Chasing you | ✓

Chapter 3 - Nice to meet you

After unpacking my things as best as I could, I headed back to campus. I went by the bookstore to get books for my classes and stock up on some school supplies like pencils, notebooks and flashcards. 

From the bookstore I went to get my picture taken for the student ID. My heart sank when I reached the building. I had forgotten about the fact that it was Friday afternoon and classes officially started on Monday. The line to get my picture taken took forever and the end result was horrific. I looked completely sweaty and shiny and my hair was super messy from the humidity. 

I walked across campus and took in the sights. There were huge, green lawns where people were hanging out, some were throwing frisbees and others seemed to be tanning. I doubted that all of them were freshmen like me. At least I hoped they weren't. They seemed so at home in the setting and I had never felt so out of place. Everything was new to me and I went to the wrong place more than once when looking for a campus café to get a snack. 

I hoped it was just freshmen nerves and that I wouldn't have to go through the whole semester feeling this way. I figured that I would feel more comfortable once classes started, but that was almost three days from now. The weekend suddenly the felt super long.

I stood in line to the register with a ready made salad in my hand, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do all weekend. 

"That'll be 3.99," the girl behind the register said. 

I gave her the money and when she was about to hand me the change, she smiled.

"Hey, didn't I see you by Fossmore Halls earlier today?"

She threw her head to the side, squinting at me. Her short, brown ponytail flicked at the motion.

"Uhh," I said and chuckled. "I'm not sure. Maybe. I just moved in there."

"Cool, I moved in a few weeks ago. I'm Paula. Nice to meet you."

We shook hands.

I was just about to ask her why she'd lived there for so long before the semester started when she interrupted me.

"I gotta keep working," she said, "but if you wanna party this weekend, come hit me up at the dorms."

I didn't respond to the party bit. To me, parties seemed to just be about drinking and hooking up. If I wanted to make friends during my limited time here, I'd have more luck joining a club or sparking conversations in class.

"Thanks, I'll see you around."

I regretted my decision later. The weekend was long and the dorm was full of strange sounds. I didn't see my roommate at all. On Saturday I actually tried to find Paula, thinking that a party was better than nothing. But she was nowhere to be found. 

I couldn't wait for classes to start.