university (justin bieber)

1

With an unsteady heartbeat and sweaty hands, I made my way into my new school. It was my first day at the University of Southern California, and I wasn't looking forward to it at all.

I had left my family back in Seattle, and I cried all throughout my trip to Los Angeles.

As I walked along the cobbled path inside of the school, large oak trees surrounded me, providing me with shade and comfort. I thought of them as a layer of protection around me.

Students of all levels sat under these trees, laptops in their hands and coffee cups beside them. Some couples even sat in the trees, their legs dangling freely from the thick branches.

Everyone seemed to have someone, and I walked slowly, looking at them with a sense of longing. I longed to make friends on my first day, but I knew that I'm not the typical, outgoing student. I tend to keep to myself, focusing on my schoolwork and only going out on the weekends.

Snapping me out of my thoughts, I tripped over nothing and fell flat on my face, the heavy books in my arms flying before me. I muttered profanities under my breath, seeing that I had scraped my arm.

"Shit," I grumbled, trying my best to stand up.

"Yo, hold on! Let me help," A voice rung in my ears, grabbing my attention.

A boy with messy, dirty-blonde hair approached me, a worried look on his face. He wore a plain white shirt with ripped black jeans, and brown boots were placed upon his feet. His eyes were mesmerizing and bright, making me feel appreciated and welcomed already. Damn, who is this kid?

Mystery boy crouched down to help me, extending his arm for me to grab his hand. He pulled me up, then went back down to pick up each of my books, smiling crookedly as he handed them back to me.

"Thanks," I said shyly, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'm a mess."

He laughed and scratched the back of his neck, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey, it happens," He chimed in, motioning me over to walk with him. We walked side by side, my heart rate quickening with every step we took.

"Are you new here? I've never seen you around." He spoke up to break the silence, looking at me curiously.

I nodded my head, too nervous to speak. It took me a minute to rehearse what I was saying in my head. I wasn't trying to make a fool out of myself. Again. Hell, my first impression was made while lying on the floor like a klutz.

"Transferred here from the University of Washington. I'm a sophomore, though," I said quickly, mentally high-fiving myself for not messing up.

His eyes lit up with interest and he raised his eyebrows.

"Ay, that's cool! I'm a sophomore too. You'll love it here, I promise," He smiled, nudging my arm. I smiled back, hoping his words were true.

We arrived at the coffee shop on campus, stopping before it.

"Well, thanks for helping me out," I said, my cheeks turning red. "It was nice meeting you."

I turned around to enter the coffee shop, badly needing an espresso to wake me up. Before I took a step, he grabbed my arm and turned me around, looking at me with childlike eyes.

"I never got your name," He said, frowning slightly.

"Jasmine. Jasmine Rios," I replied, showing a small smile.

"Nice to meet you Jasmine," He beamed, a small dimple appearing in his cheek. "I'm Justin Bieber."

"Nice meeting you, too. Thanks for your help," I laughed, waving at him.

He winked and waved back, replying "No problem, babe. See you around?" He asked, waiting for me to nod my head before he walked away.

I bit my lip and hugged my books closely to my chest, still dazed over him calling me babe.

He seemed so friendly, so genuine. If I could meet people at this school who were just like him, it wouldn't be so bad after all.

Walking into the coffee shop, the dim atmosphere calmed me and the aroma of the strong drink filled my nose, causing me to hum in delight.

I took a seat by the window after ordering my coffee, looking out at the vast campus before me.

The bells above the door rang, and a girl about a few inches taller than me rushed in. She huffed in annoyance as she saw that all the tables in the shop were occupied, leaving her without a place to finish the work in her hands.

However, she spotted the empty chair in front of me and walked over quickly, stopping behind the chair.

"Hi! Do you mind if I sit with you?" She asked politely, showing off her straight teeth with a big smile.

"No, not at all. Take a seat," I replied, smiling nervously.

She thanked me constantly, sitting down and working feverishly on what seemed to be an essay.

"Let me guess," She said, pausing her work to look up at me. "New kid?"

I nodded shyly, taking a sip of my coffee. She returned her attention onto her homework, speaking as her fingers typed frantically.

"Hope you're liking it here so far. I'm Melissa, by the way," She said genuinely, reaching her hand out to shake mine. I shook her hand hesitantly, trying not to have a firm hold on it.

"Pleasure meeting you. I'm Jasmine."

After our introductions, we took time to talk about our interests, beginning with our favorite colors and ending with out biggest pet peeves.

"So, have you met anyone else so far?" She asked, shutting her laptop. She had finally finished her work.

"Yeah," I spoke up, my cheeks turning red. "This guy named Justin."

She smirked at my reaction and let out a little laugh.

"Bieber?" She asked, snacking on her potato chips.

I nodded my head quickly, fumbling with my fingers.

"He's nice, I guess, but he's quite the player," She warned, wiping the crumbs off her hands.

I bit my lip anxiously as she checked the time on her phone and gasped.

"Fuck, class started ten minutes ago," She said frantically, grabbing her stuff and pushing the chair in with her hip. "Sorry I have to leave so soon. If you wanna hang with my friends and I, feel free to stop by anytime. We're always by the bookstore," She smiled apologetically. I nodded my head, glad that I was able to make another friend.

She scurried out of the shop, leaving me with an empty coffee cup and a mind full of rushing thoughts.

I needed to learn more about this Justin Bieber kid.