Valerie

Chapter two

It was a strange feeling. Being alone, being independent, having control over the strings of life. I felt liberated. When I looked at the large building in front of me, I had to take a deep breath. A new life, new people, a new university. What I had longed for had finally come true, and here I was, facing the realization of my dreams. After taking a deep breath, I entered the building, and what immediately caught my attention was the simplicity of the interior compared to the grand exterior. Minimalist decoration dominated the space, with a predominant white and grey tone. As I carefully and admiringly observed my surroundings, I walked towards the information desk.

Two middle-aged women were sitting, chatting, and typing on their computers. "Hello?" I said, a bit quieter than usual. Two pairs of eyes turned towards me. "Hello, dear. How can I help you?" said the blonde woman on the left. The woman next to her turned her attention back to her computer.

"I just moved here, and a few weeks ago, I registered for classes. I applied online, and then the lady I spoke to on the phone told me to come here to get my class schedule."

After a brief moment of staring at me in a somewhat disapproving manner, the dark-haired woman next to the blonde turned back to her computer. Did I say something wrong?

"Oh, your name is Valerie Bennett, right? I've prepared your class schedule. Normally, our students prepare their own schedules, but many classes are full due to mid-term changes. I hope that won't be a problem."

"No, not a problem at all. Thank you so much for your help," I said, smiling lightly. Maybe I wouldn't get the classes I wanted, but I had to make do until the end of the semester.

"Here are all the documents you need," she said, handing me a folder. I took the folder, thanked her, and left the building. When I glanced at my class schedule, I realized that my first class was starting in ten minutes. I had no desire to attend any class right now, but I knew if I started skipping from the first day, it would never end. It was addictive, and I could never get back on track once I started missing classes. As much as I didn't want to, I headed towards the Biology department on campus.

When I arrived at the class, most people had already taken their seats and opened their laptops, waiting for the professor to arrive. Most of the good spots were taken. I found the first available seat and waited for the class to begin.

Time seemed to stand still as the professor read from the PowerPoint slides. I didn't know how I would survive with teachers like this. Maybe luck was on my side. Nevertheless, I continued to listen to the professor, trying to understand as much as I could.

"Either you're really smart, or you're making a big mistake," a voice interrupted my thoughts. When I turned my head in the direction of the sound, I saw a red-haired girl looking at me with questioning eyes. "What?" I asked, squinting my eyes.

"I said, either you're really smart or making a big mistake by not taking notes. Not taking notes in this professor's class could be your biggest mistake," she replied, smiling. I smiled back at her. I usually didn't like conversations that started like this, but making a new friend might do me good.

"I just got my class schedule today and decided to spontaneously attend this class. I didn't bring anything with me," I explained.

"Oh, I see. Well, if you want, I can give you my notes after the class. I'm Nina, by the way," she said, extending her hand. A handshake? I smiled and shook her hand. She was the first genuinely friendly person I had met in a while. Normally, I wouldn't warm up to people so quickly, but Nina was different. Her long red hair cascaded in waves down to her waist, contrasting beautifully with her fair skin and icy blue eyes. She was a beautiful girl.

"I would really appreciate that," I said.

"Did you just move to London, or did you switch universities?" she asked.

"I just moved. Yesterday."

"Yesterday? From where?"

"From New York."

"Oh my god, I've always wanted to go to New York. I'll save up, and as soon as I get the chance, I'm going on vacation there."

"Yeah, there are so many places to see in New York. It's a city that never sleeps." I said

After a while, we stopped talking and focused on the class. While medicine was a challenging major, it had the potential to bring about significant changes in people's lives. Being a doctor had always been my dream—wearing that white coat had been my dream. It was a profession where I could make a difference, save lives, and bring hope to people. That's what I wanted.

When I realized I was lost in my thoughts instead of listening to the lecture, I noticed that the class had ended. Most people were packing up, and some had already left the room. Nina had already stood up. "I'm going to grab a drink with a few friends after this. If you want, you can join us, and I'll give you my notes, of course, if you're interested," she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Was it a good idea?

"I'd love to. Thank you," I said, without paying much attention to my inner voice. When I listened to it, things didn't usually turn out well anyway. Perhaps it was time to loosen up a bit and live life the way I wanted. A little fun wouldn't hurt anyone.

If I had known that what Nina called a "five-minute walk" was actually a twenty-minute walk, I would have preferred taking the train. Not being very athletic, and not being athletic at all, I was a bit out of breath when we arrived at the bar Nina mentioned. I tried to regain control of my breath because I didn't want to embarrass myself. As we entered, the heavy scent of alcohol and women's perfume hit my nose. It was darker and more pleasant inside than it appeared from the outside. I guess it was a pub. When I looked at the table Nina was heading towards, I saw a group of people sitting and chatting. When the girl sitting with her back to us saw Nina, she stood up, smiled, and hugged Nina. When I reached the table, I noticed a few curious eyes on me.

"Meet my new friend..." "Valerie," I interjected. "Yes, let me introduce you to my new friend, Valerie," Nina said, gesturing towards the four pairs of curious eyes. After introducing everyone to me, I ordered a mojito for myself. It might be a bit early for alcohol, but tomorrow was Saturday, and after that long biology class, I really needed a drink.

The short blonde girl sitting next to Nina was Mila, studying literature. The curly-haired girl next to her was Sofia, I think she was Spanish. The blonde guy sitting next to Nina was Milan's cousin, Alex. They looked alike, but there was a difference. Mila was a bit quieter, but Alex had been entertaining the entire group since I met them. Sitting across from Sofia was Alex's friend, Liam. When I first arrived, he had only greeted me, but since then, he had been casting furtive glances my way. Sometimes our eyes met in the mirror, and I quickly looked away. He seemed interesting. A little too much.