Today was the big day. High school was officially over and their final summer break behind them, if it could even be called that.
Both Josh and Amara had been accepted into Treewoods college. Not the biggest or most famous college of all, but it was still a good one.
Josh, a young man in the peak of his life was looking forward to his new life. Blond hair combed sideways and always clean shaven, he looked the very junior version of a business man or corporate lawyer. He was the innocent and short boy who dressed as the fulfilled man. Skinny as a bone and skin at clear as fresh snow.
His goal was to become a astrophycisist. Yet passing his studies for it would be easier said than done.
Amara, his girlfriend, was accepted into the same college for biochemistry.
It was supposed to be a lovestory for the ages. Two high school sweetheart getting into the same college, getting their dream jobs, then getting married and starting the ideal family afterwards. Two kids, maybe a cat. Living in a large house in a nice suburban area with a green yard that plenty of space for the kids to play in.
Yet there was that nagging fear in Josh. Both were nervous as hell of course, how could they not be?
But Josh just had this... hunch. This "sense" that there was something wrong about to happen.
'Its just nerves Josh. Everyone gets cold feet the first day.' His dad Markus reassured him. A tall man who lost most his hair, always identified by those large rounded glasses of his.
'I hope so..'
'You'll be fine!' they loaded up his final box, just all his necessities.
Clothes, toothbrush, bed clothes, kitchen appliances, towels. Everything he needed to live.
Josh's phone buzzed. Checking it he saw the picture of Amara smiling up at him. 'See you at college.' she wrote.
Just seeing her face there warmed him. She always was his greatest source of comfort. Like her presence alone solved all his problems. 'See you there.' he wrote back.
They got in the car and drove.
**
Treewoods may not have been the largest college ever. But it was larger than Josh expected.
It sat out in the countryside, right by the edge of the tiny town and along a pristine lake, surrounded by what must have been the nicest forest he had ever seen.
And the college itself was built to match the nature it sat in. most the houses was built of wood. Student dorms looked like log cabins and study halls left their wooden beams exposed much like Norway.
The space in between the buildings was like a park. Plenty of grass, gravel roads with plenty of benches and even a fountain right in the center.
Josh's worries quickly faded. The place looked amazing! If it acted even half as good then he'd enjoy his time there.
By asking some senior students they found his dorm pretty easily. The common area was again, all exposed wood. With wooden furniture, bookshelves. Pictures of landscapes and animals adorned the walls. Josh got extremely lucky with his room. It was a former teachers apartment so it was one of the few with its own kitchen. He still had to share bathroom though with the other dorms but he expected to survive that.
The dorm had two bedrooms. His was number 2. His roommate was not in yet so after moving the stuff he hugged his dad goodbye and began unpacking.
A entire hour passed. He was just about finished when the door finally opened and a stranger entered.
The guy was taller then Josh but that didn't say much. Josh always was short compared to other males.
The newcomer that messy dark brown hair and a equally messy stub along his chin. He wore a green flannel that hung so loose it was a surprise it even stayed on. A gray T-shirt and jeans with a gaping hole on its left knee.
He had the very stereotypical look of a hippie. To the point one could almost except the smell of weed to come off him. Yet he smelled pleasant. It was a cologne that was clear yet not overpowering.
He gave Josh a mostly uninterested look but approached him with a open hand anyway. 'Hey I'm Jack.'
'Josh, a pleasure.' they shook hands. 'So first day huh?'
'Ya..I guess..' This Jack sounded about as bored a kid waiting in line at the bank.
'So whats your course?'
'Huh? Oh uhm.. I think its space thing.'
'Astrophysics?'
'Ya that one.'
'I'm studying that to!'
'Oh..ya great.' Josh was already confused. Why was he in a class he very clearly had no interest in?
'Listen I just came by grab some stuff so I'll see you later.'
'Sure..'
He went into his room and came out a few seconds later with something in his hand.
Josh didn't quite catch what the pink packaging in his hand was but didn't care. He had to meet Amara soon as they agreed on.
**
Amara was a short Thai girl that moved over as a baby. Kinda chubby but not fat. She instead was, what kids described these days, "thicc".
Her stomach not completely flat yet did not stick out that much either. Her hair was long black with that gradually turned purple towards the edges. Her face round in the most adorable way with cheeks her boyfriend often called "pinchi'able".
She was a bit of a weeb. Consuming large amounts of anime and having a entire bookshelf filled with manga at home.
And much like her boyfriend she had dreams of working in the scientific field, having been accepted into their biochemistry course.
She waited by the fountain as she texted him that she would.
Once he came their faces lit up and the couple embraced each other. 'Had a nice ride here?' Josh asked her right after a short kiss.
'It was ok. You?'
'Can't complain.' they walked along the park while holding hands. Exploring the campus in the sunlight and got the know the area before they started studying tomorrow.
Having a beloved and familiar face there helped relieve them immensely. It was as if they could handle it as they weren't alone in this.
**
College was...difficult. A LOT more difficult than Josh ever imagined.
From the very first class, surrounded by far more classmates than he imagined, it dawned on him what kind of challenge this was.
Writing down notes on such a complicated subject felt intimidating. The stress was still on him as he sat down in the college's private library with his required reading material.
At the place itself was relaxing. With the exposed wood yet again, as well as the entire wall being made of huge windows, separated only by wooden pillars.
Despite all this Josh had no intention of giving up. He just had to get used to it, he was still finding his footing.
Once he figured this out it would get better. He was sure of it.
He read page after page after page. He wrote down several pages of his own with notes and used so much highlighters that by the end it looked like a rainbow. When he finished over two hours later he realized he should have gotten more highlighters.
Something to do later. For now he headed back to his dorm room where Amara waited for him outside.
She had brought a cooking book based on their joint favorite game, The Elders chronicles. And what better day to try it out then their first day surviving college?
They headed out for town, got all groceries the book showed, and headed back to Josh's dorm, discussing their first day the whole time.
Standing side by side, cooking dinner together mid evening. Him chopping onions and her prepping the soup. It felt like a hint to their future. That they would be doing this plenty after college for a long, long time.
Josh loved that feeling. The warm simplicity of just cooking dinner together. That was the life right there.
Yet the peaceful moment was briefly interrupted when the door opened and his roommate headed inside, a pizza box in hand. He briefly stopped and both him and Amara looked surprised at each other. 'Oh, hello.' she said feeling a little awkward.
'Sup.' he nodded, still having that carefree attitude. 'I'm Jake, the roommate.'
'Amara. Josh's girlfriend.'
'No shit?' he raised an eyebrow at that as if surprised he had one. Josh felt a little insulted by it but remained quiet. It was to minor of a thing.
'Don't mind me. I can just eat this in my room.'
'No no its fine!' Amara assured him. 'You live here so of course you eat with us.'
'You sure? I'd like, hate to intrude or whatever.' So Jake did have manners? Wait, of course he did. Josh felt silly for ever thinking otherwise. A gust of shame blew over him as he realized he had perhaps been to quick to judge this fellow. They'd only spoken once after all, not counting a quick good morning hours earlier.
'Sit down. Its fine!' Amara always was a little better with people than he was. A little more open. Josh wish he could be like that.
They were just about done making the noodle soup by then so Jake did end up joining them. They sharing their home cooked meal and him eating his tuna pizza.
'So Jake, what do you study?'
'Astrophysics.'
'Cool! You enjoy space then?'
'Not really not. Dad pushed into it.' That explained his lack of interest. Poor guy may not have had much choice.
'Damn. That sucks.'
'Yup..' he nodded.
'So if you got choose. What would you go with instead?'
'Well I kinda want to be a mechanic. But that's not "academic" enough for dad so he forbade it.'
'But you're legally a adult now. You can switch class regardless.'
'I dunno man.. Would the college even let me?'
