One Lifetime

Chapter 2

Every day of high school had been me struggling to get through the purgatory otherwise known as school, and wanting to just finally get the hell into college so I could get my degree in English. Yeah, that's right, a degree in English. People actually get degrees in english, surprise, surprise.

I remember college vividly. Or rather, I remember every detail of one particular person I met in college. Of course I do. It's hard to keep yourself from memorising everything about the love of your life.

.....

It was the first day of college. I was 21 and I felt like the world was in the palm of my hands. I had always been extremely ambitious and focused. My ambition kept me sane and deliriously happy for some reason.

I was going to U-Dub. Finally. This was what I had dreamt of constantly for as long as I could remember, and it felt like all the hard work and hassle of writing college essays would finally pay off, or at least start to do so today.

I woke up with butterflies in my stomach. The good kind, I assure you. I contemplated a hundred different outfits before finally getting a grip on myself and giving myself a serious pep talk.

It's JUST the first day of college, really no point in being jittery, I told myself.

Easier said than done, replied the butterflies currently nestled in my stomach.

I skipped downstairs, shielding my eyes from the scorching sunlight that poured in from the window at the staircase and whistled my way down to the kitchen, in an attempt to distract myself from freaking out.

"Hey, mom. Still sulking about having to cancel your vacation?," I said cheerfully to my mother, Carrie Warwick, who was currently immersed in today's newspaper.

"Good morning, sweetheart. Keep talking and soon we'll BOTH have things to sulk about."

Damn, my mother could one-up me any day. That's the way we worked though. She cracked me up far more than my friends sometimes did. She really was an amazing woman. But I'm getting off topic here.

"Alright, alright. You win. I'm going to head off now. Don't wanna be late, not today," I replied.

"Good luck. You'll do great. And try not to stay out too late, please," my mom said sternly, but I could see the hint of a smile on her face.

"Yeah. See you soon."

And with that I was out the door, the keys to my Mustang in hand. I drove down the busy roads, the steady ticking of the minute hand on the watch I was currently wearing making me nervous. The sound of my favourite song blasting through the car kept me going though.

And finally, the campus was in my line of sight. The nerves kicked up a notch. I struggled to find a place to park, watching undergraduates of my age messing around, some looking frenzied and some looking like they did this every day.

I got out of my car, slamming the door shut in my haste to look around. I walked the beautiful grounds, feeling overwhelmed yet ready as hell to experience every day of this. I wasn't backing down so quickly, nope. I looked around with one thought in my head, 'You can do this, Katherine.' Brushing past the crowds of people, I checked my schedule and headed forward to the other building, where my English literature class was. The campus really was magnificent. I was enamoured of the polished floors, the large windows, the shining surfaces and open atmosphere. It felt like my wildest dream had come to life.

After much peeking my head inside random labs, I found my lecture room. The room was half full already. I settled down, and got my notebook out of my bag. I doodled around for a while, glimpsing around after every few minutes and discreetly observing others. I wondered how each of them had been in highschool. Jocks, cheerleaders, geeks. I for one, was not a cheerleader by any standards. I was just.. myself, I guess, surrounded by my friends, all of whom had unfortunately taken the Ivy League route. I'd miss them, but this was my life, and was what made me happy.