Scholars | c.s

1

"You'll be fine Val, just make sure you make a good first impression.. and calm down."

Wise words from little sister Avery. Of course she would be the one sitting next to me in the car park of my college in Cambridge University telling me to "calm down."

"Really? Calm down? How am I meant to do that?" I asked her with a hint of annoyance blatant in my voice.

"Umm.." She begins to ruffle through her bag and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. "These never fail me." She shakes the packet offering me one.

"That's disgusting... and I'm telling mum." I say grabbing the pack from her hand and shoving them into the bottom of my bag. I need to remember to throw these somewhere far away the next chance I get. Avery an exemplary  member of my family when it comes to demonstrating everything dodgy about us Santanas. It's only at my expense that my parents think the sun shines out of her arse and have definitely pumped more into her trust her fund, despite the fact that she's underachieving in just about every subject and can accurately be described as our town's local bike, but that's fine; we move.

I get out of the car and struggle with my bags and suitcases whilst Avery stands next to her car taking a sip of what may or may not be water.

"Thanks for the help." I mutter.

"No problem," She smirks. "Look as much as I'd love to help you move in and all, I have to revise for my exam on Monday."
I stare at her visibly unconvinced. "Is there even really a point? I'm not sure much can help you now." I reply dryly.

"Haha," She remarks walking towards me and leaving a glossy peck on my cheek.
"Seriously though, good luck. Call me when you're settled." I nod as she saunters back to her car and drives away taking away any trace of familiarity I had with her.

                                      ******
After picking up my key from the Admissions office I'm told to make my way to a conference hall in the middle of campus for a quick induction seminar. I struggle to the building with my luggage and begin to have one of those strange epiphanies as I enter the hall. I'm seriously and officially a student at Cambridge.

I didn't arrive late but I wouldn't say I'm exactly early either. I'm greeted by masses of doe-eyed students hopefully all as intimidated as I am, and I struggle to find an empty seat.

I dump my stuff in a mosh pit of luggage at the back of the hall and manage to locate what may well be the only empty seat in the hall, next to a petite, pretty girl with a head of bright pink hair. If she was trying to make an impression, I guess she was successful.

My attention travels from the girl to an elderly woman standing in the middle of the auditorium at a podium giving us the same cliche talk as expected about how we're all incredibly lucky to be here. Although it's unlike me, I begin to feel myself zone out until my attention is brought to a loud buzzing sound. As the hall falls completely quiet, the ringing gets louder as I begin to realise it's coming from the bag of the pink haired girl beside me. Great. She begins rummaging through her bag and evidently can't find her phone almost as if she was trying to make a spectacle.

"Do you want me to help or something?" I hastily whisper and I dip my hand into her purse before she gives me a verbal response.

As soon as I feel the contents of her bag I locate the buzzing device and she pulls it out my hand. Despite the fact that everyone in the auditorium is now facing us she answers the phone and responds in hasty Spanish. She ends the call after a few responses and puts her phone away with a collected expression. The woman at the podium simply stares and clears her throat.

"Welcome back Felicity." She says letting a small smile crack her stern expression.

                                      ******
I finally locate my dorm after trying to navigate this maze of a campus and I unlock the door to find my roommate has already beat me to claiming their bed and hanging up some of their things.

I dump my bags on the empty bed and walk over to take a look at exactly what I was about to get myself into. I fiddle with some of the rings and necklaces on her bedside table which are trapped on the border between cheap and vintage and I don't really know what type of person to expect.

"Sticky fingers roomie?"

I turn around and am shocked to instantly recognise my new roommate as the girl I was sitting next to in the auditorium. Fuck.

"Kidding. Oh wait a second," She says probably registering the same thoughts as I am.

"Right so we never properly met. I'm Fliss. I should've said thank you earlier for the whole phone thing but I didn't so... thanks I guess." She says and laughs casually.

"Um, yeah no worries. I'm Valentina but everyone calls me Val." I say and I hold my hand out.

She looks at my hand and bursts out laughing while pulling me into a hug.
"Well it's great to meet you Val. And I just have to let you know that you're extremely lucky to have pulled the longest straw ever because I'm probably the best roommate you're going to find at this university."

I let out a small laugh and walk over to sit on my bed.

"So Val, tell me about yourself." Fliss demands sitting on a chair by her desk.

A.N ♡

so there's the first chapter! i decided to do a complete rewrite and i've got loads of new ideas for this story. hopefully you enjoyed this and continue reading because it's only going to get wild from here xxx
- N♡ ♡