"Once Upon Love" (A Modern "Cyrano de Bergerac" story)

1: Enter Chris

Christopher Newville sighed as he adjusted the strap of his messenger bag to a more comfortable spot on his shoulder.

It didn't matter that he'd already been through a semester at Ballard. Somehow, the first day climbing the stone steps as a student seemed far more daunting than any other day of the year, especially more than traversing the same path for orientation. What pressures come with student life! He thought. Gone were the petty concerns of peer pressure from school-fellows of elementary, middle, and high-school days. Now Chris found himself under the careful scrutiny of demanding professors and a rigorous schedule.

The first place Chris needed to go was the expansive Winston Churchill Memorial Library. Coming from a small school system in a suburb of Rochester, the sheer magnitude of books never failed to blow him away. Chris, as he had done most of the previous semester, did not go straight to the bank of computers that served as an electronic card catalog as most other students did, but wandered among the shelves aimlessly, staring wide-eyed at the vast array of books in every imaginable size and color.

Five minutes later, it occurred to him that he really ought to find the books he needed and leave so he might adequately prepare for his first class of the spring semester. Chris hated to be unprepared, yet it seemed life so very often thrust him into situations where he rarely was. He had fumbled his way through the fall semester; he purposed that the first day of spring semester would be the start of a new trend, one where he was punctual to every class.

Chris returned to the computers and typed in the title of the book he wanted. Upon receiving the number, he immediately scanned the shelves for the range he wanted. He found the shelf, and two minutes later, he found the books. His next mission: exit the library.

Chris felt very efficient as he wove between the rows of shelves. One could almost say he knew his way—

"Oh, goodness!"

Quite suddenly, Chris Newville ran his nose into the carpet and at the same time realized there was a person underneath him. He looked at her face, so close to his own. It occurred to him that he probably should say something.

"Hi," he managed.

When she didn't reply, but continued to stare at him, he wonder why until it occurred to him that it probably had something to do with the fact that he was still laying on top of her.

"Oh, excuse me," he stumbled to his feet awkwardly. "Sorry."

She giggled nervously and smoothed her copper-colored hair as her blue-gray eyes sparkled at him. She was so beautiful. Chris felt he could stand there looking at her for a long time, but she began to turn away, saying, "Well, excuse me—"

"Wait!" Chris cried, "What is your name?"

A man behind him grabbed his arm. "Christopher! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

The mysterious beauty disappeared as Chris turned to face Professor Leon Guerre, an old family friend and the man largely responsible for Chris' presence at Ballard College of the Arts.

"Professor Guerre, hello," Chris said politely, but the portly gentleman did not pause.

"Quickly, the performance is about to begin!"

Chris followed the man, "What performance? Will I be late to my class?"

Professor Guerre stopped. "What class?"

Chris brought out his class schedule and pointed. "It says I have History class in one half-hour."

Guerre squinted at the schedule. "Oh! They must not have told you: Professor Tompkins called in sick this morning. You won't miss your first class. Now, come with me!"