1 Beginning

Monday. October 7th.

I scrawled the date at the top of my new notebook. The date stood out boldly on the page. The beginning of another school year. Great.

I pulled my long dark hair away from my face and sat back in my seat. I was five minutes early but there was no one else In the room. "Come on people" I thought. That's no way to start a school year.

Just as I was beginning to drum my pen on my notebook beginning to wonder if maybe I had got the room wrong or something the door opened. In walked half a dozen of my new classmates all laughing and taking loudly. The smell of alcohol hung around them and I rolled my eyes. Of course.

The first day of college classes were often know as syllabus day. Many students celebrated the night before what was called Syllabus Eve. A night of heavy drinking and partying because they knew nothing would come from the next days classes.

Angrily I closed my new notebook and pulled out the syllabus I had printed the previous night. I was probably the only one who celebrated syllabus eve correctly and spend the evening reading through and printing each one of my syllabuses for my new classes. "Nerd" I thought to myself. But still I was better off a nerd then drunk.

The other classmates made their way to their seats, all the way in the back. As they somehow managed to spread themselves out and take up all twelve chairs in the back two rows, the rest of the class would have to sit closer to the front. Hopefully more sober and less likely to ruin my day further. I leaned forward letting my hair fall as a curtain around my face while I waited for class to start. Eventually the door opened again the rest of the class filed in, three minutes late I might add. The professor followed them in and moved herself to the computer in the front corner of the room. While we waited for her to turn the screen on the class chatted amongst themselves. I ignored them all and hid behind my hair curtain.

At last the screen went from neon blue to the computer screen and a giant copy of the syllabus was projected onto the front board. All right here we go I thought. I saw back in my chair again and tucked my hair behind my ears. Just as I finished the door opened again and closed with a bang. I didn't bother to turn and didn't care who the late comer was this time. Taking out my highlighter I took the cap off and prepared to listen to my new professor.

Suddenly someone slid into the seat one over from me in the front row. Okay then I thought, late and proud of it I guess. I continued ignoring whoever the late comer was and listened as the professor introduced herself to the class. I continued listening until I noticed a sent that hadn't been there before. It smelled heavenly. Like eucalyptus, mint, and a sweet smell I couldn't quite place. My mind started to go a bit hazy and before I could completely lose my senses I shook my head to clear it. Bewildered I finally glanced around only to freeze as my eyes fell on the latecomer right next to me.