Whatever, Josh | ✔

Chapter Six

IT'S LIKE YESTERDAY didn't even happen because as soon as I woke up to get ready for the first day of college, Josh was nowhere to be found. It's not even that, though, because as soon as we were done―which, mind you, we barely talked―Josh took me back to the dorm and left to God knows where, leaving me alone. It was probably around eleven thirty when he came home last night, which I only know because I stayed up the whole night contemplating if anything went wrong yesterday, except for Sophie's unexpected arrival. Had I done anything wrong?

With this in mind, I arrive to college a little later than expected, having slept a little too late due to my thoughts. I arrive at my class room, only to find the door locked. Great! Taking a deep breath, and attempting to let out my anxiety, I knock on the door. It takes five whole minutes for a sound of someone knocking the door to be brought to a red-haired boy's attention, even though, everyone else in the classroom has already seen a petrified Indian girl standing outside the door. 

"Thanks," I mumble, which the boy probably didn't even hear, before finding an attainable seat―right in the front. Even better!  Mentally scolding Josh for arriving five minutes late, I pull out my folder with all of the necessities for this class. I can feel the Professor's eyes on me, and if eyes could burn, I swear I would be dead by now.

"Alright class, for today, there is now homework, but don't take this for granted because there won't be many days, like these, so, I guess, what I'm saying is don't expect everything to be so light because it won't," he narrows his eyes on me and I gulp. The bell rings, gratefully, signifying that class is over and the whole class scurries out the door. In an attempt to get out the door in a hurry too, I stuff all my paraphernalia in my bag and walk down the stairs before briefly being cut off short by the Professor.

"Advika," he butchers my name. I hold back an eye roll.

"Yeah?"

"You came five minutes and thirty-five seconds late today, I hope you weren't misbehaving because I won't tolerate that," he sets his pen down. "And, usually, when my students come in late―especially five minutes and thirty-five seconds late―I make them stay after class and help me clean up things, but because it's the first day of school, I'm, instead, giving you a warning."

"Yes Sir." I scurry out the door before he can stop me again. To be honest, I kind've expected professors to be mean from what my cousins have told me, but not this rude. As soon as I exit the classroom, I walk in my usual pace.

"Hi!"

"Ah!" At the voice of an unfamiliar person, I drop all of my paraphernalia.

"Sorry," the person says, picking up my stuff, "I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"I-It's okay, I'm just not used to someone else... saying hi." I take in the girl's appearance―dirty blonde hair and blue eyes―with remembrance. "Have I met you before?"

"No, I probably just remind you of Reese Witherspoon; but just a seventeen year old version of her," she giggles. I take in her comment and her features with a chuckle.

"That's why you look so familiar!" I adjust the weight of my books, putting them in my left hand. "Are you, uh, a big fan of her or something?"

"No," she says, "but I get compared to her than more of the movies she's been featured in to the extent that I think I should be a fan of her."

"You shouldn't force yourself to be a fan of her, only if she inspires you, then you should..." my voice trails off, realizing how 'monumental' those words are―especially coming from me.

"Wow," she comments.

"It's nothing that big..." my voice trails off, realizing I don't even know her name.

"Emma," she advises, "and what's you name?"

"Uh Advika," I answer.

"That's a beautiful name! Do you know what it means?"

My cheeks turn red. "No, I uh, no, but that's a really good question!"

"It's okay, most people don't know the meaning of their names."

"Well, I guess I just got added to that list," I chuckle lightly, which catches her attention.

"It's okay, so, anyways, what even happened there with Professor Ricardo?"

"So that's his name," I let out as new profound knowledge.

"Yeah," she chuckles, "but he likes to be called Professor."

"Or Sir," I note. She looks at me solemnly.

"Not that."

"Oh, really? W-why?"

"He said during class, you didn't hear?"

"Oh I came late that's why I actually got pulled back," I inform her.

"Aw! That sucks!" she sympathizes. "Well, do you wanna grab some breakfast, or have you already had yours?" At the sound of food, my stomach grumbles. My cheeks turn bright red.

"I guess my stomach spoke for me instead."

She giggles. "C'mon! I know a great place for breakfast!" I follow her with hope that she can be a possible friend, and also, that it's not that Froyo place Josh took me to yesterday. 

Especially not the Froyo place, though.