When Stuff Happens

Chapter Two

She set her alarm for seven the next morning as soon as the first notes rang, she jump out of bed. If she stayed too long in bed, then she would stay there thinking about last night. Today was a new day, she wasn't going to let yesterday ruin it for her.

Another benefit of this room, aside from being floors up from Flora, was the personal bathroom complete with a large vanity area and pulsating showerhead. At least her Abuela and Abuelo got something her mama loved in this room, a large bathroom. Her Papa doesn't even use the one in the master bedroom since her mama has taken it over with her Avon products and an army of make-up.

She took a quick shower, dressed for the cool morning climate and left the house. Her tia had already left for morning service so she didn't have to worry about seeing her on her way out. Before walking route to campus, she took a second and looked at the house across from her. It was Ezra's or his mom's, or maybe his dad's place. She wasn't sure, she hadn't seen anyone beside him at that house since she moved here.

It was nice two-story home but smaller than Flora's of course. She was tempted to walk across and take Ezra up on his offer. But Flora's shaming stare and bitter words made Amor walk away from him.

Her first class was at nine in the morning and it was Latino History class. Even though her Mama was a hair stylist, she made sure to take a few academic classes at the community center and took Amor to a few. It was where Amor learned what she wanted to be when she grew up, a student. She loved learning, loved the challenges teachers would throw at her and she loved the rush at being ahead of everyone in her class. When she was able to take a tour at UC Santa Barba's campus, she was smitten. The campus was beautiful, and the environment was stimulating and exciting. The thought of her being able to go there and walk the halls just as everyone else before her was her passion.

Amor was especially excited for this class since she heard the professor was the best in his field and that he studied in Santa Barba. Perhaps after class she could talk about her prospect of going there and seeing if could be write a letter of recommendation for her later on. The person that stepped through the door however was strangely a tall, blue haired woman. Amor almost thought she made a rookie move and walked in the wrong move, but no, according to the door number this was the right class.

The woman walked over to the computer shoved in the corner of the wall and placed herself there. She didn't greet the class or write her name on the board like all the other teachers had done. She just typed away at the keyboard for a good five minutes until finally said, "Okay bad news." The best words to hear in the morning.

"Your professor for this class has officially retired due to unforeseen circumstances. However, we are in contact of a professor who might be able to do this class until then look at your school email for an update. I'm sorry if this interferes with your financial aid." She explained to the class that left them in scattered chatter. Nearly half the class rushed to the front asking how long it would take for this new teacher to be here and if their financial aid or graduation was in jeopardy. Amor was not about to waste time asking questions she rushed out the room to go to the computer lab and look up available classes to fill the spot. As much as she wanted to panic like the rest, she would have to push it down to the pit of stomach and move on. However, the classes that would fit the history class spot were all full so she would have to wait and see if people dropped out. Which she knew they would be being a student isn't for everyone.

After a brief lunch of vending machine gummy bears, she went to her next class, psychology. The professor was a petite, elderly woman with purple hair. Amor was amazed that a woman of her small stature had such a booming voice. The woman did need it though considering the classroom for Psychology 101 was the biggest one on campus. The room itself housed about a hundred seats and there were enough students to fill every chair. When the professor walked in she barely looked at the class for the first five minutes just preparing her podium and desk for the lecture. Once she did turn around, she gave belted out a very loud, "Good evening." Like something out of a classic horror movie. Her accent was thick but not too bothersome and her clothing consisted of brown trousers, a brown blouse and brown flats. The woman was head to toe in brown, which only made her pale complexion pop out.

Once she said her greeting, she paced on her stage looking at each face from the ones seating at her feet to the ones who hovered at the top. Amor stationed herself at the first two rows knowing once you go above the third row your chances of passing and paying attention to class shrunk to less than fifty percent. While she wouldn't admit it to herself, she was partially looking for Ezra but in a sea of hundred faces she couldn't find him. Missing the class, he supposedly struggled in maybe it was a good thing she didn't fully accept his offer for a study group.

As the teacher stopped her observation the air in the room suddenly changed it hit a static note. The elderly woman smiled and said, "This class is going to have be cut short so leave your work on the table in front of me on your way out. Class dismissed." She turned around and gathered her things before anyone could say anything. For such an old woman she moved as if she was in her prime.

The class seemed as ecstatic unlike Amor who now had nearly two hours to kill before her next class, but she just stomped her feet to the table, dropped her work and left. As she exited the building part of her wanted to wait to see if Ezra really was missing but then she thought of his smile and his delightful attitude which made her stomach burn so she headed as fast as she could to the computer lab.

Just as she was contemplating what subject to study in the meantime, 'BAM', she got smacked right in the face. First, she saw darkness, then her face tingled and finally she felt that devasting blow to her nose. She grunted and hissed at her pain; she never screamed it was something she learned from her father never make a scene over pain. But she did learn to curse from him too, so she belted out all the curses in her vocabulary.

"Holy crap Amor! Are you alright?" Someone asked her which was stupid. No, she wasn't alright her face just got slammed by a door. "Amor? Amor? You okay?" The voice kept bothering her, finally she opened her eyes to see a blur of an orange shirt and khakis there was only one she knew with that bad fashion taste.

"Ezra! What in God's name is wrong with you! You bastard!" Her voice faltered as she yelled. 'Great now I'm to cry in front this moron' She wasn't about to see his face contorted to pity. First comes pity then comes resentment. She pushed him out of the way and headed to the campus clinic.

"Amor? Where you headed? Are going to the clinic? It's on your left two doors." God no matter how far she walked she could his concerned voice. Well if he was so concerned about her he shouldn't have slammed a door in her face. This was last time Amor was going that boy with his brightly colored clothes bother her again.