The "What If" Challenge Series: The Alternative College Lovers (18+)

Prologue

It was a night of despair. A night that Sharni Hendry had hope would never come. Yet it did. Too much had happened for her that her eyelids were not heavy enough to close. Sharni was afraid to go to sleep as she knew that after what she had gone through the past three weeks, blissful dreams had no chance in coming. Instead nightmares of evil laughter would enter her sleep. Those laughs would be of those who once told her that her dreams would never come true.

She was in her night clothes: a white tied crop top which was fastened together at the front with a thin white ribbon tied in a bow; and white hipster shorts. Her long black hair was tied up at the back with a white hair band.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as Sharni sat under her duvet on her bed with her legs folded under her. Her bed was right next to her bedroom window. She had her head leaning against the window. Her big watery brown eyes gazed into nothingness. Her heart was aching so badly. Never did she think that it would break twice within three weeks! It felt like she lost everything! Her happiness, her dignity, everything!

There was no space left for optimistic thoughts for her mind was constantly getting filled with distress.

Flashbacks of all the kisses and soft touches danced in front of eyes. She clenched her eyes and wrapped herself around her bare abdomen where she still felt the strong arms in contact with her soft skin. She was confused as to why her body was missing the moments of being close to someone when she wanted to forget them. Her whole body was burning with a tingling sensation and there was no way she could stop it.

Nothing made sense to Sharni anymore. What was real and what was not real did not make any difference to her any longer. Who should she trust? To her the answer has been so unclear in her life!

How did this all happen? Sharni thought to herself as she blinked, letting another stream of tears fall from her sore eyes.

Then she thought back to the last time, she recalled being happy. A time when she was the happiest little soul that ever lived. A time when she had everything: A wonderful family, a great neighbor and a caring friend. But then, just a few days after Sharni's eighth birthday, a devastating event occurred and things started to go down hill. All she had left was one friend and someone to look after her. The rest of the world left her isolated and she found it hard to socialize with anyone new.

Sharni remembered her time in high school. When she was 11 years old, she began experiencing something, which was nothing new to any girl her age: A crush on a boy. As it lasted no longer than a couple of years for many girls, it was surprising to see how long Sharni held on for one boy, and even she was astonished. She once believed that it was hope that one day she will win his heart. But as she had difficulty in bringing someone new into her life, she could not tell him how much she loved him. Yet she could feel that he knew, and just like everyone else he blended her with the background.

Things got bad to worse when Sharni was 14 years old, a mysterious girl entered the scene and she cast a spell on what seemed like almost every boy around her. She must have changed schools and Sharni could not remember seeing her in the first years of high school. It was not long until everyone was bewitched by this mysterious girl, and poor Sharni was never seen or heard at all.

Sharni helplessly watched the mysterious girl take the boy she adored out of her reach. She tried not to mix her emotions with her studies and worked hard for her final exams.

After the final exams were over and the summer vacation was approaching, 16 year old Sharni thought she would give it a shot and talk to the boy one last time. She saw him standing alone just outside the school gates and walked out to him.

"Hey Sharni." Said the boy as she approached him.

"Hey!" Sharni said. She was a little lost for words when the boy spoke the first words of the conversation.

"Can't believe this is actually our final day at school!" The boy grinned.

"Neither can I." Sharni nodded.

"It's a shame we didn't get to know each other properly."

"I know." Sharni said. She noticed the boy's small brown eyes glistening from the afternoon sun's reflection as he smiled. At that split moment Sharni sensed the smile to be pure and genuine. However, that was short lived as he turned to face the mysterious girl who was walking out of the gates towards him. Her two ginger side ponytails flared in the breeze. Then his expression changed as he turned back to face Sharni.

"But what could I do?" He sighed sarcastically. "You just wasn't beautiful enough."

Feeling upset and insulted by his last words, Sharni gave him one big smack on the face and before seeing his reaction, she ran away with her tearful eyes covered with her arm.

When Sharni's best and only friend caught up with her, she told her to forget the boy and try to look into a bright future. And at that moment, Sharni felt confident and held her head high.

"Yes, you're right!" She said to her friend. "It's time I fought for what I truly need in life, and when I start college, no one will stand in my way!"

Now, after starting college three week ago, Sharni never thought this same old misery would hit her again double the size!