckled, "Sure am. I'm excited to see what college parties are like."
Jill giggled, "Trust me, it's going to be wild."
As Jill drove she leaned over the steering wheel and turned to me with a small smile. "Hey, so I know parties can get a bit crazy sometimes, and I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. Are you looking to hook up with anyone tonight or are you just going to have a good time?"
My eyes widened slightly in surprise, but I quickly composed myself and responded. "Oh, no, I'm not looking to hook up with anyone. I just want to have a fun night out and enjoy myself. And don't worry about me getting too drunk, I can hold my liquor pretty well. What about you?"
Jill let out a small laugh before responding, "Honestly, I'm not really looking for anything either. I just want to have a good time and dance a little. But I do tend to get drunk easily, and I don't want to wind up screwing some jock. Bella, can you make sure I don't make any poor decisions if I get too drunk?"
I smiled reassuringly and said, "Of course, Jill. I'll keep an eye on you and make sure you don't do anything you'll regret later."
"So you had told me you recently broke up with your boyfriend. What happened if you don't mind me asking?" Jill asked, genuinely interested in my story.
"Oh, Edward was great at first. But, like with all first loves, it kinda petered out. Believe it or not, he didn't want to go any further than kissing." I said, with a hint of frustration in my voice.
"Damn, Bella. You're smoking hot. What was wrong with him? I'm as straight as they come, and even I would bang you given the opportunity." Jill exclaimed in disbelief.
I laughed at Jill's compliment, "Thanks, Jill. I think he just had a really conservative upbringing. I can tell you the next guy I date better be the complete opposite because I won't stand for any more of that bullshit."
Jill nodded in agreement, "I hear you. You need someone who will rock your world. You're a catch, Bella, and anyone would be lucky to have you.
As we arrived at the frat house, I couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. The loud music and chatter filled the air, and the scent of alcohol and sweat was strong. We made our way inside, and the party was already in full swing. People were dancing, drinking, and having a good time.
Jill squeezed my arm, "Let's go get some drinks!" She led the way to the bar, and I followed, eager to experience everything this party had to offer.
As we approached the bar, Jill commented, "Girl, your arm is so solid! You must work out a lot."
I grinned, "Yeah, I do my fair share of lifting."
I grabbed a beer and took a sip, to fit in with the crowd. I wished they served blood here but I guess it can't be made that easy for a vampire girl looking to have a good time. As I looked around, I felt a thrill course through me. This was my first college party, and I was ready to let loose and have some fun.
As the night went on, I found myself feeling more relaxed. I had danced with Jill and a whole bunch of guys. I tried to get to know a lot of new people in the hopes of building friendships. I was amazed at how many guys and even some girls asked me out. One drunk creep tried to get a little handsy. He's lucky I don't eat people. There was one guy though who caught my attention, he had a friendly smile and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me.
"Hey, I'm Harry," he said, introducing himself.
"Bella," I replied, returning his smile.
We chatted for a while, talking about our interests and classes. I found myself enjoying his company, and he seemed to be enjoying mine too. We eventually made our way to the dance floor and moved to the beat of the music together.
As we danced, I felt a sense of joy and freedom. I wasn't looking for anything serious, but I was enjoying the attention from Harry. I could tell he was interested in me, but I didn't want to lead him on.
After a few more dances, I explained to Harry that I was not looking for more but that I liked him and was hoping we could be friends. He agreed and we parted ways, exchanging our phone numbers as friends. I walked over to a group playing beer pong. After watching for awhile I asked to play as I thought I'd be pretty good. I never missed a shot, just another plus to being a vampire.
After winning big in beer pong, I decided to explore the house and see what else was happening. As I walked around, it became apparent that the main activity was drinking, and more drinking. I had never experienced getting drunk as a human, so luckily I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything.
I stumbled upon a room with a closed door and heard some pretty terrible singing coming from inside. I couldn't resist and decided to check it out. As I opened the door, I saw that a karaoke machine had been set up and people were having a good time singing their hearts out.
I stayed to watch for a while, enjoying the spectacle before someone yelled out if I wanted a turn. I was all in favor of giving it a try and join in on the fun. I got up in front of everyone and was handed the microphone. After scanning through the list of available songs, I chose to sing "Help" by the Beatles.
I had a great time belting out the lyrics and received a lot of applause and hoots when I finished. However, one drunken idiot yelled, "Show us your tits." I shot him a dirty look and flipped him off then smiled at everyone else as I left to check in on Jill.
As the night wore on, my senses started to become overwhelmed with a cacophony of sounds, sights, and smells. The thumping bass of the music, the strobing lights, the pungent aroma of alcohol and sweat, and jeez I could ever hear several people having sex upstairs. I needed to get out of here and calm down.
I found Jill and voiced my desire to step outside. "Hey, Jill, I need to step out for a bit. Want to come with me?"
Jill's concerned gaze met mine, and she asked, "Bella, are you alright?"
I shook my head. "Yeah, I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I need some fresh air."
Stepping outside, I inhaled deeply, letting the crisp night air fill my lungs. The cool breeze helped to clear my head, and I found a bench to sit on. As I gazed up at the starry sky, I felt a sense of peace wash over me.
After a few moments, Jill joined me, concern etched on her face. "Hey, are you feeling better?"
I turned to her and gave her a small smile. "Yeah, thanks. I just needed a break."
We sat in comfortable silence for a while, both lost in our own thoughts. But then Jill broke the silence. "So have you met any guys you like in there?"
I turned to her, "I met one guy I would not mind having as a friend but I'm really not looking for a relationship right now. I figure this first year of college I would focus on me. But I'm sure that would go right out the window if I met Mr. Right." I finished with a smile.
Jill chuckled, "Good to hear. So, are you ready to head back in?"
I considered it for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I think I'm ready. Let's go back and have some fun."
After enjoying ourselves for a few more hours it was time to head home, I realized that Jill was in no state to drive. So, I offered to drive her back to my place, where I had a guest room for her to stay in. Once I had made sure she was comfortable and settled, I quietly closed the door and joined Alice and Jasper in the living room.
"How was your night, Bella?" Jasper asked, looking up from the book he had been reading.
"I had a great time. Jill and I had a lot of fun dancing, and I met a lot of new people. It turns out I'm a pro at beer pong and not so bad at karaoke. I'm really glad I went," I exclaimed, recounting my night out.
Alice grinned at me. "I knew you would have a good time."
I then gave Alice a smug look, "And it looks like I was right when I said we would need all those human necessities. What would we have said when Jill wants breakfast and we had no food in the house?" I teased.
Alice rolled her eyes. "I still say you went overboard. I'm sure after breakfast, Jill is not going to ask for a tampon," she said deadpanning, making Jasper and myself burst into laughter.
Still grinning ear to ear, I said, "Okay, maybe I did go a little overboard."
