Forget Me Not

Chapter 1: THE PROFESSOR

    "When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But whenyou love a flower, you water it daily."-         Gautama Buddha.

  CHAPTER 1: THE PROFESSOR 

Lavender

 Present.

 The Alarm clock started buzzing, breaking mypeaceful sleep. I slipped my hand out of the blanketto turn it off."Lavender!" Olivia shouted from the kitchen,"Wake up!"Her sharp voice fell on my ear."I bet she won't be going to class today," Roisinscoffed, entering my room. I heard her footstepscoming closer as she came to sit on my bed."Nah! I don't want to go today," I replied,covering my head with my soft blanket.Olivia stomped into the room and grabbed thehem of my blanket to throw it off me. But I grabbedit more tightly."It's too cold, Olive!" I tried to yell, but my wordscame out groggy, "You know how much I love wintermorning sleep!""No, 'cause I know how much you hate the firstclass of each semester," she tried hard not to yell atme. "You'll have to go to the class eventually, Lav! And you shouldn't miss your first class!" Roisinsoothed. 

She's right though. I always get nervous to go tothe first class every semester. It had been two yearssince I enrolled in CIT. I studied my ass off to getmyself admitted to this very college."Ok, I'll walk with you to your class," Olivia said,letting go of my blanket."I'll go too," Roisin nodded."Ahh! It's your first semester here. I should be theone accompanying you to your class. It should be theother way around," I sighed.It was Roisin's first day at the college, and she wasvery excited about it. I wonder how she can be sorelaxed on her very first day."I'm walking both of you to the class," Oliviapointed her index finger at Roisin and me.I pushed myself up on my elbow, "I'm not a kid,Olive!"Roisin and I said out at the same time."But sometimes you both act like one."I rolled my eyes and slipped out from under theblanket."Shit! It's cold!" I swung my legs up and got out ofthe bed."Heater isn't working properly," Olivia sighed, "Ithink you should call your dad and get an electrician.""Then I better get used to the cold, because..." Isang out, "I'm not gonna call him.""You know, we can't afford an electrician rightnow," she touched her shoulder as if there were lotof burden on it."Then we should call Uncle Steve! I bet he will beready to hang the moon for Roisin, huh!" I did a little dance and chimed."Oh, shut up! He is your uncle!" Olivia scolded,but I saw a little hint of a smirk on her lips."Yeah," Roisin gulped.I put my hands on my stomach to pretend to laughout loud, "As if I don't see the spark around you two.And the way he looks at you, damn!" I swirled aroundRoisin like a ballerina, "Like you are a beautiful deerand he's the hunter; like you are a pizza with extracheese and he's a pizza lover; like--"Olivia interrupted by pushing me into thebathroom and shut the door with a thud."He's a great guy, though!" I laughed from thebathroom."Shut up! And be quick with your shower andRose, you come with me."I heard them walking out of the room. 

I met Olivia when we were starting our preschool.It was my first day, and I was too afraid to enter aclass full of unknown kids. I was standing at the doorwhen Olivia came out of the class."Why aren't you coming in?" She asked pushingher red curly hair behind her ear."I don't know," I answered as I didn't want to sayout loud that I was nervous.Her blue eyes were full of understanding andkindness. How could a four-year kid's eyes holdsomething so mature like that, I thought. Shestretched out her right hand to me."Don't worry! I'll sit beside you the whole time,"she smiled.I took her hand and determined to make her mybest friend. Later we found out we were in the same neighborhood. From that day on, we had always beenthick as thieves. We had been to the same school andenrolled in the same college.Roisin was Olivia's little sister. She was two yearsyounger than us. She used to follow us everywherewhen we were kids. I wouldn't say she stoppedfollowing us as she too got herself admitted to thesame college and was staying with us. She could be alittle annoying sometimes, but she was the little sisterI didn't have, and I loved her.We were staying in an expensive apartment, off-campus. And of course, my dad was paying the wholerent. He didn't want me to stay in the college dorm.He always decided everything for me, which I hatedmost about my life. 

When I came out of my room, I found both Oliviaand Roisin by the door with a sandwich wrapped infoil paper in Olivia's hand."We are going to be late, Lav! I took yourbreakfast. Now get your lazy ass here and put on yourboots," she commanded."Ok mother!" I joked and put my boots on.Olivia pushed the door open, and cold air slappedmy face."Ahh! Cold! Cold!" I fished my hands inside of mylong grey coat's pockets and brought out my beanies."I think it'll snow very soon," Olivia shivered,curling her hands in my arms.We parked our car in the parking lot and startedwalking toward our campus."So, you are gonna walk me to the class?" I pointed towards the art department, "Art departmentis that way, hun!" I looked at Olivia."Nah! I'm walking you to the class. Now walk fast,I'm running late, too!"The class wasn't crowded when we got there. I bidOlivia and Roisin goodbye and took my seat in thefront row, bringing out my laptop to practice my Javacoding. At least it was better than watching the classget crowded."Oh! You are good at coding, I see," my attentionwas averted to a playful voice.I turned to find a boy sitting next to me. He wascute and charming, full of happy vibes. I kept staringat him before I gave him a friendly smile."I'm Lucas, who is not that good at coding likeyou," his eyebrows danced while he introducedhimself."I'm Lavender, who is not as good at coding asyou think," I laughed."Good morning, class!"I froze to the voice. It's him. But it's not possible. Howcould it be? I was too numb to look up."OMG! He's too handsome to be a professor!" agirl behind me whispered."He's hot!" another girl whispered.All these whisperings were helping my anxiety tocrawl into my body. I ducked my head and squeezedmy eyes shut."It can't be him! It can't be him! It can't be him!" Ichanted."Are you okay?" Lucas asked, concerned."Yeah! Er... I am ... I'm fine." I stammered, stillducking my head.I realized the professor wasn't saying anything, andthe whispers shifted into silence. I could feel theprofessor's eye boring on my head. Goosebumpsspread on my whole body as I felt he was waiting forme to look up. My whole body felt like noodles. I hadno strength to stand up and walk out of the class. So,I sat there without moving."Everyone needs to look at me and focus while Ispeak" the professor commanded.I knew this was directed at me. So, I looked upslowly and hesitantly. And my eyes fell on the mostbeautiful boy who had grown into a handsome man.There he was! Standing in front of the classroom,staring right at me. Our gaze met like twooceans that could meet but never mix. I looked at himin awe, shock, happiness, and anger. He looked at melike he was looking at his whole world like he alwaysdid. My heartbeat quickened as I kept staring at theman I could never forget.