It's a serene and sunny morning in March, and I bask in the gentle caress of the sun's warm rays on my face. I find myself in that perfect moment, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. It's a comforting feeling, and I silently hope that this blissful interlude will stretch on forever, untouched by the impending arrival of my classes.
As my thoughts wander, I begin to ponder the nature of studying itself. What's the purpose of it all? Why must we immerse ourselves in books and lectures? I briefly entertain the notion of ignoring my responsibilities and continuing to indulge in this peaceful slumber. Do I truly need success in life?
My eyes flutter as my imagination takes hold. I'm transported to a flowery meadow, clad in my pajamas, feeling the chill in the air being chased away by the sun's radiant warmth. I stand there, absorbing the beauty of the scene, when a figure begins to approach me.
The person draws nearer, and I strain to make out the details: brown hair, a tall and robust frame, and hazel eyes. It's hazy at first, but then it becomes clear. Is it? Noah?!
Suddenly, I'm jolted awake, sitting upright in bed. My hair is a disheveled mess, and my heart races from the vivid dream. I take a moment to collect myself and mutter in disbelief, "Noah?! Out of all the dreams, it had to be about Noah?!" It's a realization that leaves me feeling like I might have lost my mind.
My sudden awakening roused Lily from her slumber as well. Considering our penchant for sleeping in until the very last second, my early rise had her concerned.
"Nats? Are you okay?" she inquired, sitting up in her bed, her eyes filled with worry.
I was still attempting to slow my racing heart as I replied, "Y-yes, Lils. It was just a bad...no, a good dream...no, a bad dream." My words stumbled as I tried to regain my composure.
Lily looked at me, utterly bewildered. "Nats, what did you see that you can't even decide if it's good or bad?"
I gave a somewhat disappointed look, my gaze dropping. "Um, it started off as an extremely heavenly dream," I admitted with a twinkle in my eyes, "but then... I don't know why Noah was there." My voice held a sense of wonder and confusion.
Lily's confusion deepened. "Noah? Noah who?"
I let out an exasperated sigh, not hiding my annoyance. "Lils, Noah. That arrogant guy who's obsessed with trap music and loves colliding with me." Disgust crept into my expression.
Lily's drowsiness evaporated instantly. "Ohhhh! That Noah!" she exclaimed playfully. "What in the world, Nats?! He introduced himself to me, but YOU remember his name... and you're dreaming about him now?!" She couldn't resist teasing me about my unexpected interest in our notorious enemy
Her playful remark left me feeling a tad embarrassed. "Aa- First of all, I have no control over whoever I see in my dreams, and - I once even saw my Aunt Alicia in my dreams. She's the biggest bully of all time. Even her family doesn't like her... does that mean I have a crush on my Aunt too?" I rambled, overexplaining myself.
Lily couldn't resist teasing me further. "Damn, Nats, I never said anything about you having a crush on anyone, but jeez!" She said with a mischievous grin. "But you made it seem like that - anyway, we're getting late for class," I tried to shift the conversation.
"Late?" Lily looked at the clock, which clearly indicated we had an hour and a half until class. "Well, I have no interest in getting ready an hour early for class, but sure, you go ahead." She lay back down in her bed, tucking herself in and managing to roast me at the same time.
Despite the playful conversation and the silliness of the dream, it left me somewhat concerned about why I had dreamt of him. I would have begrudgingly accepted it even if the dream had been set in the depths of hell, with him suddenly appearing. But it had been one of the most beautiful dreams I'd ever had, featuring none other than the guy I absolutely loathed, Noah. When did I even start calling him by his first name? To me, he was still just "that arrogant guy obsessed with trap music," and nothing more. I reassured myself, trying to dismiss the strange dream from my thoughts.
With that thought in mind, I stepped into a hot shower, savoring my "Everything shower" day. I went through my entire cleansing routine and emerged feeling squeaky clean. I opted for a white tank top and a pair of fitted jeans, deciding to let my wet hair air dry. At this point, it was pretty clear who the lazier one was between Lily and me, and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.
As I was getting ready, Queen Lily's alarm went off. She was already prepared to conquer her day with a quick 5-minute shower, minimal makeup, a crop top, and cargo pants with her natural curls. I had to give it to her; she got ready in no time and managed to look better than me.
My wavy hair was nearly dried when Lily dragged me out of our rooms.
Lily and I grab some to-go coffee as we made our way to the first and most crucial class of the day: Professor Pearl's. Sometimes, it feels intentional and sadistic to get his classes assigned so early in the morning when they know students struggle to wake up on time. It was no secret how much he detests tardiness.
It suddenly hit me like a truck that I had to meet with Professor Pearl after class, sending me back into anxious mode.
"Hey guys!" someone yelled, calling out to me and Lily. We both turned around to find Jason running and panting.
"Hi Jason, good morning," I greeted him, taking out my water bottle from my bag and handing it to him.
Jason chugged down my entire bottle of water. "Thanks, Natasha," he said, still panting a bit. "What happened, Jason? Why are you running?" Lily asked.
"Professor Pearl, his class," he said between breaths. "But we're going there too, and there's still time, you don't need to run," Lily reassured Jason.
"No, it's not that. Before the class, I actually had to visit the cafeteria. We're having a meeting there," he explained. "What kind of meeting, Jason?"
"Don't you know? The Dance Night. The university has a Dance Night every year, so we have to do all the preparations for it. I'm part of the design team," he said.
"Okay, I gotta run now, or I'll be late for both," he said before rushing ahead of us.
"Wow, Dance Night! How cool!" Lily expressed her excitement as we continued walking towards class.
"I don't even think I can make it, I don't even know a guy who would be ready to with me, and apart from that I have zero interest in such events," I said expressing my displeasure in this entire Dance concept
"What are you even saying? I am going to attend it one thousand percent" Lily says as she is already mentally there
"Too bad professors may not come there," I said, teasing Lily.
"Where?" I heard a voice beside me. I facepalmed mentally as I saw Professor Pearl. "Professors may not come where?" he asked with curiosity.
I stuttered as I replied, "Umm, Professor, actually... to the Dance—"
"Event Meeting!" Lily interjected smoothly. "The Dance Night event meeting. It's being held by the organizing team."
The professor looked down with both hands in his pockets and nodded at our explanation. "I actually wanted to talk to the class about this," he said as he assumed his teaching position.
"Guys, something important!" he announced to all the students, and everyone settled down in class a few minutes before the class officially started.
"As many of you may know, one of the most significant events at our university, the dance night, is going to happen soon. Most of you guys are going to be attending it, and it's very obvious that more than the event itself, it's about how people are going to look and what they are going to wear," Professor Pearl explained, hinting at something exciting. "Now, we all know the best outfits and looks get famous all over social media and are featured on the university website. So, this year, I want you guys to wear outfits designed by you," he concluded.
The professor's statement left everyone in the class flabbergasted, and a wave of murmurs swept through the room upon hearing this significant announcement. Representing the fashion department at the dance night was a huge responsibility, and it was clear that everyone was surprised by the proposal.
"Quiet!" Professor Pearl yelled, successfully silencing the room. "Professor, this is a very big responsibility. We're basically representing the entire department by doing it, and it's only been three months since we started studying here," Sarah, another student in our chaotic class, voiced her concerns. "Aren't we covering all of this by now?"
"You're all here because, by now, you've been taught how to design and make a basic dress. This is one of the most significant opportunities to showcase whatever you've learned so far and represent our department at its best," he continued, running his fingers back through his hair as he addressed Sarah directly, leaving her somewhat intimidated.