hE wAiTeD, sHe LeFt...

Chapter 1

Logan's POV

I woke up from my bed, not my bed completely, since owned by the hostel I lived in. I looked for my cellphone. It was no where found. Getting up, I stumbled as I walked towards my study table. I checked my watch. Once. Twice. Thrice.

11:12 am

Oh shit! I am late, for my first lecture of my life. I looked around. All at sight was faded jeans, over-worn shirts, smelling socks, and underwears with holes. Typical hostel, I guess.

Anyways, this is Logan, and here I am, standing in my hostel room, late on my first day of my college life.

I thought what to do next. Should I rush to the class? Should I wait? Confused, I sat down on my study table, opened my laptop. I clicked on the folder which contained the pictures I clicked on the Farewell Party on the final day of our High School.

I scanned through the snaps, to remember the name of my ex-classmates. Though some were close friends, I never cared to even greet to some others.

My eyes fell on a healthy boy in one of the pics. John, my closest friend for years, and years to come. We both always shared a special bond which now on could break.

I missed him. I missed all of them.

I was thinking all these, when I spotted a tall girl in a snapshot. Charlotte, the name popped up in my head. How on earth can I forget her? The girl who taught me the meaning of life. I still remember the day I first saw her.

4th April, 2014

I tried to figure out the way to my new classroom. 'VII', the board above the door read. I entered the room.

They say, first impression matters. But, what I first saw, made me think, "What the fuck am I doing among these zombies?" It made me feel like I have entered a world of apocalypse.

All I saw was a bunch of idiots, running around, falling on each other, jumping over the benches. The girl giggled for no particular reason. The boys laughed like there is no tomorrow.

I quietly kept my bag pack on an empty bench, and got to the corridor. I was staring outside. This is when I saw a girl, sorry, a tall girl, even taller for her age, walking towards our class.

I was lost in my thoughts; I noticed that even that girl was in the corridor, though the other end, far away from me.

*

11:37 am

I came back to reality. The second half of the lecture starts at 12, noon. I freshened up, wore a crisp navy blue shirt, a pair of denim jeans, and my usual dirty sneakers.

I checked against my timetable. 'Basic Hardware', read the timetable.

I walked out of my hostel room, locked it, and exited. I hurried towards the main institute building.

11:55 am

I entered the new classroom. First thing I checked off for were pretty girls. It's not like I'm a stalker, or alike, I like looking at beautiful girls. Good diversion during boring lectures you see.

The professor entered the classroom seven minutes later. Not more than thirty, I guessed.

He took a piece of chalk from the table in front, and wrote in big, bold letters, 'Basic Hardware'.

"Hello students, I am Professor Stein. I'm gonna teach you guys about the basics of hardware, used in all form of electronics."

The prof seemed to be nice. The things he taught weren't.

As the class got more and more tedious, I started to look around me. I saw a tall girl. Memories came flooding into my brain.

Not again.

12th April, 2014

It had been a week since I joined this new school. Now, the students no more seemed to be stranger. I made a few friends. Not really, since I don't talk to people much.

I still do gather around people, but never contribute much.

It was lunch time, and I was roaming around near the canteen. There were groups of students sharing and enjoying their lunch.

That's when I noticed a girl standing in a corner, having her lunch just by herself.

I thought it was a favourable time to introduce myself. Yeah, it sounds creepy. But, so was this girl.

I slowly started walking towards her. She didn't notice me at first. I don't know from where I got so much courage, I went straight to her and stood there for some seconds.

"Hey!", I said, softly, like I was pleading to be forgiven.

Out of her thoughts, she came out and said, "Hello."

"Having your lunch?"

"Actually, yea."

"Alone, in the corner?"

"I hardly know anyone here."

"You can know me."

"I don't even know your name."

"Me too."

"Charlotte. You?"

"Logan."

"Are you new here?"

"Yes. I joined last the last session, a few months back."

"..."

"What are you staring at?"

"Uh..m.. nothing."

She laughed. I joined her in the laugh. It was for the first time someone saw her laughing, I guess. Except for those fake smiles, pasted on her lips.

We started walking towards the main building. She asked me where I lived before, and other of the same kind.

We reached the class, took our respective seats. I started to scribble something on the back of the notes, while I saw she had an open book in her hand. I tried to read the title, which I couldn't, but noticed the author, 'Agata Christie.".

*

I felt a hammer on my back. I was shocked. I put up my head.

I felt sleepy. No! I was sleeping.

Oh hell, I was sleeping in the middle of a class. And the professor himself has come up to me, to wake me up?

I just stood up, without a second thought, and said in a low voice, "Sorry sir."

I felt a jerk on my neck. The impact was on my cheeks, one after another. After blowing off his steam, He shouted," Where do you think you are?"

"I didn't got your question, sir." I replied sharply, angry enough to break his jaws.

"Is this a college or your bedroom?"

"Are you kidding me, sir?" I kept using the word 'sir' to make it clear that I wasn't insulting him, which I was gonna do.

"Get out of my class. Like right now."

"What if I wouldn't, coz I didn't do anything offensive, or the kind."

"I am the professor, I am gonna decide what will happen in my class."