My College What?!

Chapter One

Just Cold Enough

Third week of college. Just cold enough to need a light jacket. So far, so good. I had minimal complaints besides my housemates leaving the dishes in the sink.

Private colleges come with private, on campus housing with assigned housemates and grocery deliveries. They come with dress codes, rich kids and the kids whose parents bought them a place in their desired program. It also comes with scholarship kids and overachievers as well as rich kids that aren't total snobs. They also come with a reason to be considered a private school. The reason for Trinitaria University being considered a private school was the fact that it was a Christian school, apparently set apart from the secular world. However, it was a far stretch from cult scene schools like it are often considered.

It was prep school on steroids. I'd been excellent at prep school, which meant this had a been a breeze so far. I met with my private tutor on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for at least two hours and then went to my usual classes. I was succeeding academically.

Socially, I was not far off from my desired success. I had friends and I had a lot of people that knew my name. However, in a school with a lower student population than the local public high-school that wasn't difficult. My only set back was the fact that I was a transfer student and not one of those "lifers" that went straight from prep school to private college to daddy's law firm. I'd gone to a public university the first, much to my parents dismay, but transferred per their unending requests.

"Too smart and pretty for some school that accepts kids right off of the streets." My father had said to me. "I'll pay for everything if you'll just go where I know it's best for you. I won't complain if your grades slip a percentage or so. Just go, my dear."

I'd agreed after my mother had cried about it, not wanting to see the tears and hear the complaints much longer.

"Stacey!" I heard my name being called from down the hall of the only school building on campus.

Melody, one of my housemates and newfound friend, was waving at me. Her blonde hair in a sleek low bun, her trench coat covered the outfit she was wearing. I made my way over to her.

"Hey, Mel." I smiled at her.

"You'll never guess what's happening today in lecture!" She was clearly excited and that excitement quickly wore off onto myself.

"What?!" I asked her, eager to hear what she had to say now.

"They're announcing new events coming up this week and next!" She squealed before looking at me. "What happened to your glasses?"

"Contact order came in." I told her before trying to get more out of her. "Do you have any idea what they're going to be?"

"Not really, but Zeke said there could be a dance." She referenced her boyfriend which didn't piss me off, but I don't like him so it didn't make me happy either.

Ezekiel Gardiner, Melody's boyfriend, was bossy and kind of overbearing. He also called me a little girl quite often and tried to tell our other housemates what to do. I couldn't quite explain, but he scared me a bit so I liked to avoid him as much as possible. It was even weirder that he appeared to be one of the least intimidating people ever. Nevertheless, I didn't like him all that much and I didn't want Melody to know that.

"We're going to be late for the English lecture!" I told her. "Come on!"

We hurried off and made it into the lecture hall (that was more the size of an elementary school classroom) just before the professor came in. The lecture was easy, so long you'd read the novel. I had read it and so I answered a few questions so that I wouldn't have to be called on, but in the minuscule amount of student it was inevitable.

"Zeke says he wants to meet us for lunch." Melody whispered to me. "He'll take us out. It'll be fun."

"Where to?" Asked her while taking down some more notes.

"Off campus at some sushi place." She explained. "I know you like sushi, so please don't bail!"

"Okay, fine. But I don't really want your boyfriend paying for me, Mel." I told her honestly.

"You tell him that then." She shrugged. "I told him your coming. He's going to pick us up after lecture."

"Okay." I sighed. "Is it nice? Should I try to see if I can get changed?"

"No, no." She smiled. "You look nice enough, so don't worry about that. You're literally in a skirt, Stacey."

"Miss Kinderly, should I repeat my question?" The professor snapped at me suddenly.

I wanted to melt into my chair. Everybody was looking at me. Melody looked completely unfazed. She knew all these people, I knew maybe three of their names.

"Uh, yes, sir. My apologies. I was distracted." I felt my face heating up.

"No shit." Some guy in the front of the lecture coughed, thinking it would be funny.

It would have been funny if it wasn't me in this position. The rest of the class laughed, but the professors face hardened a bit.

"If you are going to be disrespectful and speak during my lecture, I see no point in you attending class. Do you, Miss Kinderly?" He asked now.

I didn't know what to say.

"Uh... no?" I wasn't trying to be rude.

"Get out then!" He snapped. "Now!"

I wanted to cry. Everybody was staring at me and I didn't really know what to do. I scrambled to get all of my things back into my book bag. Melody looked as thought she was going to scream.

"Excuse me, sir!" She growled. "It's not entirely her fault. I was the one who started the conversation. I'm very sorry. I meant no disrespect, Professor Zimmerman."

"You may leave as well then!" He growled.

We scurried down the row of students at desks. The boy who'd coughed stuck his foot into the aisle and I immediately stumbled over it.

"What the hell is your problem?!" I growled, unable to hold back the rage behind my embarrassment when he started to laugh. "It's not funny, asshole!"

"Get out, Mr. Gardiner!" The professor looked as though he was going to lose his mind and the guy stood quickly and glared at me.

Gardiner? Was he related to Zeke then?

"Hey." Melody grabbed my arm quickly. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"It's okay." I smiled at her before slightly giggling. "It's kind of funny now that it's over." 

"Yeah, it'll be so funny when Zeke finds out you got kicked out of class. Right, smelly Melly." The guy from class glared at us.

"Shut up, Zachariah." Mel growled at him, saying his name as though it were an insult.

They knew each other. How did they know each other? He had to be related to Zeke if Melody was going to be that sassy with him. She didn't really like him.

"Well, might as well tell him we can head to lunch now then." Zachariah smirked. "I'll call him."

Melody's face looked torn. Almost as if she didn't want me to know something that this random guy knew. She also looked like she was about to panic over this. What was the big deal if we left for lunch early? I didn't get it.

"Please, can you just not be an ass for once?!" She glared at him. "Besides, he's probably busy right now."

"He already knows, Smelly." Ezekiel smirked at her. "Relax. I'll talk to him. Zimmerman's kind of an ass anyways."

She relaxed after he'd said that. I was so confused as to what was really going on here. I didn't know something and Melody seemed like she wanted to keep it that way.

"Who's your friend?" Zachariah looked at me now, no longer seeming to be in a joking mood. "She's a brat."