Wonders

This story is my first submission and it starts off very slowly. Please be kind and I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

*****

I woke up on the first day of my Freshman year unafraid of what awaited me. I was ready. I wasn't anxious. I had my best friend with me. She came in the form of my older sister, Jess. We were alike in every way. We joked the same, dressed the same and even spoke the same. If I had a thought, she had it before me and was ready to share it whenever needed. She was truly my soul mate.

Jess, however took all of the shyness that was meant for me. After moving to this country, she became closed off. She didn't speak to anyone, with the exception of the friends I made throughout our years at school. I always worried about her and how she would fair without me. Turns out, she'd be just fine.

We walked into school together, the cafeteria to be exact. This would be ground-zero for all of the shit we would see in our years together at University.

"Where's your schedule?" Jess asked. "In my bookbag, I'll show it to you when we find somewhere to sit" I responded. We looked around for the most secluded area in the lunchroom, so that we could, well I could enjoy the breakfast that our Private School tuition offered, which wasn't saying much.

I was excited, I wanted to see who would be in my class. My schedule read; Intro to Psychology, English Lit 1 and Communications. I didn't know what that would entail, but the person in the office said I needed it, so here we are. It seemed easy enough. I read and reread my room numbers through my head. 'ok , that's north side, so that's south side'. I muttered to myself, unaware of how I looked to onlookers.

I stood outside of room 72. I saw Susan. I was relieved to see a friendly face from high school. We were far from home, but still in the same state. I got even more excited.

"Girl, I see you in that short dress, who you dressin' up for?" - Susan joked. "Myself... I can't look good for myself", I replied. I knew I looked good. I've always been petite, but I believed it suited me. A face I didn't know introduced himself to us immediately, as if he was trying to do it before anyone else could.

"Hey, what's up, I'm Michael" - he told us. Susan responded as if she knew him, and I soon realized that he went to the same high school with us. "Vanessa" I responded. I didn't think I needed to offer much more than that.

Susan heard my introduction and I saw her demeanor change, bless her soul for not asking if I didn't remember his face or name. He kept talking though, I wasn't listening. A curly haired brunette had just walked past me, heading wherever she needed to go. Instinctively my eyes followed her.

Maybe for a second- "Vanessa?"

Michael called.

"Hmm, what's up" I smiled back.

"Do you know her?" He muttered. "No" I offered simply.

I didn't know her and by this time I didn't remember what she looked like. A few minutes later, it was time to go into the lecture hall. Susan pulled me close to her seat. "Sit here, I don't know none of these people, girl" She explained. I complied, happy to appease her anxiousness.

"Good Morning, My name is Mrs. Brown and we will be learning all about English together. If you don't waste my time, I won't waste yours, Capisce?"

Without a pause I heard myself along with everyone respond, "Capisce." I liked her immediately. She explained all of what we were to expect in her class, and most importantly her expectations of us. It was simple: Do the work, receive an A. Don't do the work, and fail. Even Michael could wrap his head around that. The hour and a half came and went, and I enjoyed the time.

I opened my bookbag again to put my syllabus into it and took my schedule back out. I recited the list again in my head, with much less diction. I felt more confident after that class. I knew I would be walking over to the North side of campus.

I was focused. I would get to class on time, without distraction. Faith had other plans and I got lost, before I even knew I was lost. I walked over to the security guard.

Where is south side?" I asked.

"Over there" he was pointing to the opposite direction to where I was headed. I began to speed walk as the amount of students switching to their next classes were getting sparse. I arrived late, out of breath and was met with a scowl from my Communications Professor, she was pregnant and over it by the looks of it.

"Sorry, I got lost" - I apologized.

"Take a seat wherever there's spots left." There was one in the front.

"Shit" I cursed. The room was full and I could tell it would be different from my previous one.

'Whatever, here we go' I thought to myself. Twenty minutes into miss communications' speech. I didn't catch her name, as I was late. I felt eyes piercing the left side of my face.

I didn't want to look, I beards it for five more minutes. I didn't hear a word miss communications had said, and by this time, I'd given up hope on learning her name and resigned myself to calling her this name all year.

'Miss Communications, I like the sound of that' I chuckled to myself.

I heard a firm voice. I'm not sure why I used that adjective in my head, but that's how it felt to me.

Firm. Unwavering.

"What's so funny?" piercing eyes said. I was on a roll today with the names, I registered before I turned to acknowledge her question.

I looked in her direction and I couldn't move. I wanted to move, but I didn't remember how. The longer I stared, the bigger her grin got. I didn't understand what was so funny, but I didn't want to ask.

This girl, with her curly brunette hair and questions had me confused.

"What?" - I asked.

"What... Is... So... Funny?" She said slowly as if she was speaking to someone far younger than her.

"Nothing, why?" I responded.

"You just giggled, and I'd like to join, it seemed really funny. Share" - She said finally. Share.

I squeezed my legs together for the first time in my life, unaware of what was happening while we kept eye contact and if only for a second, her eyes followed the quick movement of my two virgin thighs.

"Hmm." - she hummed more to herself than to me and set her eyes back on mine. She looked at me as though she could read every thought I was having, before I could even understand it myself. Gave me a smirk and turned her eyes back to miss communications.

A few minutes later, I was able to pay some attention to the now Professor. Simpson and before I knew it, class was over. I was following my 'pack up, get ready' routine when I felt someone come behind me, whispering "you're cute when you squirm". She was gone and I was out of breath.