Aaliyah and Benedict, two polar opposites, begin their journey at Riverstone University as freshmen. When their eyes meet for the first time, Benedict is instantly captivated and becomes determined to know her beyond just a familiar face. Aaliyah, a...
The roars of cheerleaders, and the band of the instruments of the band. The yells and cheers get to football players ready to play at their college homecoming game. The students in matching shirts roar, raising their college banner, the official color on their faces, ready to beat the visiting college. Riverstone University was a cheering ground.
On the field is a boy, Benedict, a college freshman and a white rich boy. He's been dreaming of this moment forever since he was 10. College paid by his father's money and attracting ladies whenever he looks their way. His college experience is set throughout his four years. He spends money like it's nothing, getting what he wants and knowing that there is still something left for what he needs.
On the bleachers is a girl, Aaliyah, a freshman and an African American student. She comes from a middle-class family, her parents providing her with things she needs rather than wants. She's on a scholarship so her studies are number one but she also wants to enjoy college life. She got accepted into her dream school however she didn't have enough money to attend so she had to give up her dreams for her parents and settle with Riverstone University.
She's on the first bench, near her team, looking around the field since she has no one to talk to, shy, anxious and also excited for her first college game. Her gold shirt matches with the other students, however her energy, more reserved since her mother taught her to be reserved. She feels like going to this game will hurt her grades... she doesn't know how but she feels it.
On the field Benedict is getting ready to play. He's determined to win this game for the first time. This is his ticket to get invited to parties, frat groups, and major sororities at the college. He dreams of drinking at 2 in the morning with girls on his side ever since he got accepted. All he has to do is win this game and make connections with the party folks after.
Minutes into the game the team scores, loud roars from the bleachers, scaring her. How can they be so loud like this? Isn't this just a football game? Benedict doesn't think so. He scored the first score, running around with his teammates. The coach congratulates and switches him out for another player so he could rest.
Benedict runs towards the resting place when he makes eye contact with Aaliyah, making a woah sound. Time seems to stop for both of them as they look at each other. Her eyes, her lips, the way her skin color shining in the sun, her lovely braids, she was just so pretty to him. The call for Benedict takes him out of his trance and he walks to his post on the bench recalling her face.
However, Aaliyah shrugs him off. Her mother warns her about college boys, they are looking for hookups after their exams. Since her education is really important she doesn't have time for relationships and hookups. Unknowingly to her, Benedict looks back to see her face, watching the game and getting a little shocked when the people beside her jump when they score.
He thinks it's cute, chuckling when she looks around, and clapping gently when the band plays the college theme song after a score. He makes notes of learning her name and her number after the game.
The game soon ends, the Riverstone team winning with an outstanding score of 30-12. Aaliyah wastes no time getting up and leaving, she doesn't have any friends yet so why stay? As Benedict celebrates the victory with his teammates, he remembers about her and runs to the spot where she was, silently cursing at himself when he doesn't see her. Maybe she will be at the afterparty?
She was not at the afterparty. Benedict had been looking for her the minute he entered the venue. How could she? She's shy, reserved, and sticks to herself and college parties are filled with a bunch of young adults who get to drink whatever they want, smoke whatever they want, and take home whoever they want. That's what Benedict wanted in the first place and yet he felt off. Like he wanted something else entirely, like her. He began to imagine her in a short jean skirt and an exposing top, throwing herself on him and talking to him like some girls were doing to him when he first entered the party.
She wants to go. Aaliyah wants to go, she doesn't want to lay on her bed watching videos, she wants to go out to parties and see what it's like. Being hot and pretty with people who you can date, she wants to experience that. But she can't, with no friends, no party clothes and strict parents. If her parents found out, they would take her out of the school dormitory the very same day. Her roommate is a nerd, she has friends and she goes out but she doesn't like associating herself with parties. She thinks it's a waste of time, space, and energy and whoever does that is a whore. But Aaliyah wants to party but she also doesn't want to be a whore.
"Are you sure girls at the parties are just there for sex? " Aaliyah asks, sitting up on her bed and looking at her roommate looking at her art project.
"They dressed like sluts, throwing themselves at boys probably wanting them to spend their daddies' money on them when they fail their exam.... We're not like them," her roommate Sammy says.
"But you can have fun and you know...be an A+ plus student... " Aaliyah said as she hugged her pink animal plushie.
"Yeah right...just stay away from them... they are no good. "
Aaliyah sighs laying back on her bed, she just wants to have fun.
It was 2 in the morning and Aaliyah had finished her daily 3-hour study. She prepares when she notices her roommate sleeping on her desk. She chuckles and covers her, helping her pack her books into a neat stack. She sees the floor and decides to pack the cutouts into another garbage bag, taking the full trashcan along.
"Gosh, this is heavy," Aaliyah says, throwing it at the dumpster center in the night.
"Ow" She says, banging her head into someone's chest.
"Hi" the dude says, chuckling. Aaliyah looks up and finds Benedict smiling at her. It was the dude that made eye contact with her during the game, but he was drunk?
"Um... sorry, " She says walking back, leaving his arms.
Benedict shakes his head "It's fine...seems like you need help? -"
"No thank you" Aaliyah says, cutting him off. She doesn't want any trouble with a drunk man especially since it's 2 in the morning.
Benedict blinks, shocked "You sure? You were dragging it like it was beating you in a fight" He chuckles.
"I'm fine...thank you for the offer though. " Aaliyah says walking away.
"But-"
"No thank you" Aaliyah says.
Benedict looks at her in sorrow as she walks away. He didn't even get to have her name nor her number. This is the first girl that has ignored him, most of the times she would look at him for so long then they would give her name and her number.
Aaliyah thinks he's handsome, with his hair and his voice. She never thought about him after the eye contact but since she has seen his face front and center, she's interested. It is the first student that has talked to her since she moved in. Aaliyah throws the bag into the garbage, dusting herself and looking at the sky.
"I wonder if I will be able to even fall in love," Aaliyah thinks to herself walking back to her room.
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