How am I supposed to pretend I never want to see you again?

Chapter 1

     "Dad, I will be fine! Don't worry about me" I said as I stepped onto the train platform.  

    "I know, I know! But it's my job to be worried about you, Natalie. Call me as soon as you get there and have fun! We will miss you!"

    "l'll miss you too!" I shouted back as the train door closed behind me.  

 I headed to an empty seat and let out a giant sigh. This is it, my dream is actually coming true. I am going to my number one college. I have dreamt about this since I was a kid.  

My parents always told me that grades were very important. So, I worked my ass off in High School and ended up as Valedictorian. Maybe I focused a little too much on school work. I didn't really have any friends and no one really seemed to like me.  

Maybe college would be different but I honestly didn't mind going unnoticed. I couldn't see myself being seen in a giant city like Manhattan and nonetheless at Columbia University.  

I guess I am bound to make at least one friend, which would be my roommate. Right? I sure hope so. 

As I stepped out of the train station I could smell the vendors surrounding me and I could hear the sirens coming from what seemed to be every direction. I had to hail over a taxi because the walk was too far with my luggage.  

The campus was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It had a beautiful grass lawn and people were already playing frisbee in the courtyard. The buildings themselves for the dorms and classes were beautiful as well. The architecture was old and magnificent, there was no were else I would rather be. I knew this was the place for me. I loved the whole fact that I could get a total college experience with a campus and everything right in the heart of Manhattan.  

I headed up to my room and met my roommate. She was already unpacking and didn't hear me walk in because she had music blasting from her headphones.  

   "Oh! Wow, You scared me! I'm sorry. I'm AnnaBelle! You must be Natalie! I was just starting to unpack and was thinking of maybe heading out into the city for a little. Do you want to come?"

   "I would love to but I think I am just going to hang out here for a bit and settle in and check out the campus a bit more. Thank you so much for the offer though!" Her outgoing personality and gorgeous bright ginger hair intimidated me a little. I wasn't used to having a friend. It was something I would need to get used to, that's for sure. 

    "Awh! No Problem! I'll be back before dinner so we can get acquainted and such!" she said as she pulled her headphones out of her phone, which caused the music to come blaring out of the speakers. "Oops, sorry! Do you like Discovery? It's not very known but a member of Vampire Weekend is in it and I love their music!"

    "No I don't! But they seem cool", I lied. Whoever Discovery and Vampire Weekend were, I had no idea nor cared. I only listened to classical music. I swear if you looked up nerd in the dictionary my name would be written in the definition.  

After I had unpacked and called my parents, it was around 2pm and AnnaBelle was still out. I decided to go walk around the campus and check out the bookstore/coffee shop a block away. I know I told AnnaBelle that I was staying on campus but I doubt I would be running into her awkwardly at the bookstore. She didn't approach me as the type.  

As I walked into the bookstore, I was in shock. It was so cool! The coffee shop was set up downstairs and you had to walk up this cool, spiral staircase to reach the bookstore. So, I decided I would pick a book first and then stay and read with a latté. 

I picked out, "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger. I've read it so many times but I decided to read it again and now I had my own copy since I always borrowed it from the library. I then got in line and bought a pumpkin latté which was perfect for this Fall weather.  

I sat down near the window and started reading. At the time I had heard the bell ring to signal that a customer was coming in but I didn't look. I knew it wouldn't be AnnaBelle. I heard the customer order a pumpkin latté as well, hmm..good taste. In a matter of seconds I sensed that someone was staring at me. I looked up and the customer was standing in front of me.  

     "I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park, down near Central Park South. I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go?"

I immediately laughed out loud. This guy knew his stuff. It was a quote from Catcher in the Rye, which he had spot on, word for word.  

He then let out a giant grin. He was about 6 feet tall and had a beautiful, slim figure. He had really nice hair. It was jet black and wavy and he had bangs swooped across the side of his forehead. He also had beautiful green eyes that left me in awe.  

GREAT. I'm here for not even a day and I've already fallen in love with a stranger. Which, is very rare for me. I'm very picky. I shouldn't even be thinking these things because there is no way he would go for someone like me. Plus, he looked like he had been out of college for a good 5 years.  

Anyway, he sat down after I had laughed at him, uninvited.  

    "That is one of my favorite books. I could sit here quoting it all day", he said in what seemed like the most angelic voice I had ever heard. "Oh wow, I see you are also drinking a pumpkin latté! I come here almost everyday to pick up one. It's my favorite seasonal drink."

I sat there for a minute trying to grasp the fact that this flawless man was giving me the time of day. Why the hell would he pick me out of all people to sit down and talk to? Then, I realized, well I am the only person sitting down in the room right now. Maybe that was why. 

    "Yes, I love pumpkin lattés! This is probably the best one I have ever tasted! I'm used to those shitty               ones at Dunkin Donuts, not the real stuff." 

For some reason he found that really funny and he started to laugh. I'm surprised I didn't start drooling right then and there. He had the cutest laugh, wow.  

    "I've had those a few times on the road and I have to agree with you, they are very shitty. What   brings you here then?"

      "Oh, today I moved into my college dorm as a freshmen here at Columbia University!"

      "Ah! I went to Columbia! You are going to love it there. I had such a good time and I made such good friends that I am still close to today."

Of course he was popular and had a good time at college, look at him. and Wow, I knew he was old enough to be out of college already. 

      "Yay! I am excited. I..." started to say when his phone vibrated on the table. 

     "Hello! Oh shit, I totally forgot! I came to grab a coffee and got distracted. I will be there in a few!" he said into the phone in a rush. "I'm sorry, I have to go! It was nice talking to you!" he said as he ran out the door. 

...I got distracted? Why did that make me feel like crap? Or maybe that was good thing, like wow I distracted him. Wait, why am I even overthinking this? I'm sure this is a normal thing for people in the city. People getting to know people and such.  

As I headed back to my dorm I debated on telling AnnaBelle about the encounter with the beautiful man. I don't know her that well and it's too early to start telling each other secrets. Then, I realized, what would I even tell her? I hadn't even gotten his name! What was wrong with me? Why didn't I ask? Who knows if I will ever see him again and now I definitely have no way of trying to contact him.  

This is not like me. I need to keep myself focused on my school work. I never think about making friends or boys. Or maybe this was a good thing. College is about starting over, right?

*Thanks for reading Chapter One! Sorry it was long, the chapters will be shorter from now on. I just had to include the background stuff. I will continue to post more chapters depending on if people are interested and liked reading this and want more. Thanks :)*