You're with who?! ~ Damiano David

Chapter 19

My alarm blared loudly, waking me from my slumber. I slammed the stop button. Stretching my arms, I looked over at the cats, who gazed back at me with worried expressions.

"It's okay." I chuckled. I rubbed them both gently before leaving my room to check on Chili. He was still asleep.

I ate something small for breakfast and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I then picked out an outfit and brushed my hair out, deciding to leave it down. I put on light makeup and put on my shoes. After feeding the animals, I grabbed my keys and headed for my car.

After setting my gps, I pulled out of the driveway. I was going to be half an hour early; I didn't exactly care though. I needed to find my first class.

When I looked at pictures on the website, there were 4 buildings. One for the arts, one for science, one for languages, and one for history. Most of my classes were in the arts building. The only problem is that I didn't know which building was which. They didn't have signs, but they had distinct differences. 

I turned into the three-quarter-full main parking lot and got out. As I was walking towards the sidewalk, I went to turn my phone on silent when I saw a text from Damiano.

Good luck on your first big day! I love you, baby!

I smiled down at the text. I went to reply but, I was still in the middle on the road. Glancing around for any stray passing cars, I hurried to the sidewalk and happily texted back. I'm glad he remembered. His text loosened my nerves.

The lady at the reception desk in the first building that I went into looked unmistakably like Emma Watson. Her personality didn't exactly live up to that name, though.

"Hi!" I greeted cheerfully.

"D'you need a schedule?" She spoke as if on autopilot.

"No. I was wondering if this was the arts building?" Even though my smile faltered, I tried to keep up my giddy tone.

"This is history. Arts is diagonal from here." 

"Thank you!"

I ran out of building and down the steps. That lady woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something! She's killing my mood!

The arts building was a longer walk away. There were more stairs leading up to the elegant double doors for this building. I pulled lightly on the doors, which did close to absolutely nothing. Pulling harder a second time, I heaved the door open and let it slam shut behind me as I walked to the reception desk. The man at the computer seemed a bit happier to be there, unlike the lady at the history building.

"This is the arts building, correct?" I asked the man.

"Yes ma'am. Do you need a list of room numbers with your schedule?" He asked, glancing up from his computer.

"Yes, please."

"Okay, what is your name and your classes in order?"

"My name is Vivian Torchio. My classes are acting, speech, history 1, English, movement, and chorus." I said. 

"Alrighty." He typed swifty on his computer and with a couple of clicks, a nearby printer spat out an official schedule for me. The schedule had the class name, what building it was in, the time it started, the time it ended, and the room number.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed. He nodded with a hum in response.

Acting, arts building, starts at 8:05, ends at 9:50, room 302.

I quickly found the stairs and pulled open the door that led into them. I started to run up the stairs but decided that wasn't a good idea as my bag thumped against my back. Flashbacks from ridiculously heavy backpacks in high school suddenly hit me.

Leaning on the door to the third floor opened up to a warmly lit hallway. The corridor smelled of freshly baked cookies. My nerves were subsided by now, which I was grateful for. I let the door shut loudly behind me and began searching for room 302. Though the door was open and the light was on, I knocked.

An olive-skinned lady looked up from her desk. "Why, aren't you early?" I scanned the rest of the room, no one else was in her class yet.

"Sorry. I thought it would take me longer to find my class." I said with a smile.

"No need to be sorry, dear. Do come in and take a seat." Her voice was welcoming and soft. 

I sat down in no chair in particular. The classroom didn't have desks, besides the one for the teacher. There were only chairs arranged in a half circle. I think I was going to like this class. 

"I'm Miss Sullivan." She stood from her desk and walked over to me, her hand outstretched.

"Vivian Torchio." I responded, shaking her hand.