A Month To Live - Extras

The Freshman

The football grounds here at college were so much bigger than the ones I’d seen at any of the high schools I’d been to. I mean, the field was the same size, I guess they always were, but the surrounding bleachers were huge and could definitely hold a few thousand people. When I’d been to the football game at Richmond, there weren’t enough seats for everyone – a lot of people didn’t go but, even so, there were a bunch of kids standing around.

Right now the grounds were quite empty but I’d expect them to be filling up in the next hour or so during the tours. All last week had been tours around college for newbies like me but I hadn’t been entirely clueless in the first place, having been around the college to meet Bradley every now and then the past few months. It still felt strange that I actually went here now but I guess it would sink in when classes started properly in a couple weeks time.

It was going to be strange having such a busy schedule again. Working five days a week was a lot different than studying. By the looks of it, I’d be in college four days and then Thursdays I’d have off – but it wasn’t really a day off because I still needed money to... well pay for food and rent so I’d decided to work that day and Saturday too at the garage.

It’d take some time to get used to but I think I was prepared. I’d had quite a chill year, even been on vacation a couple times and me and Bradley spent so much free time together. It was easier now that we’d moved into our own place because we saw each other every morning and evening. I guess we’d miss having extra time to get out of the house and stuff but we’d work with what we had.

Coach was yelling out some orders to the guys who were finishing their training with some laps around the field. I doubt I’d even be able to do one, I was seriously not into fitness. Bradley had convinced me once to go on a morning run with him saying it helped to wake up and you felt great after. I swear I nearly passed out halfway and he found it amusing when I crawled back into bed after. Sometimes I thought he was certifiably insane.

‘Hi, coach,’ I said chirpily, joining him by the edge of the field. There was a separate seating area on both sides of the grounds for each of the opposing teams. ‘How are ya?’

‘Raegan! I thought I’d been seeing you around sooner or later. Is it your first day?’ he asked, beaming at me.

‘I started last Monday for all the enrolment stuff,’ I replied. ‘Classes aren’t for a couple weeks. I still have to choose one more so I’m going to those taster sessions today.’

‘Excellent,’ he nodded. ‘They are quite useful. You might find something unexpected that you enjoy. What have you chosen so far?’

‘Um, kind of heavy stuff so far,’ I said leaning against the railing. ‘Calculus for Biology and then Intro to Human Biology,’ I listed off. ‘Natural History, Animal Science and then I think maybe Music and something else. I’m not sure yet.’

‘Good lord. I was always terrible at science. You’re going to have your hands full,’ coach replied, seemingly shuddering.

‘Yeah, I want an easier a class for my last choice,’ I mused. ‘Else I’ll be buried under books for four years.’

‘Well, you have until the end of the week before they start timetabling. You definitely want to avoid the office next week, they get a teeny bit overwhelmed at this time of year. One of the admissions officers nearly bit my head off last January,’ he snorted.

‘I’ll keep that in mind.’

‘Are you here to meet Bradley?’ he asked. I nodded and he bellowed so loudly that I took a hasty step back with a wince. ‘Miller!’

Honestly, his voice was impressive. If he wasn’t so sweet to me then I’d be rather intimidated by him.

It didn’t take Bradley long to run on over. He’d been on our side of the field finishing one of his laps when coach yelled out for him.