Becoming Us: College Love Never Hurt So Good

Chapter 1-19

Copyright © 2015 Amy Daws
All rights reserved.

Published by Stars Hollow Publishing
ISBN 978-0-9903252-6-0
Editing by Heather Banta www.linkedin.com/in/heatherbanta
Cover design by Amy Daws
Cover photography by Megan Daws
Author Photograph by Megan Daws
Cover models Rachel Lausen and Eric McLaughlin

This book is licensed for personal enjoyment only. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please go to your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Many K-State references have been invented to avoid mentioning local businesses. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.

Dedicated to my friends and family
for supporting me on this writing endeavor.
I couldn't do this without you.

CHAPTER ONE

Before starting college, I'd never considered myself much of a coffee drinker. It tasted like cigarette butts to me and burned my mouth. Ick. Why did people like that stuff? If I ever needed a kick-start, I'd grab a soda. That actually had a good taste.

My first year at K-State, that all changed. Coffee became my savior. I had no idea coffee's caffeine was so much stronger than soda's. And holy crap, school is hard. Managing classes, complete and utter freedom away from parents, and a budding new social life have proven to be more than I can handle. I quickly realized coffee was the only thing that gets me through tests, papers, midterms, finals, last minute cramming-you name it. Coffee is now a vital necessity of my day-to-day life.

I still remember ordering my first cup at the University Plaza dining center. I was a green-behind-the-gills freshman and had no clue what I was doing. I just knew that the shower I took that morning physically hurt my skin and I needed something-anything-to get through the day. I had a huge slug of classes and a raging hangover. I needed to find the will to live.

I walked up to the counter and repeated something I'd heard my dad say when he ordered coffee: "Black." I had no idea what it meant, but sure enough, the person behind the counter handed me a cup of hot steaming liquid. I must have fooled him.

I don't especially like the taste of plain black coffee, but I look at it like I look at beer. Beer tastes terrible, and those that try to tell me otherwise are simply lying to themselves. I drink beer for the sole purpose of getting a buzz or getting drunk. Definitely not for the taste.

The familiar ringing sound of the door at Chaz's resonates in my ears as I enter the convenience store. "Hey Alex," I say with a small wave, heading over to the huge coffee dispensers next to the fountain pop machines.

"What up, Finley?" he drawls in his southern accent, not even bothering to look up from his cellphone. "SHIT!"

"What?" I ask, stopping suddenly in front of the counter.

"I'm trying to get more power gems. Do you play Bejeweled, Finley?" he asks, pushing his beanie hat back and looking at me seriously.

I smile, "No, sorry, I don't," and continue walking toward the coffee.