I'm standing on the edge of a cliff. The sun's rays warming my skin as I take in the view of the deep blue ocean I've been admiring all summer long. A nice, warm breeze comes by and I close my eyes to breathe it in. I'm completely calm and everything is right in my life. Summer by the shore. I'm standing at my favorite place, nothing can be better than this. Then, I feel someone push me from behind - I immediately open my eyes and I'm falling down the cliff. I'm speechless because my heart is in my throat and then I wake up with jump.
Another nightmare? I've had one every night since I moved in. I rub my eyes and look at my phone.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I missed my alarm. I jump out of my twin size bed at my college dorm in a panic and my heart starts beating fast again. I try to keep quiet since my roommate, Ava, isn't awake yet.
'I'm going to be late on my first day as a college student.' My stomach is in knots now as I throw open my closet and immediately put on the first pair of jeans and short-sleeved shirt I see. I rush to the little mirror I hung up by my door and try to rub in some concealer under my eyes with my fingers. I put on a few layers of mascara and start searching the room for the brush, which can't be found anywhere.
'Where's the fuckin brush?' I growl and I roll my eyes as I shove my feet into my white slip-on converse. I quickly run my fingers through my shoulder-length blonde hair, trying to comb out the mess, as I open my door and hurry out into the hallway before my other roommate can say any snide remarks. As the door closes, I remember my backpack and throw the door open.
"Back again so soon, Gwendolyn?" One of my three roommates, Eva, snickers at me. I try to ignore her and go into my room. I grab my backpack and shove my new MacBook into one of the sleeves.
"Gwen." I say to her before closing the door again. I speedwalk down the hallway, down the stairs and out the door to outside. I try to remember the way to Bennett Hall for my English class. I feel like my legs are going to give out at any second by the time I reach the front doors. I push through the hallways until I see Room 107. I open the door and everyone is looking at me. "It's alright, come on in." The professor says to me and motions with his hand. My cheeks can't help but turn pink as I shuffle to a nearby seat.
The professor gives me a small smile and continues with his speech, "Alright hey guys, welcome to the first day of freshman comp. Congrats on leaving home to come to a university! It's a good choice - it makes you be more independent and more social. Now it's honestly your call if you wanna call me Ben or Mr. Ronan, whatever's fine with me, but get used to me since we'll be seeing each other Monday, Wednesday, Friday for the whole semester." He flashes a pearly, white smile. He's nice and also, kinda cute. He has to be no older than 25. He's dressed in tighter fitting khaki pants and a unbuttoned blue top with a grey t-shirt underneath. I can't help but smile when I notice that he's wearing white converse too.
"We're just going through the syllabus this week so you don't have to sweat, the hard stuff isn't here yet, I promise." Another smile. "I'm passing around copies of the syllabus - I would recommend putting this into a binder so it won't get hurt or lost this semester." I pull out a small binder and click the thick booklet into the rings. I take out a pen and then keep paying attention.
"Does everyone have a copy?" Ben waits and looks around the room and I hear a man's voice directly behind me.
"I don't." I don't turn around but I think he has an English accent.
"Well, just share with someone for today until I get you one on Wednesday. Sorry about that." Ben gives a sympathetic look. He turns back to the class, "Do some reading on your own, just to look over what the semesters going to be like."
I feel a tap on my shoulder. "Do you mind if I take a look off of yours today?" I turn around to see an attractive man with curly, black hair and a little bit of stubble on his face, looking me right in eyes. I nod my head, speechless. "Is it alright if I just come and sit next to you?"
"Sure," I squeak out.
The man grabs his bag and he stands up, towering high above me. He comes and sits to my right and his cologne sweeps over to me. I can't say anything so I just put the syllabus on the desk between us. He motions to me, asking if he can flip through. I nod, yet again.
As he's flipping through the pages, I can't stop looking at him. I don't think that I've ever seen a man look like that in my life. He notices my staring after a second and looks me in the eyes again. "What did you say your name was again?" He whispers.
"I'm Gwen." I whisper back.
"I'm Harry. It's nice to meet you." He smiles.
"Nice to meet you too." A smile creeps on my face.
"Alright, we're going to go over the booklet as a class now, I'll answer any questions." Ben says.
I turn my head to the left and pay attention over to him. The rest of the class is just students asking questions about due dates, writing labs and office hours. I try my best not to look but I can feel Harry's eyes on me.
Ben lets us know that we're dismissed and I start packing up. Harry and I stand up at the same time and he opens the door for me.
"So Gwen, short for Gwendolyn?" He asks in a sweet tone.
"Um yeah, it is." I let out a nervous laugh.
"You don't like Gwendolyn?"
"Um, not really. I don't really even like Gwen, it's just easier to go by I guess." I try to not sound negative and thankfully, he doesn't take it that way.
"I don't think it's a bad name. It's better than Harold, that's for sure." He laughs.
"I guess you're right." I give him a playful eye roll.
"Well I have to go the other side of campus but I'll see you on Wednesday," he smiles and walks out of the building.
Oh wow. Wednesday can't come fast enough.
