𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐄

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

carmen

It was the end of my first week of college, and I was exhausted. I thought high school was bad, but college is on another level. The amount of assignments I've been set is crazy and I was struggling. Luckily, I'm very organized and that's making all this stress a bit more bearable. Unlike my best friend Nila, she has no organization skills and tends to do the assignment an hour before it's due. One day I was going to sit her down and help her get organized.

I was now in Marketing and listening to the Professor. He was a nice guy, I guess. Middle-aged man, balding slightly, and doesn't smile much. He looks like he hates his job and his life. But he was nice to me so I felt obligated to pay attention in his lectures. My phone pinged once but I ignored it and carried on making notes. It pinged again so as much as I hated to, I pulled it out and checked the message.

nila💞👯‍♀️: SOME FRAT GUYS CAME UP TO ME AND INVITED ME TO A PARTY. THEY ALSO SAID TO BRING MY PRETTY FRIEND WHICH IM GUESSING IS U!!!

me: when's the party?

nila💞👯‍♀️: TOMORROW NIGHT, UR COMING IDC

me: i'm not sure nila.. i've never been to a party before, remember?

nila💞👯‍♀️: which is EXACTLY why u need to come! spread ur wings remember?

me: i'll think about it.

I looked up and saw my professor was looking at me whilst he was teaching. He nodded towards my phone and I smiled, putting it back into my jeans pocket, mouthing a 'sorry' to him. I was grateful he didn't call me out in front of everyone, which is what he normally does with other people. I don't know why he treated me differently from the rest of the students, but I'm going to go with the fact I hand my assignments in at a respectable time, and not at 11.59pm.

Class was over and I gathered my things, quickly shoving my folder and laptop into my backpack. I hated being the last one to pack up and leave, there was no reason, it just felt embarrassing. As I was leaving the room, my professor called me back. I gritted my teeth, and prepared myself for the shouting I was probably going to get. Luckily there was no one else in the classroom.

"Carmen, you know my rule about phones." Professor Ackers scolded me. He was sitting back in his chair, slightly manspreading and leant back. I cringed at the sight.

"I know and I'm sorry. It won't happen again, my phone kept pinging and I was worried it was an emergency." I nodded, and made sure my voice was full of remorse.

He nodded slowly, and thought of what to say next. "That's fine, just make sure it doesn't happen again. You're a good student Carmen." The way he said my name made me shiver. There was something cold and creepy about his tone.

"Okay, thank you so much Professor. It won't happen again. Have a good day." I waved him goodbye and he did the same, his gaze slightly lingering on my jeans.

I walked out of the classroom, and suddenly felt very self conscious. Was there something wrong with my jeans? A stain or mark? I looked down subtly and nothing out of the ordinary was there. I brushed the weird feeling off my shoulders, and thought nothing much of it.

I reached the cafeteria and saw Nila and the guys sitting at our regular table. We were slowly becoming a group, always hanging out and I loved it. The guys were genuine and funny, not to mention really sweet. I was content for once.

Sitting down between Zane and Adrian, I pulled an apple from my bag and listened to their conversation. Nila and Zane were arguing over which alcohol brand was best, with Eli and Adrian occasionally adding in their opinion. I stayed out of this topic, due to my inexperience with alcohol. I have never gotten drunk before, and only drink half a glass of champagne on New Year's Eve.