Start.

+ 3 +

I make my way to my Literature lecture, walking quickly, with little time to spare. It's the only one of my classes on the farthest side of campus, and the only one I'm ever late to. By the time I reach it, most seats are occupied and Professor Sankey is setting up the projector and occasionally glancing up at the slowly filling room. Exhaling, I make my way across the front, scanning for an empty seat among the groups of students, and I manage to find one near the front.

Taking a couple of steps up, I walk into one of the rows and take a seat next to a dark haired girl with tanned skin. She glances up at me as I lower my bag to the ground and take the seat beside her.

"Hi." I say, smiling as I pull out the small desk.

"Hey." She greets back, shifting her bag to the other side of her legs.

"I'm Harper. I go with Bre though."

"Jess." She watches me as I pull out my lap top and assignment papers. "You're new here, right?"

"Yeah, I'm a first year. You?"

"Second year History student. What are you studying?"

"English Literature."

"Nice."

"Yeah, it's not too bad." Jess faces ahead as well, noticing the quieting down students and I look ahead as well at the lecturer waiting for the class to tone down before he begins. As I do, I can't help but think that I'm getting off to a good start at college- the people here seem alright.

+

Jess offered to go to the café for coffee after the lecture, but I declined, exchanging numbers and promising to meet up with her sometime soon. I headed back to my dorm, walking casually through the corridors and basking in the rays of sunlight peeking through the windows. I'm not ready for summer to be over. Fall never really feels like fall, it's just a toned down version of winter.

As I get closer to my door I'm welcomed by the sound of Alex's music escaping through the cracks around the door and filtering out into the hallway. I shake my head as I rummage for my key, wondering if the sound disturbs any of the neighbours.

Unlocking the door, I get a full blast of music blown in my ears and a picture that leaves me momentarily shocked. Alex is sat on her bed with Levy, a bottle of alcohol between them, and Zayn lies sprawled on my bed, shoes on and cigarette between his lips, blowing wisps of white smoke in rings over his head.

"Hey." Alex says, bringing the bottle down from her lips and passing it to Levy. Levy turns to face whoever it is Alex spoke to and Zayn tilts his head up to look at me.

"Hi." My reply is hesitant, as I close the door and walk over to my desk. "What are you doing?" I mean to address my question to Alex, but I can't seem to move my sight from Zayn. A frown has settled across my brow, and I press my lips together in a firm line to stop them from giving away my apparent annoyance. His shoes are on top of my comforter and he's blowing smoke over my pillow.

Frustration brews within me as I peel my eyes from Zayn's careless figure to Alex, awaiting a response from someone.

"What?" Alex scrunches her face and yells too loudly. More annoyed now, I go to her dock and lower the volume to just over a whisper. Instantly the room feels less chaotic.

"What's going on?" I try again, trying to hide the judgement in my voice. I don't do a good job of it, nor do I care- I am judging them, particularly Zayn.

"I swear to god Bre, I told him not to touch your stuff." Her words are slightly slurred but still comprehensible. Alex can handle her liquor. "Didn't I tell you she'd get worked up over it?" She asks Zayn and then turns to Levy for confirmation. Levy nods, once again returning the slowly emptying bottle back to Alex.

Taking in a sharp breath, the smell of tobacco stings my nostrils and clouds my chest, making the words I intended to say come out in a splutter of coughs.

"Can you not smoke that in here." I wave my hand in front of my face to pathetically attempt to clear up the air in front of me, but to no avail. Zayn sits up, swinging his legs over the side of my bed and taking a long drag. I watch him intently, frustration fusing with anger as he purposely blows a stream of smoke up in the air. In the background I hear Levy scoff, almost in amusement at his antiques.

Though it shouldn't be something to really get under my nerves, I find the back of my eyes stinging, at the feeling of being attacked in my own dorm room. Taking a couple of quick strides, I walk over to the window and push it open, then head to the door and open that too, welcoming the fresh breeze of air to diffuse through the congested room.

"Can you smoke that outside." I ask again, biting my bottom. "Please." My arms cross over my chest as a few strands of hair fall to frame my face and my foot taps by the edge of the door.

Zayn stares at me, his eyes wandering down my form and back up to my face, and it's only when he makes eye contact, that I realise he's smirking. Standing, he leaves me bed in a ruffled mess, and runs his hand through his hair as he comes to stand in front of me intimidatingly. I swallow, but keep my eyes set on his and try to ignore the smell of cigarettes lingering on him. He takes a drag, his cheeks hollowing as he breathes in and once he's done he drops the butt on the floor and steps on it. Then he exhales over my head in one long breath, showering me in smoke and stench.

"You're kicking me out?" His tone holds a sense of amusement to it. He finds me amusing.

"Leave." I point out to the hallway, fighting the tears of anger at being ridiculed by him.

"You're a dick, Zayn. Let's go." Levy walks up behind him pulling his arm towards the door as she leaves. "See you, Alex." She slurs then nods at me with a sarcastic curtsy. "Bre." I swallow as my bottom lip shakes.

Zayn kicks his smeared butt out onto the hallway before tightening his jaw and walking out. I let out a breath I hadn't noticed I was holding and close the door shut, hoping to regain my composure before turning to face Alex.

"Ignore Zayn." She breaks the silence. "He's an asshole to everyone."

"You don't say." I strip the covers off my comforter and pillow and throw them in my laundry hamper, hoping that that's the last time I ever bump into him.

+++++

Chapter three!!! Yipee!!! So this one's a mix of the old chapters 3 and 9, but the last scene is a new one. What do you guys think? It's moving along slightly quicker, but the chapters are a bit shorter, so they don't drag on.

Also shout out to zaynrise for the fabulous cover, and also to daenerysjauregui for making the covers in the media bits. If any of you guys have any covers you've made or want to make, feel free to share them with me and I'll be sure to add them in each chapter. daenerysjauregui