From London to Rome

Chapter 1

How is it that guys in books and movies are so much better than the guys I meet? I look at the people around me again, over 10 guys in the same jerseys and caps are sitting just a few seats away from me. It must be a college sports team. They are screaming and throwing things at each other. What is it with guys always acting like a bunch of 4-year olds? I try to ignore the screaming and I focus on my book again. It's the same love story I've been reading for years now, Unexpected Love. Since the first time I've read it, I've been in love with the male lead. He's so kind and sweet, and he must be incredibly hot. I'm reading the part where Hayden and Luna kiss for the first time. It's the most romantic thing I've ever read. Another thing that is always better in books is the first kisses. They seem so sweet and romantic, while in real life they are just awkward. Just when I'm getting to the best part, it's time to get off the train.

Walking home from the station I'm daydreaming about Hayden. How his beautiful blue eyes stare into mine, his light brown hair curled up around my fingers, his strong and muscular arms holding me to his chest tightly. Actually, it's no longer the character Hayden I'm dreaming about. I'm imagining Luca Bianchi, the actor that played Hayden in the movie of Unexpected Love. He made this love story even better. Luca is so incredibly talented. And hot. Like seriously super cute and sexy at the same time. My Instagram timeline is full of pictures of him. It is no surprise that he's a model as well. I don't stop daydreaming until I reach the front door of my building.

I live in one of the many student flats in the city. It's a nice place, unfortunately, it's quite far from the university. Every day I have to go to the centre for my lectures or to go to work. It's quite the travel every time, but living in the city centre of London is way too expensive, especially for a university student like me. It should take me only 15 minutes to get to University College London, but during the peak hours it always takes me much longer.

The kitchen is a mess, once again. Not all of my flatmates seem to bother about keeping things clean. I drop my stuff in my room and go back to the kitchen, grab some cleaning supplies and start working. I never understood how people can make such a mess. Every day I'm grateful for my private bathroom. Honestly, I don't want to think about how gross shared showers would be. Playing the soundtrack of Unexpected Love, I get lost in my daydreams again. I am the kind of person that creates this whole movie in their head whenever they read a book, I think that's how I started my unbreakable habit of daydreaming. Just as my addiction to books. My book collection is quite large already and I still have not found a place to keep all of them organised. My flat is small, with just enough room for the essential furniture, so I can't fit a huge bookshelf anywhere. For the time being, I stacked all of them on the floor in a corner but I really have to find a solution for that soon.

I only moved in a few months ago, but I somehow still haven't found the best way to decorate my room. At my parents' place, I had quite a large room, but I can't afford anything like that here. Living from a student loan and a job at a coffee shop in town, there actually isn't much that I can afford. I think it's time to ask for some extra shifts at work. Maybe that will make things a little easier.

Usually, I work the mornings before going to my classes in the afternoons, sometimes I work an evening shift as well if I have the time to spare. Maybe I can pick up some weekend shifts, as long as I have enough time to get all my school work done, it should be fine. It isn't like I have a busy social life or anything. Most days I go home straight after my classes are done and start working on my coursework. I'm not the party-type, nor am I athletic, so that gives me plenty of time to do what I like most, reading. I've almost finished my To-Be-Read pile, so it's time for my second favourite thing, book shopping.

By the time I finish cleaning the kitchen, it's already time to start making dinner. I had to work until 6 today, now it's almost 7.30 p.m. and my stomach is starting to complain. I chop some vegetables and cook some noodles. I usually make something easy for dinner, I don't like spending too much time in the kitchen. Unless it's for baking, I love baking. More precisely, I love eating the baked goods afterwards and my friends are always happy to come over to join me. However, it never turns out like the stuff they make in the Great British Bake Off.

I only have a few close friends. I never liked having a huge group of people around me. For starters, it seems like those friendships are superficial and based on nothing. And whenever I socialise with too many people for too long, I get a typical introvert hangover. I however have absolutely no problem walking in the crowded streets of London. I actually quite enjoy that. Feeling like you're a part of something, without having to actually interact with people.

After eating my dinner I already start my homework for next week. I have an early shift at work tomorrow and two lectures in the afternoon. The only good thing about working early in a coffee shop is drinking free coffee in the early mornings. Before the shop opens at 7 a.m. we all have some coffee together, and honestly, that is the only good thing about working at that hour.