Raia

Goodbyes and Hellos

"It's fine Mom, I never knew him, so I guess it's not as personal," I tried to soothe my sobbing mother, who clung on to my shoulder.
My mom managed to smile, "I know, but I'm just so proud of you following in his footsteps."
Most parents shed a few tears when they say goodbye to their child, and watch them go off to college, but that's not why my mom was crying. There was only one day a year I would ever see my mom crying, my fathers birthday. While my mom was pregnant with me my dad got in a car accident, and it was terrible. They kept him alive for ten days, and then my mom went into labor and had to have a sea-section, and when she woke up she got the news he had died. The only thing that I could hold on to was that he went to Mayers College of Business in Wisconsin. I secretly hoped I would have been rejected, as I hated the college, the town, and I didn't want to do business, I wanted to be an artist.
"Mom, I've gotta zayn, orientation is in five, and I don't want to be late," I frowned, crushed that I had to leave my mom in a state like this. She seemed to be the strongest person I had ever met.
"I love you, and be safe, call me tonight, and remember you're here for an education, not a baby," she called after me as a ran across the campus.
I waved, "Hurry, or you'll miss your flight Mom!!"
A wave of fright came over me, now I was on my own. The longest I had gone without seeing my mom was two days when I spent the night at my cousins house. Now it would be three months, and that was if I could afford a plane ticket back to Miami.
"Hi, and welcome to MCB, and becoming a part of this great school! Congrats on becoming a Blue Ace, and with that is there anything I can do to help you with your transition?" said some guy with a name tag that read Travis.
"Actually, can you tell me how to get to the Donavon Student Center?" I asked Travis, looking at the program the girl at the front desk gave me.
He smiled, and flashed a bright white smile, "Sure thing, I'm Travis, a senior here, what's your name?"
I looked up from my paper, and pulled my two dutch braids on to my shoulder, and they hung to my belly button, "Raia Donavon."
  "As in Charles Donavon's daughter?!?" Travis frantically asked me, observing my facial features.
  I quietly whispered yes, concerned why this boy knew who my father was.
  "Not to seem foward, but your father is a legend here, every year they celebrate his birthday with a giant education fiesta and all that kind of stuff, was he a great man?!?"
  "I wouldn't know, he died a few days after I was born, and while we were both alive I wouldn't call his lifestyle living, not when you aren't awake to be fed," I plainly stated, not very interested in talking about my late father.
  Travis looked truly sorry, "My bad, it's just that the student center is named after him due to his amazing improvements to this school, while he was still here..."
  I heard Travis talking, but something distracted my eyes. Some guy was hunched over on the ground picking up a stack of papers that were flying all over by then.
  I put up my finger to pause Travis, and ran over to the boy.  He was very easy on the eyes, he had a flat nose, very tan looking skin, as if he was golden, and beautiful brown locks of hair. I didn't know how to approach him, since it seemed awkward to introduce myself and let the papers scatter even more.  So I just went for it, I extended my hand to grab a paper, and of course we both tried grabbing the same one.  He looked up, and then stood up and brushed off his black jeans and his Green Day shirt.
  "Hi, I'm Calum, thanks for the help," he flashed a smile and my world just stopped, he looked like a model, but it was natural beauty.
  I stuttered over my words, "Raia, that's me, but you can call me, uh... Raia."
  The boy named Calum laughed, "Freshmen?"
  "That obvious?" I joked, "what about you?"
  Calum eyes instantly shot down as if he was embarrassed, "I don't go here, I'm just close friends with the deans son, and got a few strings pulled."
  By then I had noticed he had a strong, Australian accent, "Oh," I replied and we stood in awkward silence.  Something poked me in my back and I turned around to see Travis holding all the remaining papers, I honestly didn't even notice him picking them up.
  Calum reached behind me to grab the stack of papers, "Thanks man, see 'ya round."
  That was that, Calum quickly dismissed himself, as if he was embarrassed by the whole not going to school thing.
  "... so that's why I was hoping you would say yes to going on a date with me," Travis said, but I wasn't listening, I was watching Calum walking away so I freaked.
  "Sure thing, sounds great," I gave my best fake smile and rushed off.
  "Meet me at the student center at 7 tomorrow!" Travis yelled after me.

"Wait, you still never told me how to get there!" I yelled but it was to late by then, Travis had already vanished into the giant new world.