When He Met Me - Justin Trudeau

chapter one - eden

chapter one - eden

January 7, 2002

I open my eyes and turn my head to the unset alarm clock that reads 8:37 am. I'm late, very late. I should have been up half an hour ago. As I turned my head towards the window, my eyes ache from the sudden glimpse of daylight shining in my eyes. I thought when it's winter, sunny days are inevitably gone till spring. I guess I was wrong. The winters in Montreal are still an adjustment to the winters I spent in Toronto, even though it's been three years of university here. The biting cold of Montreal winters has not yet subsided.

I reluctantly got out of bed, closing my curtains shut to no longer sting my eyes with the bright sunlight shining through. I go on with the regular routine of scrambling for my bag and books, sorting through the ones needed for today's lectures and classes that await me. The beginning of the semester is always the hardest when you don't know what the day has in store for you. I run to the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth, hair and wash my face. My long brown hair isn't terribly knotted but I don't have much time and throw it into a bun. I scan over my appearance in the bathroom mirror. It looks presentable.

I rush into my room to change out of my pyjamas and into some acceptable clothing, tripping over as I try shoving my foot into the leg of my pants. I manage to get dressed in one piece, quickly grabbing my winter coat and swinging my bag over my shoulder and making a bee-lining out of my room into the living room. The first thing I see when I walk in is Mia sleeping on the couch and bottles of booze scattered across the coffee table, her blonde hair in disarray along with the rest of her. I last saw her at 7 pm last night when she was heading out to a pre, already a little too drunk. I head to the kitchen to grab a muffin and make some instant coffee. I wasn't trying to be loud but a bottle of ketchup fell out of the fridge as I opened the door. I guess that woke Mia up and she called out.

" Eden, what time is it?"

" It's 8:53," I replied.

"Am or Pm"

" That's for you to decide. I got to go to my first class. I'll see you later today"

" Can you pick up food when you get home? I'm in the mood for Chinese"

"At this time?" I questioned, a bit confused.

"Don't judge me in my time of need," she whined, turning over and returning to her vegetable state.

I put on my winter coat and mitts and then unlock the front door, quietly making my exit and assuring that I don't further disturb Mia in her hungover state. The sunlight hits my face the moment I take a step down our townhouse stairs. The air is cold as expected and the wind is blowing harder than usual. Luckily for me, my bus stop is right across the street. And I have 3 minutes before the next bus comes.

I sit on the bench at the bus stop, patiently waiting for the bus to arrive. As I wait, I begin to rummage through my bag and in search of a specific piece of paper, as soon as I see it peek through between my school books I yank it out. I open it and go through the list of names on it.

'Mary, Stephen, and Brian have already agreed to be referenced, all I need is Joseph and then they will definitely consider me for that internship. I'll search for him after classes later today, maybe I'll be able to catch him before he leaves for the day' I think to myself.

I shove the list back into my bag as the bus arrives. I walk onto the bus and endure a 10-minute ride, standing as people shove their way between each other and myself to get to their destination. Finally, it stops in front of the third entrance of the school, I stagger off the bus and make my way to the Arts building.