Barfield

Prologue

I don't know just how long I stayed up studying, intent gaze fixed on the textbooks strewn about my desk. It was hard to concentrate on the important things while everyone I knew was out getting high and having the time of their lives...

Don't think about that, I told myself, that's not what you really want. I guess I was right; school was top priority. Always was, always will be. I'll never have time to do pointless things like that.
Suddenly, there was a knock at my door.

"Che!" I heard my friend, Lianne, call from outside my dorm. She was excited about something, but I was too busy and far too tired to care. "You're never going to believe what John and Bree just-"
"Li, you know I'm busy." I stopped her short. There was a long pause before she spoke again.
"Oh, uh...Right. Sorry." She sighed, but still stood behind my door waiting. "Well, everyone told me to tell you that they're...uh, never mind."

I sighed heavily before getting up and unlocking my door. I opened it, revealing the relieved expression on a familiar face. "Li, I'm sorry. It's just...you know with finals and all-"
"No, i-i get it. Your parents want you to study."

I recoiled a bit as she said this. "My-my parents?"
Li nodded with a smile. "You know that the only reason your parents let you go to university is to study. If they knew you partied, you'd never hear the end of it."
I frowned. "It was my choice to come here, and my choice to keep studying. Did it occur to you that maybe I don't want to do everything everyone else is doing?" I kept my voice low as I spoke, listening for any reaction Li would have had.
"I'm sorry." Was all she said before I heard her footsteps start back down the hall.

I sighed, feeling horrible for how I'd responded to her.
"I'm sorry too..."