You, Again

Class Pass

September 2018

"Joe!" Devin waved from her seat at the picnic table to get his attention. She shield her eyes from the uncharacteristically bright sun with one hand as she waved with the other.

Joe looked around having heard his name and his face lit up in a bright smile as he caught Devin's eye. As he wove his way through the tables she couldn't help but notice the way he moved. It was as though people moved aside for him. Sure she may have been a touch dramatic in that description but in fairness, many people had moved to the side as he navigated his way towards her. It was as though his stature alone made people take notice. Add a charismatic smile and suddenly every woman in the pub had her eyes on him.

Devin suddenly felt very aware of how attractive he was and how little effort she had put into her own appearance that day. It was the first day of classes and she had opted for jean shorts with a white tank top. How very unoriginal. She had thrown an old cardigan in her book bag in case the classroom was cold. She could not have tried less.

"What're we having to celebrate day 1?" He looked expectantly at her as she pulled herself out of her own thoughts.

"A pint of whatever you're having." She didn't really know how to order. She wasn't legal in the states so ordering at a bar seemed daunting and unfamiliar.

"Oh come on Dev. Let's live it up. Times for some Pimm's cups!"

Two rounds later, Devin was feeling great as she waltzed into her first class. She scanned the room. It was an old habit from Fordham. The first day of classes she would try to see if she knew anyone. She relished in the ability to sit next to someone she was at least mildly familiar with in order to calm her nerves. But today she didn't recognize anyone. She shook her head. Of course she wouldn't recognize anyone. She was in London after all.

She followed Joe's lead down to the middle of the lecture hall. The class was empty by her typical standards. Only twenty or so students talked in murmured tones as they began to find places to sit. Joe plunked himself down unceremoniously in the middle of the room and tossed his backpack onto the chair next to him. Devin moved to his other side. She supposed he just wanted more space.

She took her seat and began unpacking her book bag. She laid her cardigan across her lap and pulled out her laptop. She dug around for a pen and notebook as a just in case.

"You sure you got everything there?" Joe teased. He hadn't pulled anything out of his bag. He sat there empty handed and Devin couldn't understand why.

"Ha, yes. But what about you? No notebook or something?"

"For what? It's the first day, who does work on the first day of class?"

She supposed he was right. She was an over-preparer. That's how you succeeded. If she anticipated all of her needs ahead of time, she wouldn't be caught off guard. She hated being caught off-guard.

She dug around her bag a bit more looking for a hair tie when she heard Joe's voice.

"There he is, welcome to the party man." She looked up. Her heart rate rose and fell when she realized it wasn't Christian. Why had she thought it would be him?

"Devin, this is Andy. He's from USC. Met him at a mixer over the weekend." Devin tried to hide her confusion. People went to parties over the weekend? She had spent the better part of Saturday battling her way through Tesco. Sunday she did absolutely nothing but watch UK Netflix in bed.

"What's up Devin, nice to meet you." She smiled and said her hellos. She really needed to try to socialize more.

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