prodigy | e.d.

three

morgan

the morning after my first night, i find myself walking up early, like always, and putting on some running shorts and shoes. normal routine.

wake up at 6 am. run for 20 minutes. change. practice, practice, practice.

it will obviously have to change a little when classes officially start next week, but for now i'm thankful for the normalcy.

i stifle my laugh when i see josslyn sprawled out on her unmade bed in the clothes she wore yesterday, mouth hung open and a blank canvas by the side of her bed. i take it upon me to pluck the brush from between her fingers and set it on her bedside table before she gets the partially dried paint on it all over.

i do my pre-run stretches in the elevator and slip my airpods in, letting the music distract me from most things in my life, like it always has. ever since i could get my tiny baby sausage fingers around things, i've been holding instruments.

aimlessly plucking away at my dad's old guitar strings as my favorite show played on disney channel. tapping my hands on my booster seat to the beat of the song playing over the radio in my mom's car. playing the old piano at my grandma's house.

i would learn one instrument, and then next one would be even easier than that one to pick up. soon enough, i was flying through song books and picking up two new instruments every three months.

i smile at childhood memories and begin my slow jog around the campus, sight seeing at all the buildings around. they're all so pretty and historic looking.

then as i continue through my run, i remember my campus guide telling me that if i wanted to learn more about the school's history that i could just stop in by the library.

plus, it has a vending machine full of drinks at the door and my throat is starting to hurt from the chilly morning air.

so i jog like i'm heading back to my dorms, but instead pop in through the library doors. it says the hours are 24/7, but it's quiet. like no one is here.

it's a gorgeous library, filled to the ceilings with books and magazines and encyclopedias. beautiful wooden carved tables scatter around.

the door makes a loud noise as it shuts. i take my earbuds out and the only sound seems to be my labored breathing.

instead of librarians, there's a system set up by a couple of programmers that graduated years ago. you stand in front of the facial recognition software, select the book you're checking out, and it sends you on your way.

my footsteps are quiet as i tread through the many shelves, not really knowing where i should be looking.

finally, my eyes settle on the section set aside, dedicated about the school's history.

i smile and pluck a random book off the shelf, starting to rifle through the old, yellowed pages.

"that's not a good one."

i let out a startled scream, dropping the book to the ground and flinching a little.

i hear a stifled laugh and peek one eye open.