Against All Odds

CHAPTER - 1

ELLE

I rubbed my eyes, completely bewildered. "Liam! What on earth are you doing here?"

Grinning widely, he replied. "Good morning sleepyhead! Just thought you needed a bit of jolt to start off your day!"

"Is that silly string in your hand." I demanded. He raised the can, "Yep!" and sprayed it all over my face, and then bolted out of my room.

"I HATE YOU, LIAM!" I shouted in his direction.

"Get up, it's your first day." He yelled back.

"You could have just tapped me on the shoulder." I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Where's the fun in that." He screamed.

Without wasting another moment, I swung my feet out of the bed and dashed into the shower, desperate to rid myself of the clinging foam. As the water cascaded over me, I couldn't help but curse the chunk of foam that had stubbornly lodged itself in my hair, forcing me to wash it thoroughly.

I stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a towel around me. As I approached my bed, I noticed the cute outfit I had prepared the previous night. It consisted of a white crop top with cherry prints, sweetheart neckline and puffy sleeves, matched with high-waisted blue wide-leg jeans. Eagerly, I slipped into the outfit and reached for my trusty makeup bag. With precision, I applied a skin tint to ensure smoothness, followed by a few coats of mascara to enhance my lashes. For a touch of color, I dabbed my favorite tint on my lips and cheeks, giving them a natural flush.

Before leaving, I grabbed my hairbrush and gently ran it through my damp hair, smoothing out any tangles and creating a presentable look. "Are you ready to go?" Liam stormed into my room and inquired. "Yeah!" I answered, stealing one last glance at my reflection in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, I set off on my way to college.

Taking my place in the passenger seat, I joined my older brother Liam who was once again playing the role of chauffeur for the day. As we pulled out of the driveaway, I couldn't resist teasing him. "So, Liam, are you excited to have the privilege of driving me to my first day of college?"

"Privilege? More like a sentence." He retorted playfully. "But hey, if you promise to not sing along to your favorite songs too loudly, I may just survive."

I shook my head. "Oh please, you'll be begging me to give you a private concert before we reach campus." We both laughed.

We reached the campus fifteen minutes later, "Thanks for the ride, Liam. I promise to take full advantage of annoy my big brother at college privilege." I teased, opening the car door.

Liam chuckled. "Just remember, Elle, I'm always here with you, college can be crazy sometimes." He reassured with a gentle smile.

"Does that mean you'll drop me off at my class."

"OK, yeah, good bye." He said. A few other athletic dudes approached him and they headed indoors, engaged in chitchatting.

Making my way to the Business department was a breeze. Navigating through the crowds of students inside the buildings, I couldn't help but feel lost. Although I could always rely on Liam for help, I knew deep down that this was a challenge I had to face alone. Scanning my surroundings, I was fortunate enough to find another girl who wore the same expression of confusion as me.

I approached the girl. "Hey! Are you also trying to find your class?"

The girl looked up, a relieved smile forming on her face. "Yes! Thank goodness someone else is also as clueless as I am. I'm Olivia, by the way."