Faith and The Vampire ✔️

Chapter Four

The day had started like any other day. Everyone I knew hated Monday mornings, but I never minded them. In Romania, the academic year usually begins on October. A warm breeze-unseasonably warm for a Brașov fall- played with my veil as I leaned out. The street was dark and relatively quiet. I arrived on my first day of college. I liked arriving early at The Institute. Andrei and Aisha led me through a set of doors-straight into the commons. I sighed. They were taking me right through the center of the commons. And it was breakfast time.Students sat together, eating and socializing, faces alight with whatever current gossip held the Institute's attention. Dozens of sets of eyes swiveled toward us. I returned the stares of another Indonesian-awardee with a lazy grin, trying to get a sense as to whether things had changed. Nope. Didn't seem like it.

I did not really get along with another Indonesian-awardee that enrolled to this Institute the same year as me. I did hang out with Kak Dani and a couple seniors, but having cliques issues isn't always your fault. Basically because they were the popular, while i was out of their radar and I really didn't mind. There was 4 Indonesian-awardee who enrolled at the Institute. Kak Dani, Camilla, Kak Dita and, of course, me. Both of Camilla and Kak Dita they took bachelor's degree in Digital Media. Guess what, it was basically based on what they already did before we all arrived in Romania. They were famous in Indonesia as Youtube and Tiktok influencers. So, as someone who barely survived last summer due to family financial chaos, I didn't think i fitted right in to their lifestyle. I didn't mind at all, trust me.

Camilla and Kak Dita still looked like the prim, perfectly groomed girls I remembered, still the self-appointed leaders of the Institute's royal Indonesia cliques. As we walked into the main part of the upper building, Mrs. Gerigan approached us.

"Bună dimineața." She said staring at us three

"Bună dimineața, Doamna Gerigan"

"Miss Darmawan, I must take you to the guidance counselors first."

I startled. So were Andrei and Aisha. Was I in another trouble? In the very first day of college?

"Um, I'm sorry, but, what for?" I said, hoping I sounded meek.

"Your schedule. We have to arrange your Psychology classes to your language course."

"Oh, right."

I was led away, and they watched me go. They actually sent me to one of the guidance counselors in the counseling room. He was a tall Romanian guy. The guy was so freaking old, he should have retired. The visit took all of ten minutes. He asked a few questions about what classes I'd taken in Psychology. He compared those against an old file

Ugh. I'd forgotten how long school day was. Students took separate classes based on their program and degree, which meant I wouldn't see my friends until lunch. Except for Andrei, I was about to meet him on the first period. When I arrived, the reactions of my peers indicated it was anything but they were in the middle of setting up chairs. When I entered the class, and just like in the commons, all eyes fell on me. I couldn't decide if I felt like a rock star or a circus freak. All right, then. If I was going to be stuck here for a while, I wasn't going to act afraid of them all anymore. Scanning the staring, I looked for a familiar face. One caught my eye, and I could barely hold back my grin.

"Is this seat taken?"

Andrei Ceban snapped out of his haze, giving me a lopsided smile. With red hair that stuck up everywhere and a smattering of freckles.

"Pick another good fish for me next time we go grocery shopping, and the seat is yours."

"Oh yeah?" I retorted. "Huh. Well, I guess I must take a look at my schedule, then."