Expectations

Chapter Two

One week later....

My eyes were already staring up at the dark ceiling when my alarm clock went off.

*Beep beep beep beep*

Turning over, I heard my bed creak as I reached out to turn off the alarm. A quiet yawn escaped me as I squinted my eyes at the bright screen in front of me.

September 2nd, 2017
6:00 AM

Today was the first day of frosh and I was more than prepared. My suitcase and belongings were lined up against the wall parallel to me and my clothes were hanging on the hooks behind my door. I had spent the better part of a week deciding what to bring, which clothes to wear, planning out the entire frosh week ahead of me- from the smallest details to the bigger, more important ones. 

"Two days"

"No, four" 

"Three days TOPS, and no further argument"

"Okay fineee. Ilove you mommyyy"

"Yeah yeah, whatever"

It was a difficult task persuading my mother to let me stay overnight at frosh. I knew I'd be pushing the boundaries by asking her to let me stay overnight all 7 days. But after constant persistency and begging my uncle to talk it out with her, she settled on letting me stay overnight for three nights, and I was okay with that. I knew asking for more would end up backfiring on me. 

I slowly got up from bed, surprised to notice that my muscles were already wide awake and full of energy. Today's the day, I thought as I got up and headed towards my door. 

For the next hour or so, I spent my time getting ready as I took a shower, wore clothes, did my makeup, ate breakfast and waited for my family downstairs. I could hear shuffling upstairs as my mom scrabbled to get ready. "5 minutes mom!" I informed her from downstairs. 

Glancing over at the clock, I anxiously waited on the couch as my knees bounced up and down. I didn't want to be late for my first day, but it was already 9:00 and my mom was taking her sweet time getting ready. I got up and started pacing around the room until I got to the mirror and stopped, looking at the girl before me. She had olive skin, brown eyes and long black wavy hair framing her oval shaped face reaching many inches below her shoulders. She was wearing a flowy grey long sleeved shirt with plain tight black pants and a small purse slung around her shoulders. I played with my hair as the figure in front of me mimicked each motion. I watched as she looked back at me, running her hands through her hair and pausing every once in a while to untangle a knot. 

After a few minutes, footsteps descended from the staircase, causing me to break eye contact with the figure in front of me. It was my mother, quickly making her way downstairs. She was wearing a cute floral top and her hair was thrown into a messy bun. "I'm here, I'm here, lets get going," I heard my mom say as she hustled towards me. 

My brother was already waiting in the car, along with my suitcases as we locked the door made our way towards him. After shuffling into the back seat and shutting the car door, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Let's get going," I said. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you sure you'll be okay alone?" My mom asked as we stood in the hallway of a building foreign to me. 

Students passed by every once in a while, some huddled in groups speaking in fast and excited tones, while others would walk alone, looking around curiously at the rooms in the hallway. I stood next to my mother and brother, suitcase in hand and curiously glanced around the long corridor, wondering where to go. "Yeah don't worry, I'll be fine," I said to her while looking at the band secured around my wrist.

They had checked me in earlier and given me a wrist band with the words "Galilei Ops" displayed across it in large bold letters. The college I was affiliated with in the university was called Galilei (named after the scientist Galileo Galilei) and I'd have to attend the frosh events designated for this college. I would also be spending the majority of my time in this building with all other first year science students affiliated with the the Galilei college. 

The black wrist band was firmly secured around my wrist and the only way to take it off would be to cut it across the satin fabric. We were told not to take it off until the end of frosh week, meaning that we had to eat, shower, and  carry out all activities without taking it off. The thought of keeping it on all week annoyed me, but it made sense because since needed some way to prove that we were part of the frosh events. 

I watched students hurry past us until I noticed a familiar face among the crowd. "Saafia?" I called out, unsure of whether or not it was her. 

The blonde girl slowed down and stopped before me, glancing at me and then my mother. "No way....Niara?!" she asked excitedly. 

"Oh my God, it is you!" I said back to her as I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her in a tight embrace. 

I met Saafia about a week ago online on the frosh facebook page and instantly clicked with her on chat. Initially, I meant to ask her a question about a facebook post but we immediately became friends and starting chatting almost everyday. "This is my friend Alyssa," she said as she stepped back and pointed to the girl beside her. 

"Hey," I said to Alyssa with a friendly smile. 

Looking back at my mother and brother, they both smiled at me, probably relieved to see that I wasn't alone. "I'll be fine now, you guys should go. Thanks for dropping me," I said to them.

My mom nodded and reached out to squeeze my hand. "Be careful, remember what we talked about in the car," she said. 

And with that, her and my brother made their way towards the door, leaving me on my own for the first time in my life. 

Looking back, that was the moment that I cut off most emotional ties with my mother. That marked the moment where I would begin trading her trust, love and security for the superficial love of another. 

It marked the true beginning of my story. 

The story that you, dear reader, are now about live through.