The Middle: Of College

Chapter 1: Out Of My Hands

College. The place where I've dreamt about since I was 10 years old. While I'm packing my suitcase, I wonder what it'll be like in a week. What will I think? Will it be worth it? Will I have friends? How are the classes? I guess you could say I'm excited. No, but seriously I am yet the nerves are also killing me. Wait a second..

I dropped everything I held, realizing I hadn't looked at the clock for a whole ten minutes. Believe me, it's a lot for me when I'm stressing out. That's when I hear a noise from outside.

'Shit!'

Well, I guess I'm not the only one that's nervous.
I walked to my window to look who it was. That is when slammed the door open, immediately ran downstairs and went outside.

'Alicia!', I yelled while running up to her.
'Oh my god!', she yelled. She quickly put the one of the moving boxes back in her moms car and hugged me.

'I missed you', she said.
'No, I missed you!', I replied
'You don't want to do this right now', she immediately replied back.

We both squealed out of excitement. Her mom quickly shut us down, though. We did make an annoying sound.. Michael, my dad, also heard us and came outside. He opened the truck of the car and we all put Alicia's boxes into my dad's car.

'Where are your boxes?', Michael asked.
I realised I had left my room whilst packing, which probably means I'm not quite ready.. But that's for me to know and for him to guess. I slowly walk backwards to the house. 'Right.. About that..', I said. That's when I turned around and sprinted to my room and closed the boxes. Fortunately, that was my last box.

In around 20 minutes I gathered everything I needed to bring along with me. Before we go, Michael asked me to quickly check if I hadn't left anything behind. Which I obviously already wanted to do, duh..?
Everything I needed was packed, so I closed my door. When I turn around and faced the door of my brother, this feeling suddenly enters my body. It's a sad yet scary feeling. I don't want to say goodbye again. While not even being a five seconds into this vibe, I'm snapped out of it.

'Aliyah?'. It's my dad, yelling at the bottom of the stairs. 'We have to leave, honey'.

'Goodbye', I said to myself while walking back outside. 'Okay, lets go!'.

I get in the car and put on my seatbelt. 'How's Monica?', I asked Alicia. She told me Monica is all and well and that she'll meet us on campus. That's what I love about it. Calvin and her are still going strong. He's actually fulfilling his childhood dream: becoming a firefighter.

'So we'll see him around?', I asked Alicia.
'Yes, I think so', she replied. 'Not very often, though'.

Calvin lives in an apartment in the city. He told Monica he won't be around here often because he attends another college, studying Fire Science in a place approximately an hour and 30 minutes away.

A while later we finally arrived. The college is located a bit outside the city, close to another university: 'FCS Phoenix University'. The first thing my eyes immediately fall on is this beautiful, big tree.
My dad finds a spot to park and after we were brought to our room, we all transfer every single box inside. Turns out, Alicia and I both have way too many clothes.
Time passes and I say goodbye to my dad. I'm going to miss him so much. It'll be fine, though. I'll come and visit every once in a while. But for now Alicia and I need some rest from carying all those boxes.

'Where's Monica?', I asked Alicia.
'I don't know, she said she would be here 15 minutes ago', Alicia answered.
'Great', I said. 'I'll call her'.
'Did you really think I haven't thought of that?', she said with a sarcastic tone and let out a sigh. 'I think I need to lay down'.

Alicia was right, my attempt to call Monica failed.

'Hey, are you guys new?', said a new voice.
'Yes', I replied. 'We just got here'.
'Great! I'm Francia, I'm a sophomore here on RTC. Please meet us and your fellow students in the big hall on your left in 10 minutes!', she said.
'Sure?', Alicia replied.
'See you soon!'.
'Well.. We can say goodbye to that beauty sleep', I said.
'Wait! That's her!', Alicia yelled.
'What?', I replied. 'Who? Where?'.
'Monica's calling', she said.
'Well? Take it!', I immediately answered.

Alicia answered the phone. It turns out Monica can't come because she's sick. It's our first day so I hope she can still make it.. Alicia immediately understood but told me she thought the phone call sounded a bit off. On our way to the 'big hall on our left', Alicia told me that she thought it was weird because Monica would never miss her first day. We also spotted some cute guys, but that's another story. Yes, believe it or not I did too. I got contacts now, which sadly means no more 'I forgot my glasses' jokes. However we arrived in the auditorium in less than 5 minutes. Exactly on time. We sit down and on the theater comes an older man, probably around his 40s, together with 4 other students. Including Francia, the girl that approached us a couple of minutes ago.

'Hello new students and welcome to your new home!', the older man said.

The auditorium is huge and filled with lots of people. I'm so nervous yet on the other hand I'm more than excited to meet them. I'm daydreaming when I suddenly feel someone poking me harder and harder. It's Alicia. She points at her ear, telling me to listen. I floated my nostril and raised my upper lip. 'Don't give me that stank face', she immediately whispered. I smiled. 'Whatever'.

The introduction was energy draining. I came in excited and I left a train wreck. Two and a half whole hours sitting still and listening. That's too much for me today. I need a break. Especially after my night of only 3 hours of sleep. Cause: an overly excited girl. So I told Alicia I needed some rest and I was going to our room. She found some old contacts, so she was in good hands. Plus, if anything were to happen, small chance, she can more than likely defend herself. Not in a selfish way, in a best friend supporting way. Anyway, I need to rest my head.

I'm walking to our room, daydreaming once again. Not a day goes by without me daydreaming. It's just something I automatically do. It's really out of my hands. Everything goes all and well until out nowhere, I feel this body bumping in to me.