Fighting you in me

Chapter 3

We try to enter the UCT Hiddingh Hall. But the door is locked. I wonder if we got this one right or if we are at the wrong place. We look around the hall and discover that the back door is open. Inside is a huge stage with tiny red buckets that look like one of those arabic truncated cones made of red felt, I think they call them Fez. We find jars of strawberry draught cocktails in each bucket and as soon as we reach down to take them out, the stage lights are switched on .

"Congratulations, you are the first ones to complete the task. The cocktails are complimentary." says Jeniffer with Frank following right behind her.

"You get the next four hours off. Meet us at Kochs hall at four. Don't be late."

I am exhausted from running around campus all day and my feet feel like they have been set ablaze. I should have chosen flip flops instead of wearing my allies. I spend the rest of the afternoon in bed and head to campus at three thirty . I really don't want to be late. I reach campus exactly at four. We spend the afternoon doing fitness activities and are realeased by eight. My group decides they are going to meet up in an hour for some cocktails at a local uptown bar. I rush to my apartment to wash off the sweat from the days activities, get dressed in some denim shorts and a tank top and meet the rest of the group at the bar.

We have a few drinks and get to know each other a little more. I can't help but notice that that guy from the science faculty with the yellow shirt that was shouting from the podium this morning is there too. He must be one of the rich kids as well. Not that he is a kid or anything. I mean he is a fully grown man but you get my point. Afterall this is UCT one of the top ranked universities in the world and also a pricey one. I am just lucky I got a scholarship. Or else I wouldn't be here.

I decide to call Jen to pick me up because i am definitely not taking the train back home at this hour. She shows up in less then thirty minutes with Felix and Frank. She is driving and Felix is in the front passengers seat which forces me to sit at the back with Frank. I know he will annoy me with questions about today.

Frank: Hey, How did you find the first day of orientation?

Me: It wasn't bad at all, a little tiring I must admit but fun. You didn't mention that you were one of the leaders?

Frank: Well, you didn't ask me what I was doing there when we ran into each other earlier today. Maybe I would have told you.

Me: Sorry, it was rude of me not to return the question.

Frank: It's cool
He weakly smiles

We soon reach my apartment and I decide to invite Jen in to show her my new place and ofcourse the guys follow. We end up watching a movie and all four of us spend the night at my place.

When I wake up I find that it's only Jen and I in the apartment. It seems like Felix and Frank already left. I get ready for day two of orientation and tell Jen to lock up before she leaves. That's when I hear a foreign ringtone coming from the couch. It's definitely not Jen's ringtone, maybe it's Felix's? I pick up the phone to see who is calling but the caller id reads Felix so surely it must be Frank's phone. I'm sure I'll see him on campus today. I'll just give it to him later.

When i get to campus, The postgraduate students are waiting for us. I don't like the look on their faces. Something tells me today is going to be hard on us.

"From today onwards for the next seven days you will be living on campus with us in one of the luxury houses for postgrads on the upper campus." Frank points to our group

"As for the rest of you losers who didn't win yesterday's challenge you will surely rue this week. A true UCT student knows the paths of the halls before they even enter them. We will leave you in the hands of Marcey and Donovan. Come on out guys they are all yours."

Marcey and Donovan don't look the least bit welcoming. They look like clown devil worshipers. Neon hair, countless amounts of piercings, heavily beat on make up and skin covered in tattoos. Boy am I glad we won yesterday's challenge. As we walk to the upper campus. I look back at the remaining first years or losers as Frank refers to them with great pity...and relief.

The house really lives up to it's name. The upper campus is surely for the rich. The house is all white, decorated with items of silver. It really is beautiful. They show us around and we are each assigned a en-suit room. They give us an hour to get all our belongings and bring them here.

I can't believe this. We get to spend our first week of varsity doing whatever we want. Most of the other group members decide to spend their first day going to a night club. But I'm not really the party animal so I decide to stay in. I notice that Daniel one of my group members is here too. We spend the afternoon watching the originals, which just so happens to be my favourite series. I don't know how he feels about watching it. But he doesn't complain.

Me: I'm hungry. Do you want to come help me make some sandwiches in the kitchen Daniel.

Daniel: Sure, why not.

Daniel: So why UCT?

Me: It's always been my dream to study in Cape Town and when I discovered that UCT had so much to offer. I made it my goal to get in. What about you?

Daniel: My girl friend...ex-girlfriend and I had planned to come here but she left me for my best friend. So yeah, here I am.

Me: Oh.
Oh, is all I manage to say.

We go outside to enjoy our sandwiches in the cool moving air and spend the remainder of the night enjoying the cool air.

When I wake up. I find myself in my bed, covered with a thin blanket. I surely don't remember myself getting into bed last night. Did Daniel carry me to bed and tuck me in?

I take a shower, get dressed in some sweat pants and a spaghetti top and go to the kitchen to make some breakfast for myself. There is so much to choose from, but I'm too lazy to make an effort so I decide to have coco pops and a glass of milk, while enjoying an episode of Regular Show. When I finish I place my bowl in the dishwasher and find Frank there.

Frank: Good morning Dalia, did you sleep well?

Me: Yeah, I did thanks. How did you sleep?

I return the question this time.

Frank: Like a baby

he winks

Frank: So what are you doing for the day?

Me: I don't have anything planned yet. Why do you ask?

Frank: My friend's and I are going to show an exchange student around town today. You want to join? Jen will be there too.

Me: Yeah, I would love to. What time do we leave?

Frank: Be ready by 9.

Before I can respond he exits the kitchen.