Sunsets

˗ˏˋ Chapter One 'ˎ˗

Elaine was looking out the balcony, the wind combed through her soft brown hair as she read. The warm sun caressed her skin as she read her book. She was trying to ignore the slight feeling of homesickness she had. It was a new city, new school, new everything. The smell of flowers blooming next to her filled her nostrils. A knock was heard at the door and she got up to open. There was no one, someone must've played a prank. She sighed and put on a jacket.

As she walked down the stairs from her dorm floor, she saw so many unfamiliar faces. Well, it was only her first day but everything felt so weird. So unfamiliar. She stepped outside, the building was old and gracious, and seemed majestic. She walked out of campus and to the small cafe around the corner. The cafe was small and comfy, the pale pink walls reminded her of her childhood home. She ordered a black coffee and a croissant. It was not as good as the ones in her hometown but good enough to satisfy her needs. The street outside the window was peaceful. The girl sitting a few tables away seemed kind and approachable but Elaine didn't know how to talk to people. It was one of the things that made her irritated. She had always had a hard time making friends, ever since she was a kid.

Elaine paid for her lunch and walked out of the cafe, back onto the street. She walked back to campus with a calm pace, caught up in her own thinking. She walked to her dorm and unlocked the door. She entered, kicked her shoes off and hung up her jacket. She looked to the watch on her wrist to check the time. It was 5:23pm. Too early to go to bed yet too late to really do much. Elaine decided to go on a walk to the nearby beach. The positive side of the school being in a small place.

The beach was a small while away, just enough for a calming walk. The waves were peaceful, the sand soft, and the sun bright. Elaine sat down on a rock and enjoyed the view of the sea reflecting the sunlight. She saw small kids skipping rocks with their parents. Old couples walking by the water. Groups of young teenagers talking and having a good time. Elaine felt a stab to the heart, as she felt homesick once again. She missed having fun on the beach with people she loved. But this was okay. This was something new. Something exciting. It would work out, eventually. She knew that, but did not really feel it. She had her first class the next day. She was excited and nervous, happy and scared. The emotions were confusing but so is life. Elaine decided to walk back to her dorm, she had been out for about an hour.

Elaine went to shower, she washed her hair and body, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and changed into her pajamas. After the shower, she lit a scented candle and curled up on her bed with a book. She felt fresh after the shower, almost like a new person. Her long hair was hanging down her back, slowly drying and forming gentle waves. Elaine was in her own world, reading. She had always loved reading, ever since she was a young girl. It was a sort of an escape for her, since always. She had been the quiet, smart girl. Always in a book or in her own head, daydreaming. That's just how she was.

The next day, Elaine was getting ready for the day. She brushed her hair, got dressed, and did some very light makeup. She swiftly walked to the cafe to get some breakfast. She got a breakfast muffin and a takeaway cup of black coffee. She rushed to her first class. It was French literature. The class was an introduction class, quite boring if you had asked her. She knew a lot about literature, from reading so much throughout her life. Despite being quiet around people, Elaine was always the one to raise her hand in class, answer every question. That's how she was and had always been, always hungry for being better, smarter. The best, the smartest. She was always craving that approval from people. She didn't see anything wrong with that personally. The class passed quickly.

Elaine headed to her dorm to clean up some notes. The next class, which she had in 20 minutes, was mathematics. She started walking to class. It wasn't hard to find the classroom, luckily. She took a seat near the back. Math wasn't Elaine's strongest subject, to say the least. She tried to follow along, answer questions, and ask them. She was scribbling notes down quickly. In the front, she noticed a very tall, blonde girl. The same girl she had seen at the cafe the day before. Elaine was frustrated, she didn't like when people were smarter than her. It just made her angry, frustrated. Elaine always tried to be the best.

After class, she walked out frustrated and went to physics. There she was, that blonde girl again. Elaine wasn't the best at physics either, but the blonde girl was. Elaine was so tired. She wanted to feel smarter but it was hard. The blonde girl, whom she found out was named Camille, was smart. Really smart, especially at Elaine's weak subjects.

At lunch time, Elaine went to get some lunch from the store nearby. She didn't feel like going to the cafeteria, so she just went to buy herself an apple and a sandwich. She ate that while she drank a cup of black coffee and reviewed her notes. She organized the things she had written and read through everything. She liked being in control of her notes. The next classes she had for the day were history, French, art, and English. She was quite strong in all subjects so that was a positive.

Elaine walked to her history class. History was certainly one of Elaine's strongest subjects. She had been good at all of it her whole life. They were learning about The Tudors. Elaine loved everything about the Tudor era. She had been reading about it since he was a small girl. She could answer every question with ease. She looked at the blonde girl from earlier. She was sitting silently at her desk, half paying attention and taking notes, half watching the clock on the wall. Class ended and Elaine carried on with her day.

In the evening, Elaine was reading. Her current obsession was Russian classic literature. She had borrowed a book from a local library. She had changed into some comfortable clothes and slippers, put her hair into a loose bun and sat back to relax. She ordered herself some pizza, just to have dinner. It was not the healthiest option but it was very delicious. Elaine loved evenings like these, curled up in bed, with either school notes or a book and some good food. She also heated herself some water and made tea. Just before sunset, Elaine headed to the beach. She sat and watched as the sunk slowly moved downwards and sunk under the horizon line. The sky was a beautiful shade of orange which slowly turned to pink. 

Words: 1231