Old World [Louis Tomlinson]

Chapter 1

It has always been my dream to leave Brazil. Don't get me wrong, this country is beautiful but in the past few years the political situation has worsened and it makes me really scared to be here. For all my high school years I always had one goal in mind: live abroad. I put in all the work which ended up in a scholarship for the world's best university, the university of oxford. I'm going to admit, I'm very scared. It's my first time actually leaving home and I'm not only doing it but I'm also going to be several time zones away. Just the thought of not seeing my parents everyday makes me want to cry, they are older than my friends' parents and it's kinda getting visible that they aren't going to be here for much longer which makes me very sad.

I glance once more at the room that was mine for most of the years I stayed in this house and check everything for the third time. The road to the airport is silent and it's mostly because I'm trying to hold back tears and, as my mom and my dad leave me at the airport, I give them one last hug and go to the check in area. The whole process of going through security goes smoothly and soon I'm sitting on my plane seat. As I look at the window I let all the tears roll and feel the excruciating pain on my chest. Is this even normal? I don't know but if all the years in therapy taught me something is to not hold this type of emotion. The flight is mostly calm and I alternate between reading in my E-reader and sleeping. As I arrive at Heathrow Airport I start to feel the excitement, that's it, all my lost teen years alternating between working and studying are finally paying off.

I grab a taxi to Oxford, which was way more expensive than I thought it would be. As I arrived at the flat that I rented though the university it finally starts to sink in, I'm actually here! I take a quick shower and grab everything I need for class. There was some trouble in the announcement of my scholarship which ended with me having to book a flight way too close to the start of the semester and between that and the time zones I ended up having a class right after I arrived. I take the bus and arrive at the university with time to spare, I end up going to the cafeteria to grab a bite and then go to my classroom. I sit in a spot that is right in the middle of the class as, this way, I won't be distracted by classmates but am not too close to the teacher. I so lost in my thoughts that I almost didn't see the blonde guy sitting next to me.

- Hi! - He said, his eyes were very shiny and his hair looked dyed.

- Hello. - I say not being able to show the same excitement but in my defense I just came out of an eleven hour flight.

- Are you a freshman too? - He asks and I sense a very different accent which made it a bit hard to understand.

- Yes, what's your major? - I ask as I start to get intrigued by this boy.

- International Relations. - He smiles.

- Really? Me too. - I smile back.

- Nice, are you american? - He asks probably picking up my accent which is a result of studying english since I was ten and then teaching it.

- Nop. - I laugh - I'm actually brazilian, just got off my flight.

- Alright everyone, how are you guys feeling about studying the theories of political science. - Our professor enters the room sounding extremely british.

The class goes really well, I always knew I liked the subject but actually studying it makes me fall in love even more with it. The professor indicates the end of the class and as I grab everything the blonde boy looks at me and says:

- I'm sorry I didn't catch you name.

- Ember - I smile.

- Nice to meet you Ember, I'm Niall. If you'd like to meet a few other students, I'm going to the pub to meet a few of my friends. Hope you're not feeling too tired. - I look at him while I think. - Please?

- Ok, yes! - I smile.

We walk a few minutes and I'm so glad to always be wearing comfy clothes. I might not be the most stylish girl but using comfy clothes has its perks. I feel very cold as we go outside the campus and mentally scream at myself for not thinking of how, even in the summer, England can be way colder than Brazil, even though I grew up in the south which it's very cold in the winters.

- We're here! - He says as he opens the door for me and I'm so glad we're safe in the heat of the pub. The bar is not even close as loud as brazilian ones would be. I follow him to a table where there are 4 boys and a girl sitting. - Hi lads, I brought a friend.

- Or is it? - One of the boys says and the other ones laugh. I stay silent as I decide if I like him or not.

- Oi, please bring us seven beers mate? - One of them screams and I get annoyed with how loud he is and because I almost didn't get what he said. I take a look at him, he has a light brown hair that slightly falls on his forehead and extremely blue eyes.

- So, tell me about you? - The guy who is sitting on my side asks, he's brunette, has brown eyes and speaks really fast.

- Well... - I blush. - I'm a international relations student and literally just got here.

- She's brazilian. - Niall says but he doesn't sound malicious. My whole life I heard stories about how foreigners think of brazilian girls as sluts and I was scared of having to face an uncomfortable interaction since I got here.

- Brazilian? - A brunette with tanned skin asks, he sounds malicious.

- Yes. - I say in the most monotone ever and look at him trying to pass a firm look that I'm definitely never gonna have something with him. I turn to everyone at the table. - So guys, tell me your names. - I smile.

- I'm Louis. - The loud one says.

- I'm Zayn. - The brunette one who just defied me says still looking at me as if I were a piece of meat.

- I'm Liam. - The one who speaks fast tells me.

- And I'm Harry. - Says the one sitting beside Louis. - Tells us a bit about you? We still don't know your name. - Jesus, he speaks really slow.

- Well, my name is Ember. I'm 20 years old and I'm a virgo.

- So you like horoscopes? - The girls talks for the first time, for a second I forgot she was there.

- Yes. - I smile.

- Nice, I'm a capricorn. - I realize she's flirting with me.

- Oh, did you know that I should be with capricorns as my rising sign is cancer?

- Really? - She smiles.

The beers arrive and they start talking about a football game. I stay silent most of the time but for what I get they are part of the college's football team, including the girl which I still don't know the name of. Niall offers me a ride home and I accept it since it's pretty late. As I arrive in my apartment I realize how tired I am and go straight to sleep.