365 days in Tintern University

Chapter Two

The main hall was abuzz with the sound of voices and clinking cutlery. Bathed in yellow light in contrast to the dark weather outside, warmth radiated throughout the building. From across the room, one boy could be heard laughing with his new-found friends and yelling out, “Jim! Pass me the piping hot soup so I can dump it over Edward’s head, that prat!”

On the other side of the room, a petite brown haired girl in a black turtleneck was leaning over her dinner plate and boasting about her educational standing to those around her- “And I said – a 98%?! Good god Professor Zane, I am truly questioning your sanity now!”

The girls around her began laughing on cue, as if they understood her every emotion.

Sitting at the far end of the room, and picking at the vegetables, garlic bread and bean soup on her plate was Zahra. She sighed, longing for the buckets of ice cream and chocolate bars she had stashed at home. Whenever she felt stressed or uncomfortable, she always found a place in her heart for fatty and sugar-refined foods. Who didn’t?

Next to her, Olivia was happily enjoying the meal. She had dived into the food the moment they brought it out, eating two bowls of soup and 6 pieces of garlic bread without a sign of slowing down. As she shoved food down her mouth, she animatedly continued conversing with the girl and guy sitting in front of them both.

 “…And oh my brother! He says he wants to be a crayon collector for the rest of his life-“ She stopped to sputter as bread crumbs flew out of her mouth, and then quickly swallowed, “Such a twat he is! I told him to take up English at the very least, because while it’s still a crummy subject it’ll earn him a living at least- but he won’t listen-“

The auburn haired boy in front of them - Harveey - chuckled at her description of her brother, and interrupted her midway. “Crummy subject? My major is English.”

His brown eyes crinkled at the corners from laughter as he watched her reaction. Olivia placed a hand over her mouth and gasped, but not before nearly choking on her food. “Oh! My-well….No…I didn’t mean it that way, of course!..”

“Really? Are you sure?” He pressed on, making a chuckle escape even from Zahra’s lips.

he turned towards Zahra, a mischievous grin on his face, “What do you think? Am I really so worthless?”

Tilting her head to the side and letting a smile appear on her face, she allowed herself to indulge in a rare playful moment. “Well, I’m not quite so sure. Olivia might just be correct, you know.”

This caused him to burst out further in laughter, before placing a hand on his heart and stating, “Ouch. My new friends hurt my heart so.”

My new friends. Zahra found it odd they could be given a label so quickly; after being in the dining hall for only one hour, could they really be called friends so quickly? Well, she decided, at least he was cute.

The girl next to him finally spoke, tossing her black hair behind her shoulder.

“I don’t think it’s a worthless major. I was enrolled in quite a few English courses myself last semester at my university.”

He smiled at her, thanking her for her reassurance and then turned back to the two roommates.

“Well, don’t I get an apology then?” He playfully asked.

Olivia sheepishly smiled back and murmured “sorry,” before taking a sip of water from her glass.

He turned towards Zahra, who by this time had zoned out of the conversation. She was looking around at the people in the room, in an activity she called “people watching.” She found it intriguing that the small size of the university allowed for a hierarchy to form; something she thought they had all left behind in high school. Spooning some vegetables into her mouth, she turned back to Olivia and Harvey, startled to see them looking at her expectantly.