Daisy

I

Sometimes he felt that his life was lived through a mirror. He would look at his reflection through the translucent glass as a mere observer. Whenever he yearned for something he would receive the opposite of what he wanted. As if he had said his wish to a mirror and it came back to him backwards. Sometimes when he thought that what he was longing for was finally within his grasp, it would only stay for a little while and then fade, like words written into a fogged up mirror that disappeared when the fog cleared up. Then one day he ceased hoping for anything at all. Just for the mere chance that if he asked for nothing, maybe he would look in the mirror one day and find the opposite.

It was morning now. The sun was shining in from the half covered window, the rays were beaming in onto the floral white sheets. It was her first full day here. She had no idea what to expect much less what to wear, so she just put on a button down shirt on, her favorite blazer jacket and black pants. This way she felt that she was dressed presentable, but would still be comfortable enough not to make a complete fool of herself. She hated putting her long silky brown hair up even though her mother always told her how good she looked with her hair up. She left it down for now, framing her fetching face, but brought a hair tie with her just in case she would need it later that day. She had bought a small book bag she found in some vintage store, it made her feel fashionable and trendy. Her sister would have thought it was an overpriced, elitist fad and would sigh in contempt of such an immature purchase. She was one year younger but far ahead of her age in school and always felt compelled to give her sister very practical advice. Yet it was herself, a girl who wasn't necessarily seen as the most practical, someone who was awkwardly uncomfortable around professional people because she couldn't fathom how to act the part just right, who was about to attend the most prestigious and elite university in her state.

Once she was in the elevator she felt relieved to see a girl dressed similarly to her, heading to a different class but also at entry level. She found out that her name was Andrea and they talked for a few seconds before the elevator dropped them off and they went their separate ways. Once she was in the lobby, she quickly found her class and found that most of the people in the class were already there. A grey haired man that she had seen yesterday at orientation was standing at the front of the group. He was wearing a mismatched grey suit, a wrinkled white shirt and had stubble and razor cuts all over his face. He looked unusually tired. This was her professor.

"Morning. Please follow me to the library." He beckoned.

Could he be any more of a grump? She thought.

It was five minutes earlier than the set time of departure.

He led the people that showed up early to the library across the street. She thought to herself what would have happened to her if she hadn't come early. Everyone was walking to the library quickly, no one really talked to anyone. She scanned the crowd that she walked with for anyone interesting. She did this everywhere she went. She had always had a liking for being around interesting, eccentric people but she didn't see many signs of them here. If anyone in the group had any traits that were at all authentic, they were surely hiding it.

She wondered if it was for a reason.

The library was how you would imagine a top Ivy League college library would look like. It was an exceptionally large old red brick building with columns on the sides and wild rose vines growing heavy at every window. This wasn't exactly an Ivy League college. It was a prestigious two year program for students to ideally get business contracts, if they survived the two years without failing out or dropping out due to extreme debilitating depression, the most common fate of anyone admitted into the program.