Valeria Chambers
The minute I stepped through the huge doors of Oxford University, the air shifted and I felt a shiver run down my spine.
I could feel all eyes on me, staring at the intruder I am from another country, like I didn't even belong here.
But how would they know? They didn't even know my name.
Maybe because I wasn't blonde or had blue eyes or a body of a model. People would look at me and jump into conclusions that I was not one of them.
Isn't that what everyone thinks?
I looked like a Middle Eastern girl who was trying to blend in with the English culture, wearing an oversized hoodie with some ripped denim.
Which was what I was trying to do.
Blending in.
And I was ninety nine percent a Middle Eastern girl, with one percent spice of English. A mix of both.
With an English name.
Valeria Chambers.
My father was from England, and my mother was from Syria. I got my father's last name but lived my whole life in Syria, except for the first few years of my exsistence.
I was a spitting image of my mother who had Middle Eastern features; as in elevated, thick eyebrows, almond-shaped brown eyes, straight nose with a little bump at the end, full cheeks, full lips, well-defined jawline, prominent chin, white skin, and long brown straight hair.
If I had a penny for every time anyone asked if I was her daughter just by looking at us, I'd be a millionaire by now.
My father went into a coma because of a car accident when he was going to his work and I never saw him again, so my mum couldn't afford living in the UK anymore to put food on the table and afford daily necessities because she worked in a nursery and the money wasn't enough, so we came back to Syria and put him in a free hospital until he wakes again. I was only ten when it happened.
I wasn't aware of what was happening when I moved back, and I didn't know how I used to live in the UK simply because my mum raised me the same way she was raised in Syria.
I had no friends during the first few years of my life in England because everyone thought I was a freak, but the truth was that I was only following the culture of another country as best as I could.
I also never had a boyfriend or a boy as a friend at all. Not that I know of. I didn't know how to talk to them because I didn't have any masculine figures around me to know what they were like.
But having no father figure around or a brother didn't help, especially when I used to go to a girls only school. There were plenty of other normal schools who had both genders, but guess what, those were private schools, and of course my mum couldn't afford them.
I've always wanted to go on dates like in the movies, but I never dated because my mum always told me that if I wanted to date then it had to end with marriage, dating without getting married at the end just ends with heartbreak. And I didn't even know anyone to have a crush on in the first place, just the ones I knew from when I was ten back in England who I don't even remember.
She also said that those TV shows and movies only showed you what they wanted you to see, not the problems that happened and the complications that came from a simple action like dating a guy.
I didn't blame her. She was just trying to protect me. So I believed her, because I didn't know who else to believe.
That was why it was easy for me to make friends at school when I came back to Syria. Life there was just...simple, but yet so complicated at the same time.
I got a medical scholarship at Oxford University which I applied to when I got my final A+ results for the senior degree, le bac, bacaloriate, 12th grade degree, whatever, you name it.
I was one of the very few who made it through the first year of medical university, which made the universities I applied to accept me immediately before anyone else, with only one or two virtual interviews.
I got many fully funded scholarships. But I only wanted to go to Oxford, which was one of the universities that accepted me and the first one I applied to.
I was supposed to be in second year, but I got promoted to third year because they said my intelligence was something they've never witnessed before and I knew all the information I needed to learn in the first two years.
Anyway, I booked the plane ticket to go there two days ago, had a crying session in my mum's arms when we said our goodbyes at the airport, which was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever experienced.
I arrived there a day ago to settle in one of the flats near the university, which consisted of three bedrooms along with one bathroom in each, along with one kitchen, and one living room. It was more like a hotel suite if you asked me.
It was in a three story building with two flats in each story, all rented by university international and national students. The flat I was staying at was already rented by two other girls, that meant that we were going to be roommates, well flat-mates to be exact, also something I was definitely not used to. But for my luck, I already knew one of them.
In fact, the one I knew had been my internet best friend for three years. I still haven't really met the other girl though. I've only seen her.
I don't think she's really fond of me.
But I might be wrong. Don't judge a book by its cover, Valeria.
I was still recovering from culture shock that started when this girl living in the same apartment, who had dark black curly hair, black eyes, and totally sharp beautiful features, just stripped to her undies and bra saying with that British accent of hers that if she were to live alone she would've slept naked. Fortunately, she never left her room except for when she wanted to drink water or eat something.
Well, her name was Jessica.
Then there was my internet best friend, Rebecca, with her long golden wavy hair and hazel eyes, just one year older than me and she studies in the same medical field, fourth year, also through a scholarship, she came all the way from Australia, which was pretty far from here, she said it almost took her 19 hours to get here, she really wished that her parents were living here instead of taking a flight over there every spring and summer break. Plus the weather here was way much more better than in Australia and Syria, with their usual scorching weather during summer.
Then there was our neighbor right next door. She just gave me the creeps. She had dark brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes.
Oh those blue eyes.
They startled me the minute they burned through my brown boring ones.
She didn't have a British accent like Jessica when I went there to meet her, it was more like she was trying to make one but it just came out as fake. It seemed American.
I mean that was what neighbors did, get to know each other, right?
But yet again, I still didn't know shit about Jessica.
Anyway, her name was Joelle, like Noelle but with a J.
I felt unsafe around her, but what stopped me from freaking out was that Rebecca was always around when I was at that flat, despite knowing that Jessica would be there too, but I just couldn't trust her with my life just yet.
I was safe when Becky's around. Other than that, I'd jump off a cliff if I ever came near that blue eyed girl alone again.
Unfortunately, she seemed to run out of food really quickly for her "parties" so she just walks into our flat and occasionally steals our food saying that she'd pay us back. Well guess what, from what I'd heard, she never did.
As I'd seen in TV shows, she'd be the bitch everyone hated got scared of even when they say her name. The one that took control of everyone she had ever met. Screwed every boy she put her eyes on then threw them like a ragdoll when she was done with them.
The one who didn't care about anything, except for herself and fulfilling her pleasures.
Whether that was controlling everyone or screwing boys to get it her way.
I never actually met anyone like her back in Syria. Everyone was nice to me and always offered help if needed.
But now I really didn't know what people here were like.
I had a feeling she already hated me. And I knew that we weren't gonna be friends after all.
The feeling was mutual.
All because of those damn blue eyes.
Was I jumping into conclusions?
Maybe.
But those eyes were keeping me on edge.
Then it was today.
Here I was. Walking through the hallways of this university with a chill that ran down my spine.
Something didn't feel right.
But everything around me looked normal.
I was definitely overthinking this.
I continued to walk through the hallways, wearing my favourite green hoodie and baggie brown jeans. I reached the principal's office after blindly following the map Becky drew for me and got lost about three times and asked for directions.
Yeah, I was the girl who got lost in buildings even when she had a damn map. That was me.
I found the door with the name "Mr. Weasley" on it.
I pushed through the heavy wooden door after three knocks, only to be greeted with the one and only Mr. Weasly, the same man who I had both of my interviews with.
"Good morning Mr. Weasly." I said in a cheerful tone and put on my best fake smile. I hated mornings and now it was 7:30 AM on a Monday. Plus, I still haven't gotten used to the different timezones just yet.
I was still jetlagged.
Which kinda sucked.
I wish I could be in bed asleep right now.
Mr.Weasly turned in his seat to face me with a grin while he placed his palms flat on his huge wooden desk and stood up.
"Good morning to you too miss Chambers. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. You're quite punctual. I like that, I wish more students were like you, ha. Please take a seat." he chimed in with his thick British accent as he ran a hand through his two white hairs on his bald head. His bright gray eyes met mine.
He was right though, I liked being right on time, or even earlier sometimes.
I sat down on a large black leather chair at the same time he did on his own behind his desk. He started, opened a drawer and pulled some papers out "your papers are ready, you just need to sign these and you're good to go."
He handed me the papers and I signed them before I gave them back to him. He gave me my student card in exchange with a smile.
I stared at it as I read my name printed on it in bold letters, my age, my year, and a very sketchy picture of me in the corner of the card.
Well that was easy.
Once the card was in my backpack, the door suddenly flew open and in came a very tall guy with a mop of brown curls covering his head and almost reached down to his shoulders.
And I swear I knew him. Well I used to know him at least. His face was so familiar to me, but I couldn't put a finger on who he was.
Maybe I didn't know him at all. He could be someone I saw on the street for all I know.
Mr. Weasly didn't even get bothered when this guy just walked in without even knocking.
Who does he think he is?
Mr. Weasly asked me without even glancing at the guy who sat down on the chair, facing me "do you have any questions miss Chambers?"
I smiled politely at him as I said "no sir, I don't."
He kept smiling at me as he answered "alright then. I do have something for you though. I figured since you're new here and you might not have any mates yet, I asked Mr. Styles to accompany you until you get used to everything here and know which hall is which and where everything is. Mr. Styles here is a fourth year medical student despite being the same age as you, but I think you two have one work class together at the hospital and he'll help you with anything you want."
My age and in fourth year? He was such a nerd then.
And Mr. Styles? why do I have a feeling that I've heard that name before? Maybe I was imagining things.
Plus, being stuck with a guy for this mini tour? Nope, I don't think so my friend.
I said with furrowed eyebrows "thank you Mr. Weasly, you really didn't have to-"
"nuh uh, consider this as your welcome present. A tour around our university. And Mr. Styles is totally okay with it." He cut me off.
Now what?
I sighed in defeat then gave him a tight smile "okay, thank you for this... gift. I really appreciate it, Mr. Weasly."
He nodded "my pleasure miss Chambers."
And here I thought Mr. Styles needed something from Mr.Weasly and waited for me to go.
But no, he was here for me.
I looked back at Mr. Styles, his sharp green eyes finally met mine for the first time since he got here. He had unruly brown curly hair which reached right above his shoulders and some strands brushed against his defined jaw.
He was wearing a blue shirt with a white tie and washed jeans. He looked so handsome compared to my street style baggy clothes and I suddenly felt insecure about my choice of dress.
Damn, I can't even be comfortable in what makes me feel comfortable anymore.
I should dress more nicely next time.
His pink, heart shaped lips pulled into a toothy smile on his face, showing off his perfect white teeth as I watched him extend his hand "you're Valeria Chambers, right?"
I nodded, too mesmerized by his deep voice to form any coherent words, but I didn't shake his hand back.
I felt uncomfortable doing that, simply because I've never shook hands with another guy in my life.
He just gave up as I stared at his hand before he pulled it back down.
"You can call me Harry, Harry Styles."
A/N: First chapter!! Yaay!!
So? Whatcha think? :D
You don't know the adrenaline rush I had before publishing this chapter 😀
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