As I weave through the crowd of students, I recall the joy I felt when I received my admission letter.
Kelvin and I celebrated the occasion with a pot of spaghetti, a bottle of red wine, and a stocking of my almost full wardrobe. I tried so hard to sabotage the shopping, but Kelvin was so persistent in adding new clothes to my collection of new ones.
'You're no longer in high school, you need to dress grown up' he said.
As if, clothing had nothing to do with maturity, sure it could be classified as an accessory but the main feature was a person's behavior.
Jason's brochure still sits beside my bed on my nightstand, I've read the brochure so many times it developed dogears at the corners. I'm pretty sure I can recite the whole thing without looking at it.
Can you blame me? No, it was the only connection I had to an MIA Jason or not-so-MIA. I don't even know if he is still alive, because he can't be missing in action if he's dead, it would be a DIA instead.
I hope he isn't, he's a nice guy under that dangerously cold exterior or so I think, I don't know him well enough to say for sure.
Someone turns suddenly round the corner and bumps into me.
"Watch it, this shoe isn't something a low-class citizen like you can afford"
"And yet we're attending the same school, why not sell it and go to a private university"
I don't even stop as I brush past her and head for class. It's almost filled when I enter, a pale almost white boy taps a seat next to him, and with a shrug, I head over to him. He extends his hand as I sit.
"Draco"
"As in Dracula?"
I shake his hand and his bones jiggle.
"Yes. Not so hard"
"You okay?"
"Calcium deposition problems and you are?"
"Selene"
"As in the Greek Goddess of the moon, Luna in Roman mythology, Ix-Chel in Maya mythology, Sefket in ancient Egypt mythology, Lasya according to the Tibetans, Kuan Yin according to the Chinese, Rhiannon according to the Celts–"
"That's a long list, but I'm just Selene"
"The name do you justice. Hair as black as a starless night with eyes so blue they glitter like the stars in the constellation. It is a very fine name for a very fine lady"
"Are you a poet?"
"You got me..." he looked like he wanted to say something else.
"What?"
"I've always struggled to make friends because of my condition so I got a notebook and wrote down how I was feeling, it always made me feel better, it was there I discovered my talents for poetry"
"Why then are you in business school?"
"Family business"
"Seems like you can't run from it"
"There's no escaping this reality, it's very annoying that my family wants a pure line of businessmen, everybody from my grandfather to me and my cousins has to follow that line. it's exhausting"
"You could be the first black sheep, you know. Go for what you like, no one's going to live your life for you"
"You don't understand, I can't. My grandfather–"
"What if... What if they finally persuade you to become the businessman that they want and you're very bad at it, who do you think they'll blame, themselves for pushing you into it or you who doesn't want to do it but decided to follow just to please"
"Me"
"Just know that whatever choices you make have their consequences. I would rather be in the darkness and chase after my light than be in the light and still grope in darkness"
"Good morning freshmen"
The lecturer interrupted our heart-to-heart talk.
Draco wasn't the kind of guy a girl would call attractive, his lack of color was rather... eye-catching but he was easygoing and smart. He had platinum white tufts of hair on an oval face, his big mouse ears framed his deep sunken gray eyes, and a crooked nose that curved just above his medium heart pale lips.
He was bony and sickly looking but he didn't seem to mind the stares or judgemental looks.
"Are you okay with the stares?"
"I've been getting them all my life for twenty-three years, I'm pretty much used to it now"
He had a strong mental fortitude, I'd give him that, a lot of people would hide in large cardigans, hoodies, or sweatshirts when they had burn marks or scars that they found too ugly to classify themselves as normal anymore.
As if a scar like that could turn you into Frankenstein, and what about those hot fantasies of yours, '...he had a scar over his right eye with the body of a Greek god...', if scars were such a horrible thing, why squeal and fangirl rather than make puking sounds.
So it's interesting to read in books but horrible to look at in real life, really twisted.
"What major?"
"What?"
Draco startled me back into reality.
"Your major"
"Business administration and management. Yours?"
"International business"
"Dope. Are you sure you'd be fine with it?"
"Yes. I might not like it as much as I like poetry, but I do like business"
I patted his shoulder gently.
"Alright, I look forward to seeing your faces again. Let's have a fruitful semester"
I stood to head to my next class when Draco grabbed my arm.
"Can I have your number?"
It was a plea from the heart.
"Sure"
We exchanged numbers and we parted ways.
The life of a freshman is tedious, sorry to spoil your fantasy about college or university but the only thing enjoyable about graduating from high school was freedom, that was if you didn't live with your parents afterward too.
I blow out a tired sigh and head for the closest cafe for a quick cup of coffee, my blood needed the caffeine boost.
The lecturers were brutal, the first day and I already had five major assignments.
"Whoever said the university was fun? I'd love to invite them to mine, see if they don't change their mind"
The cafe bell jingle as I open the door. I force my legs to the counter and press my throbbing head against the cold slab of tiles.
"Welcome to Hot CoCo! What can I get you?"
"Coffee..." I croak out.
"Milk and sugar"
I raise my head to give the barista a nod and instantly regret it, my brain moves with my skull.
"You okay?"
I give the guy a thumbs up as I press my head back on the cold tiles.
"Freshman"
"How can you tell?"
"Most freshmen look like that on their first day"
He places a cup beside my head, I struggle to raise my hand.
"Should I carry it to your table for you?"
"Yes please kind sir"
He chuckles and helps me to an empty table.
I plop on the chair and lay my head on the table, it's not as cold as the counter tiles but it would suffice for the time being.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Don't you have work to do?"
The barista rubs his hands on his apron.
"I didn't go for the lunch break, I'm pretty sure the manager would let me take at least three minutes to talk to a customer"
I weigh the options and find one more suitable than the other.
"I'm sorry, but I would love to be alone. Talking would worsen my headache"
"Sure. I've got pills, just in case you need them"
"No thank you"
I turn him down and focus on my coffee.
The warmth spreads through my body after a few sips, soon I'm feeling relaxed after finishing the cup, I yawn and stretch my sore arms.
"Time to go home..."
The sun had set when I neared the familiar streets of my house, procrastination was the enemy of man. I had given myself five minutes to get my tired body into a moving condition, then extended it to taking a small fifteen minutes nap only for me to wake up five hours later, and that banana of a barista couldn't wake me up, 'you looked so tired', he said.
Did you consider the neck pain I would feel from sleeping on a chair? Did you consider my butt? Or my sore, cramped legs? My aching back and stiff hips? No, you just wanted to keep looking at my drool-filled face.
I massage the back of my neck.
The house feels empty when I get back.
"Kel? I'm home"
A note is stuck to the light switch. I rip it off and read the content.
'Why don't you answer your calls? Who has a phone and doesn't use it? I've been calling you to tell you that I'm flying to South Carolina to pursue evidence for a case. Call me when you see this'
I open my phone and sigh. Fifteen missed calls and none of them could wake me up. I dial Kelvin's number and wait, it rings once and goes through.
"Where the hell have you been?"
"Evening to you too Kel"
"Where were you?"
"I fell asleep at a coffee shop close to the campus. I'm surprised you didn't come looking for me"
"You're no longer a kid pumpkin, I trust you know how to take care of yourself"
"When are you coming back?"
"I'm currently trying to gather evidence on a case, the witness I was hoping would talk is proving to be quite an obstacle, this might take three weeks or more"
"Alright. Have you eaten?"
"Fish and chips and a bottle of diet coke. You?"
"I haven't decided what to eat"
"You could order takeouts, you don't need to cook every time. So, how was your first day?"
"I'm not looking forward to tomorrow"
Kelvin chuckles.
"That bad?"
"Very stressful"
"You'll get used to it. Once you do, you'll find out that it's not that much of a big deal"
"I hope"
"I have to go, work calls"
"Even at night?"
"I'm burning both ends of the candle, I need to wrap up this investigation before the next two months"
"Alright, bye"
"Night pumpkin"
The line beeps as the call is disconnected. I run upstairs to my room, grab a sweater and leave the house.
Using Google maps, I find a comfy Chinese restaurant close by. A leaflet lies on the table. I pick it up and read through it, it's a menu with a lot of names I haven't seen before.
"Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme?"
"What?"
"Ahh, English. What do you want?"
"I haven't eaten Chinese before, except for the boxed noodles. What do you recommend?"
"Are you vegetarian?"
"No"
"Then the Kung Pao Chicken or Peking duck is the meal for you"
"I'll have the Kung Pao Chicken and a plate of dumplings"
"Tea or water?"
"Tea"
"What type?"
"I don't know. You decide"
"Alright," he bowed slightly and left to get my order.
I looked around the place, it was nice and cozy. People flocked in and out of the place.
Something caught my eye from my peripheral vision.
I turned but everything looked normal. I could swear it seemed someone was watching me.
"Here you go"
In all honesty, Chinese food is tasty. It isn't the same way it tastes when you watch it on TV that it tastes when you eat it.
I let out a loud burp and rub my stomach.
"That hit the spot" The tea was slightly bitter, not my type of tea but I drank it all down.
I felt that sensation again and turned.
Nothing was out of place, the couple behind were laughing and occasionally smacking their lips against each other.
"Am I just being paranoid?"
I paid for the meal and decided to walk home.
Not wanting to walk alone, I trailed behind a group of four tall boys. They were talking about basketball and one twirled a basketball on his index finger.
A hand closed my mouth and forcedly dragged me into a dark alley, I kicked and clawed but my attacker was too strong, the man pulled me deeper into the alley and threw me into a car.
My eyes locked on black and white canvases and slim-fit jeans.
I kept my head down until the person spoke.
"How long are you going to keep your head down?"
My head whipped up faster than a fired bullet.
"Jason?"
"Right in the flesh"
Jason was dressed casually in a black polo and blue jeans, and a black leather jacket lay beside him.
I sat down beside him and touched his face, he dodged my finger when I attempted to poke him again.
"I'm not dreaming, am I? That man probably gassed me and I'm sleeping right now and this is all a dream"
"So you dream of me"
"That's not what I said"
"Isn't it?"
It sounded like that if you took the words literally.
My eyes fall on his bandaged arm.
"What happened to your arm?"
"Accidents happen all the time"
"Can you move it?"
He wiggles his finger and raises the arm before he drops it.
"At least you're in one piece"
"And here I thought, you were the empathetic type"
"Sometimes. Who was that man that dragged me?"
"Maverick"
"I should have known. You sent him to spy on me, didn't you? I kept having a feeling that someone was watching me"
Jason studies me with discerning eyes.
"What?"
"You're weird"
"You're not one to say"
Jason starts the car and begins to drive.
"So the mission was a success?"
"Yes. I'm fifteen point six nine billion dollar richer, and I have billionaire Hussain Khan Al-Saud to thank for that"
"What do you use all the money you get to do?"
"Funding"
"As if you don't have enough"
"You can never have enough, that's one of the codes of the Mafia"
Jason suddenly stops the car and turns to face me.
"I have a job for you..."