Sensation (h.s)

Chapter One

✺ K A T E ' S ✺ P O V ✺

Morning comes far too quickly for my liking. Lena, my dorm roommate, is up and out before I'm even out of the shower, claiming she has prep to do before her first class and desperately needs to find caffeine.

By the time I'm dressed and ready to face the day it's already pushing eight in the morning. My makeup and hair are done and my outfit is put together as well as I can manage it. Part of me doesn't really care about my appearance since I know this living situation is temporary. Soon enough I'll be back in Florida at the university of my choice with all of my friends that I've had for years. As soon as this all blows over I can go back to being happy in the life I've made for myself. Not the one that he has been made for me.

When I make it to campus, I can already see the dreadful happy faces of students piling into classes. My cup of coffee is held tightly in my hand and my heart is slightly racing just thinking about what's to come.

Within the rules that I was given from the court for moving out of the state, I was assigned a college with a major not of my choice. My previous major was thrown out the window when I was framed as a murderer and I was left an English major at the University of Chicago in Illinois. I moved over the summer and still don't have any friends besides Lena who's at home in our dorm maybe two nights a week-- if that even.

When I make it to my first class, the professor has yet to make an appearance. Students pile in the room with groups of friends, giggling and talking while sitting near each other. I scope out an area in the room where people have yet to sit and take my place in a seat by the window. My fingers tap mindlessly against the desk as I wait, feeling impatient when the professor still hasn't showed minutes after the class should have began.

"Good morning everyone. Please excuse my tardiness. Take our your writing journals and a blue ink pen and write today's date as the entry." The professors firm voice finally enters the room, catching the attention of all of the chatty students. I turn my head up from the window to face him and my heart nearly stops.

The man from yesterday stands at the front of the class with his back turned and his hand writing something on the board. His lanky figure and unruly hair is undeniable and makes my jaw nearly drop.

Once I'm finally able to look away from him, I manage to realize that he assigned us the task of getting out a notebook that everyone seems to have but me. I didn't know what to expect for classes material wise and figured we'd be told today and expected to get it over the course of the next few days.

As I search worriedly through my bag, I discover I have nothing but black pens and no paper. I brought my laptop thinking I could simply take notes on that if I needed to, but I did not expect this. My eyes search the room desperate for someone else prepared to write their entry on a laptop or a scrap piece of paper, but no one seems to be struggling in the same way that I am. They all look as though they didn't sleep a wink this summer because they were too busy preparing for this class.

With a huff, I settle back into my seat, unsure of what to do. He's already begun assigning the writing prompt and everyone around me seems to know exactly what to write.

"Is there a problem with this assignment or are you just choosing to disregarding it?" A unfamiliar voice asks. I look up from the window and see the professor standing above me, tapping his foot impatiently while staring at me.

"I don't have a notebook. I'll redo the assignment later tonight when I have the correct materials." I answer, keeping my voice low. He stares at me for a long moment before pursing his plump lips. He looks just as handsome as he did yesterday at Mia's office.