The next morning I woke up and my room was extremely bright, which was unusual because usually when I wake up the sun is just rising. I jump out of bed and practically run into the kitchen. It's already ten o'clock and I am missing my first class, which is economics. Luckily the exam isn't until later in the week, but still missing a lecture is never good.
I rush back to my room, get dressed, and scan the room for my phone. I must have forgotten to set my alarm last night. Where is my phone? There are literally three places it could be and I can't find it. I am retracing my steps when I remember last night, in Harry's doorway, he knocked my phone out of my hand. Shit. He wouldn't of picked it up because he hates me and I am hoping no one else has seen it and taken it.
I leave the room without eating because I need to haul my ass around one; trying to find my phone and two; getting to at least a little of my economics lecture. Before I know it, I am in Harry's hallway and I search the floor for my cellular device. I don't see it. Now my only luck is that Harry picked it up, which I am half hoping he didn't because that means I will have to talk to him again to ask for it back. He isn't exactly my favorite person based off of his actions last night.
Stacey. Oh no, I totally forgot about her! I haven't been able to respond to any of her texts. Maybe I'm lucky and she lost her phone too and she hasn't been able to text me either because otherwise I'm going to look like a complete jerk. And to top it all off, I don't have a passcode on my phone so he can look through everything on there. I have nothing to hide though, I am not some child molester who has pictures of little children on his phone. But still, its my phone and he doesn't need to be looking at it.
I make it to my lecture about 10 minutes before it ends. Afterwords, I ask my professor what it was about so he gives me another mini lecture. Bless his soul. Once he finishes, I walk out of the building and head towards where my Statistics class was. It's almost like God is feeling sorry for what happened last night, because I see Becca walking not too far ahead of me. I run to catch up to her and grab her elbow. She looks a little shocked at first but once she sees my face she smiles.
"Hey, hows Stacey?" She says with a wink.
"About that, I lost my phone. If you could tell her that, that would be great because I don't want her to think I am ignoring her or something."
"Sure Niall."
"Also, if you see Dan, want to tell him that too?"
"Sure Niall."
"Thanks," I say, relieved.
"Sure Niall."
"Why do you keep saying that?" I ask, laughing.
"Sure Niall," she said once more and she turned the corner. My class was not in the direction she was going so I decide not to follow her.
The rest of the day goes by fine and I see Becca again in Health Psychology. She tells me she saw Stacey and told her that I wasn't ignoring her. I'm glad but now I need to figure out how I will get my phone back. I could ask Zayn to get it for me but then Harry will probably hate me anymore because I am a coward who can't even stand up to a jerk. I decide to grow a pair and go talk to him. Its 7:48 so based on the fact that I saw him the other day coming home around 7, he should be home.
I make my way through the dorm building until I get to his hall. I stand nervously in front of his door, paranoid that he is waiting for me inside with another glass of water. I knock. Nothing. I knock again. This time, someone answers, but it isn't Harry, its that Brax guy who was in our room the other day.
"Hello?" He asked a little confused.
"Yeah, hi, is Harry there?"
"Yeah one sec," he shuts the door and I can hearing him calling for Harry.
He opens the door and holds out my phone without a word. I grab it and he shuts the door.
"Thanks," I mumble. "Would be nice if you said you're welcome."
Now it is Tuesday and I still have around 50 minutes before Health Psychology. I went to the Union for lunch and now I am sitting out on the terrace. My phone rings and I see that it's my mother.
"Hey," I answer.
"Niall! Hows it been?" Her accent is a lot thicker than mine because she doesn't spend as much time around American speakers as I do.
"Good, ma. Really good." I go on to tell her about Dan and Becca and Stacey. We also chat about my older brother Greg who moved to England with his wife when we moved to America. I get to see him around the holidays but thats really it. We skype sometimes, but I miss him.
More time passed than I thought while talking to my mom, so I gather my things and head off towards my last class of the day.
"Hey Stacey," I decided to call her on my walk home to save me from boredom.
"Hey Niall, what's up?"
"Just walking home for the day... what have you been up to?"
"I'm actually heading to work right now, can I call you back when I get home?"
"Sure," I always seem to call her at the worst times.
"Bye..."
There was a long pause before I eventually bid her farewell too. Lately we have been talking non stop. I am hoping that this weekend we can get together. When I get back to my dorm, I am going to check the Badger schedule on the fridge and invite her to come watch the game. Hopefully Zayn won't have any friends over and if he does, I sure hope she doesn't feel intimidated. They can be a frightening bunch if you ask me.
I arrive at my 'house' after what feels like a 1000 mile walk. The first thing I do is head to the bathroom to take a shower. I need to distract myself until 9 p.m., which is when Stacey is off of her work.
Something about her just feels different. She isn't like other girls I've been with before. She is so much more down to earth and intelligent, I actually engage in a conversation with her about deeper issues and she understands what I am saying. I know, I have only known her for a few days. What I am saying though is that maybe things could go somewhere.
I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my waist. I forgot to grab clothes to change into and I don't want to put my old ones back on. It looks like I am going to have to make the irrevocable journey across the hall to my room. I didn't see Zayn at all when I came in, so I am hoping he isn't out there now. Its not that I am a little insecure about my body, but I am a little insecure about my body. On occasion, I have seen Zayn without his shirt on and I can't help but stare at his body. His arms and his chest are covered in tattoos and he is very fit, which his skinniness can be a little misleading, but trust me, that boy sure never skips a workout. I work out on occasion but in no way shape or form do I have a six pack or anything to that extent. I am just a small, fragile, pale irish boy.
I make it safely to my living quarters and change into a pair of grey sweatpants and a white t shirt. A signature lazy look invented by me. I walk into the kitchen and check the schedule. Luckily, the Badgers play South Florida on Saturday at eleven o'clock.
The rest of the night seems to drag on forever. I review my lecture notes from the day over and over. Just because I am actually attempting to be social doesn't mean I can totally blow off course work. At long last, 9 does roll around and I receive a call from Stacey. I tell her about my ideas for the weekend and she says she would love to come over. I keep her company as she walks home with her co-worker Mike. She told me the other day that I don't have to worry about Mike because, and I quote, "he has an interest in other men." I do want to see this Mike character though, just to make sure.
The conversation concludes around 10:30 and I fall asleep with a smile plastered on my face.
