Summer was unfortunately over now and I was going back to school. Frank had paid all my student fees and the debt I already had. I told him multiple times that he didn't need to do that for me but he said that since we were going to get married my debt would kind of become his debt and he didn't want any debt so he willingly paid all of it off with a check that had more digits on it than my phone number.
"You're gonna be fine," Frank said giving me a soft kiss. "You're going back for another semester, we're gonna get married, everything's gonna be fine."
"I know, I'm just nervous," I said.
"That's okay," he said. "You want me to drive you? After we can go by the bakery and get some sweets."
"Yeah, That sounds good," I said.
"Alright, I'll be down in the car waiting for you," he said.
I nodded and he gave me a kiss before leaving. I sighed, looking in the mirror. I was wearing a pastel pink sweater dress with some translucent tights and a pair of black vans. It was cloudy and cold outside today, only making it more miserable.
"Alright," Frank muttered as I finally went downstairs and got into the car. "You ready?"
I nodded and he kissed my cheek. Frank drove to the campus as my stomach twisted in knots of butterflies.
"Alright, I won't be able to pick you up for lunch but I'll be here after your last class," he said
I nodded and Frank leaned over to give me a soft kiss.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," I replied.
"I'll be here waiting for you, good luck, Princess," he said.
I smiled, giving Frank one last kiss before I got out. I walked to my lecture hall and picked a seat in He third row. I didn't want to sit in the front for fear of hands on class demonstrations but I also didn't want to sit near the back because I was here to get my degree and I wasn't gonna waste Frank's money by sitting at the back where it was harder to hear, see and simply pay attention in general.
"Hi, I'm Josh," the kid said as he sat next to me.
"Hi, Gee," I said.
He stuck his hand out and I smiled as I shook it.
"Sorry, I just moved here and I kinda just made it a goal for myself to introduce myself to at least one person so I don't get so freaked out and just hide alone in my apartment for the rest of eternity," he said.
"Where'd you move from?" I asked.
"Ohio," he replied. "Transferred here because they gave me a scholarship."
"Oh, that's cool," I said.
I bit my lip as a slightly awkward silence fell over us.
"Wh-what are you majoring in?" I asked.
"I'm not entirely sure actually," he said. "I was gonna major in business but I don't know anymore. What about you?"
"Fine arts," I said.
"Oh really? What's your poison?" He asked.
"I like painting and performing arts," I said.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah, I've been into that stuff for a while," I said. "Photography is pretty cool too but I don't know, I like painting more."
"I like painting but I'm not that good," he admitted. "I just find it to be relaxing if I'm even just painting a canvas one solid color."
I opened my mouth to answer when the professor walked in. People around us quieted down and I bit my lip.
"Hello and welcome to English 150," the professor said.
"She looks like that one character from Milan that was lit on fire with the ink mustache," Josh muttered.
I snorted but covered my mouth quickly. Thankfully the professor didn't notice but a few people turned their heads. The rest of the class was pretty boring but Josh made it a little funnier.
"Are you staying at the dorms?" Josh asked when class ended.
"No, I live nearby," I said.
"Oh, do you have time for lunch?" Josh asked. "Because I was just about to grab some and I'm new so I don't know what's good around here."
"Yeah, I've got about an hour," I said.
I brought him to the one restaurant on campus that Frank and I had been to a couple of times.
"How many other courses do you have today?" He asked.
"Only two more," I said.
"Oh, not bad then," he said.
I nodded, smiling as I ate. We talked for a while when I felt two arms wrap around me from behind. I looked back and smiled when I saw Frank.
"Hey, I thought you were gonna be busy working for a few hours," I said.
"Yeah but I got a call from the jewelers and they finally got your ring resized so I wanted to bring it to you," Frank said.
He put the engagement ring on my finger and I smiled.
"You two are engaged?" Josh asked curiously.
"Yes, this is my fiancé, Frank," I said. "Frank, this is Josh, he's in my English class."
"Hey," Frank said, shaking his hand.
"How'd you know I was here?" I asked.
"Well, I knew your class ended a while ago so I figured you were grabbing a bite and I know you like this place," he said. "And I just wanted to surprise you."
He handed me a little bundle of red roses and I grinned.
"Awe, Frankie, you're so sweet," I said. "Thank you, I love them."
"I can't stay long but I just wanted to see your pretty face," he said.
I giggled and blushed, setting the flowers down onto the table.
"do they have good coffee here?" He asked.
"I don't know, I've never really gotten the coffee here because it's kinda expensive," I said.
"Must mean it's pretty good then," he said. "You need some cash?"
"I'm okay, I have one of your credit cards," I said.
"Alright, I'm just gonna grab a coffee before I gotta head back to work," he said.
Frank went up to the counter to order before sitting back down with me again.
"How was your lecture?" He asked.
"Good," I said. "Boring kind of."
"Well, we'll get some cake or something when you're done," he said as he stood up. "Make sure you make it on time to your next lecture."
I nodded and he smiled, giving me a kiss.
"Love you, Baby, I'll pick you up later," Frank said.
Frank grabbed his fresh coffee and walked out of the restaurant.
"How old is he?" Josh asked.
"Um, he's twenty-eight," I said.
I don't know why I felt the need to lie, maybe Josh would just find our age gap to be really weird.
"Oh, he looks a little older," he said.
"He gets that sometimes," I said.
"Seems really nice though," Josh said. "And dresses real fancy too."
"Yeah, He likes his fancy stuff," I said. "And He is super sweet."
I smiled, looking at the beautiful red roses on the table. My eyes glanced down to the large ring on my finger that finally now fit, watching the way it glinted under the light.
"Wow, That thing is huge," he said.
"Yeah, it's pretty," I said. "I would be fine with just a silver band but this is nice too."
"It's nice? It could pay off my college debt," he said.
"Yeah, Frank likes flashy stuff," I said.
"You don't like it?" He asked.
"No, no, I absolutely love it," I said. "It's seriously gorgeous, I love it."
Josh held out his hand and I let him inspect the ring.
"When I get a boyfriend I wanna spoil him too, buy him nice things," he said.
"That's so sweet," I said. "Sometimes I wanna buy nice things for Frank too but I don't really have a lot of money so it's kinda weird just using his money to buy him things."
Josh chuckled, nodding his head.
"That would be a little odd," he said. "But it would still be a sweet gesture. Do you work at all?"
"Yeah, work at the bakery that Frank's mom owns," I said. "It's pretty nice there, it's small and everyone is so nice, customers and employees."
I took my hand back and finished eating my lunch.
"Fuck, we're just about out of time," I groaned. "My next lecture is starting soon."
"College really isn't fun at all," he mumbled. "In the movies it's just drinking and partying but it actually just kind of sucks."
"Yeah, nothing but boring lectures," I said. "But it's nice to not be in high school anymore."
"Yeah, definitely," he agreed.
"Here, let's exchange numbers," I said. "We can chat then, we can be friends, you know?"
Josh nodded and we exchanged numbers.
"I have to get going," I said. "I'll see you later, Josh."
"Yeah, you too," he agreed.
I gave him a hug before I threw away my trash and grabbed my bag. I left the restaurant and walked across the campus grounds to the hall where my next lecture was. I met up with Jamia first when I got a text from her.
"Oh my god," she muttered. "I'm already done with this."
I chuckled and she gave me a hug.
"God, I can't wait until we get to go on the engagement party cruise over winter break," she muttered.
"I know, I'm already just tired and bored and worn out," I said.
She sighed, kissing my cheek.
"You still look as beautiful as ever, though," she said. "God, I can't believe how pretty you are. You have such nice skin."
"I have been getting a little bit nicer face products with Frank's credit card," I admitted. "Just a small upgrade, not too much. I still feel bad spending his money."
"You're gonna get married," he said. "What's his is yours and vice versa. It's not like you're not working at all and you're not like a gold digger who's just cold to him and you don't really love him."
"I do love him," I said. "God, I love him so much, I can't wait until I get to marry him. I've already started a bit of the planning. Frank and I don't have a date planned yet but we're so far wanting to be married in the summer, early summer probably."
"God, I can't wait to help you with all the planning," Jamia said. "We're gonna look so cute in our dresses."
"The whole wedding is going to be beautiful," I said. "And I'm so glad you're my maid of honor to be there with me."
She sighed. "I don't wanna go to the lecture but I know I have to."
I gave her a hug before sighing quietly, walking off to my next lecture.