Crossing Hearts- A Maidstone Love Story

Chapter 47

The morning sun streamed through the thin curtains of Jasper's new room, waking him earlier than he had hoped. The remnants of last night's hangover still lingered, but today was important—his first full day at university. Jasper groaned as he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He had always imagined this day would feel different, more exciting, but all he could think about was how much he already missed Alessia.

"Mate, you alive in there?" Chris's voice came from the hallway, followed by a quick knock.

Jasper chuckled to himself as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Barely. What time is it?"

"About half eight," Chris replied as he poked his head into the room. "Classes start at nine, so if you want to grab breakfast, now's the time."

Jasper nodded, still bleary-eyed, as he stood up and grabbed some clean clothes. "Yeah, give me five minutes. I'll meet you downstairs."

As Chris disappeared back into the hallway, Jasper quickly got dressed and splashed some cold water on his face in an attempt to wake up. He glanced at his phone to check the time and noticed a text from Alessia, sent hours earlier.

Alessia: Hope your first day goes well, babe! Thinking of you. xx

A small smile crept across his face as he typed a quick reply, promising to call her later. No matter how excited he was about starting uni, part of him was always thinking about her, wishing she was here with him.

After a quick breakfast in the campus dining hall, Jasper and Chris made their way to the lecture hall for their first class of the day: Introduction to Football Media. The campus was already buzzing with students, the energy of a new semester palpable in the air. Jasper felt his nerves settle slightly as they entered the room, filled with other first-year students, all of them chattering excitedly.

Chris nudged Jasper with a grin. "Looks like we're not the only football nerds around here."

Jasper laughed. "No kidding."

They found seats toward the middle of the room, and as they sat down, Jasper felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a blonde girl standing next to him, smiling brightly.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" she asked, pointing to the chair next to him.

Jasper glanced at Chris, who shrugged, and then back at the girl. "Uh, no, go ahead."

"Thanks!" she said, sitting down with a friendly grin. "I'm Emma, by the way."

"Jasper," he replied politely, giving her a nod before turning his attention back to the front of the room.

The lecture began, with the professor diving into the basics of the course, discussing the intersection of football and media, the growing industry around sports journalism, and how the class would prepare them for careers in the field. Jasper was engrossed in the content, already feeling like he had made the right choice with his degree. But halfway through the lecture, he felt a nudge on his arm.

It was Emma again.

"So, what got you into Football Media?" she asked in a hushed tone, leaning closer than Jasper was comfortable with.

He shifted slightly in his seat, keeping his eyes on the professor. "Always loved football. Thought it'd be cool to work in the industry."

"That's awesome," she replied, her voice flirtatious. "I bet you'll do great. I mean, you definitely look the part."

Jasper frowned, clearly sensing her intentions. He didn't want to be rude, but he also didn't want to entertain whatever this was. "Uh, thanks."

Throughout the rest of the lecture, Emma kept trying to make conversation, complimenting his appearance, asking him where he was from, and even joking about how they should "study together" sometime. Jasper did his best to remain polite, but it was clear that she was hitting on him, and it made him uncomfortable.