Chapter Three
There's nothing like going for a run in the early hours of the morning. I wouldn't say I'm physically fit or anything and I'm not one to do sprints, but just the rush you get when your heart's pumping in sync with each step you take. Your music's blasting in your ears from your head phones and with each breath of the cool crisp morning air your worries become farther away, almost nonexistent.
Wanting to get back that heavenly feeling I decided to try and start jogging a few mornings around campus. Not only has it helped me get to know the campus a little better, but I also love watching the sunrise. I find it fascinating that each day the sun comes up, filling the sky with different colors, just for a few minutes before turning its normal blue hue. Each day its different just like every day is different.
I run around the corner of the stone science building, heading back to my dorm to get ready for my first class, only to smash into it. Then a white v-neck t-shirt fills my line of vision and a chuckle vibrates though it making me realize I smashed into a person.
"So this time you're actually running?" I look up unprepared to deal with the owner of bright green eyes this early in the morning.
"Hello to you too." I tease, but then take a step back remembering that I'm all sweaty.
"Do you run every morning?" Trent asks and I shrug.
"I try to, but I planning on just going on the days I have classes." Speaking of classes, I glance down at my phone seeing its seven thirty and I have to be by the English buildings for philosophy at eight.
"Well," Trent nods, "if you ever want a running buddy I'd be happy to tag along with you."
Then he takes the opportunity to drop his eyes down to my legs and decides to take his sweet time in dragging them back up. Once his eyes find mine again a lopsided grin tugs at his lips. I raise my brows at his shamelessness and decide to glance down at his own attire noting that a gym bag is settled in his right hand and my eyes seem to find the outline of a four pack through his white t-shirt. You've got to be kidding me. I quickly advert my eyes and shake my head not allowing myself to get distracted and shove my ear bud back in my ear.
"I don't think you need any more exercise, Red Velvet." I pat his stomach as I run past him not giving him time reply.
****
Walking into philosophy I see rows upon rows of wooden desks all layered on eight wooden risers that extend to the back of the room. A few people are already seated and I decide that sitting in the middle, but towards the front is probably my best option. Over dramatically, I slam my notebook down on the desk and plop down in the seat attached to it. Then leaning over into my cross body bag I check my phone and see its seven fifty-five.
"Is anyone sitting here?" A girl with fiery red hair asks gesturing to the desk on my right and when I shake my head she sits down and her friend sits beside her. I pull a pen out of my bag and run a hand through my hair before leaning my head in my hand. I click my pen a few times a little nervous before pretending to write my name on the desk.
"Hey there, Vanilla." My hair gets flicked behind my shoulder and my mouth drops.
"What are you doing here?" I blurt out and Trent chuckles sitting in the seat behind me.
His eyes dance in amusement as he taps his pencil against the desk. "Why, I'm here for philosophy of course."
I internally roll my eyes. "I know that, butâ"
"Good morning, everyone." The bellow of a greeting has me swiveling around in my seat and I take notice of the fact that the lecture hall is now practically full. "I'm Professor Collins. I'm assuming you've all read the course syllabus I sent to your emails." He sends a look around the room as if waiting for any objections, but when he doesn't receive any he claps his hands with a smile. "Okay, great. Let's begin then, shall we?"
****
After about an hour and half of debating what philosophy is, which is basically philosophy within itself, we all file out of the room a little more confused than when we came in. I will admit though that Professor Collins does know his stuff. Plaid shirt, khaki pants, penny loafers, and all. He also gives off a yoda-like vibe as if he's lived a thousand lives in his seemingly forty, or fifty years.
"Lacie, wait up!" I comply to the command and glance over my shoulder as Trent jogs down the four stone steps leading out of the building with his notebook clutched in his hand. "Hey," he greets when he reaches me.
"Hi." Is my response before I turn back around to start walking again and Trent falls into step beside me.
Since it's now a few hours into the morning there's more people buzzing around campus. Some are sitting on the grass typing on their laptops, others are chatting at the picnic tables, and some people are heading to their first classes.
"So what do you think of Professor Collins?" Trent asks glancing around.
"He's cool." I shrug before glancing over at him. "But are you going to tell me why you're in the class?" I know it's not high school and classes aren't structured specifically per grade level, but I didn't entirely peg Trent as having a strong interest in philosophy.
He laughs. "I already told you."
I shake my head barely containing a laugh of my own. "No, I mean seriously. What's your major?"
He straightens his shoulders, his pride reflected in his demeanor. "Physical education."
I tilt my head to the side not even bothering to hide my surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah." He nods passing a glance my way and smiles when he sees my nose is scrunched up.
I quickly rid of the expression and let out a, "huh," when his words finally settle in my head.
"What?"
I look back over at him with a smile. "I can actually see that." With his gaze on his feet, he shakes his head as we move around a group of students before falling back into step next beside each other.
"Well," he tilts his head towards me, throwing me a sideways glance, "what's your major?"
"Biology." I hug my notebook closer to my chest. "To become a physical therapist." Trent nods taking it in.
"Well," Trent glances back over at me. "I can see that." Then we reach the edge of the lawn and I stop once my feet hit the cement pathway. I reach up and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear as a few students walk past us. "Well," Trent says turning to completely facing me. "I believe this is where we part ways, Ms. O'Conner." He grins giving me a small bow with his hand. "It was a pleasure." I smile and he winks, leaving me to only imagine the twinkle in his eye, before he turns around and heads to the boys dorms on the left. I turn to the right to go to my dorm only to jump back at the sight of Stephanie.
"Who was that hunk of a guy?" She asks not so discreetly checking out Trent's disappearing form.
I wave my hand. "Just Trent."
"Just Trent? You're on a first name basis!" I shake my head as we both start walking back towards our dorm. "Oh come' on, Lacie," she tugs at my arm, "you can't leave me hanging like that, tell me at least some detail."
I shrug. "There's nothing to tell."
"Nothing to tell!"
I give her a funny look. "Yeah, it's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal!"
"Yeah... it's really not."
"It's not!"
I stop in front of the entrance to the dorm building and turn to face her with an exasperated look. "Would you stop repeating everything I say?"
She throws me a sheepish smile. "Yeah, sorry about that. You should know by now that I'm the definition of overdramatic." This makes me laugh as I pull back the door, but she throws her arm out, not allowing me to enter. "But seriously, how'd you meet him?"
I sigh knowing she's not going to let this go until I say something. "I met him, um," I pause, scratching the back of my head, not entirely sure I want to divulge into the abash grocery store encounter. "A little while ago."
"Yeah?" She pries waving her other hand around.
"Then I saw him at the party," I reluctantly continue. "And today I found out he's in my intro to philosophy class."
She wiggles her eyebrows. "Philosophy you say." I shake my head and Stephanie finally moves her arm so two girls can pass through and we follow them in. "So are you guys like... friends now?"
I shrug. "I don't know."
"Well," she turns to look over at me, but I keep my gaze straight, "do you like him?"
I pull my lips inward. "Uh, I don't know."
"Does he like you?"
I give her a crazy look. "I don't know."
"Do you think you could like him?"
"Steph," I breathe turning to her. "We just met. I barely know him."
"So?" She stops in front of our dorm and turns to me, bracing her hand on her hip.
"So," I throw my hands up. "I don't know!"
"Ugh," She groans in response and throws open the door to our room.
****
"You know, I'm thinking about changing my major," Megan says flopping face first onto my bed and dangles her legs in the air.
"Already? It's only the first day of classes," Savannah inquires from Stephanie's bed before biting into a sour gummy worm.
"I know, but I don't know if I like psychology anymore." Megan shrugs before unwrapping a pink starburst and popping it into her mouth.
"Honestly, I don't even know why you picked that in the first place," Savannah mumbles picking up another gummy worm.
"Hey!" Megan throws the starburst wrapper at her and I laugh when it immediately goes tumbling to the ground.
"Well, what major would you pick if you switched?" Stephanie asks twirling a gummy worm between her fingers.
"Ugh," Megan groans dropping her face into my comforter. "I don't know." My phone vibrates next to me and I pick it up expecting it to be Layla, or my mom, but then find my eyebrows furrowing at the screen.
You know what I realized? We both chose to major in something physical. ;)
A blush creeps its way onto my cheeks.
Trent.
How the hell did he get my number?
"Who's red velvet?" I jump as I see Megan now sitting up right and looking over at my phone screen.
"No one," I lie and let the phone slip out of my hand.
"Aw, Lacie, are you blushing?" Savannah asks making the red in my cheeks even more prominent.
Steph gasps as she sits up on her knees on her bed. "It was cute philosophy guy, wasn't it?"
"Trent," I stupidly correct her only to have Megan and Savannah both question who he is at the same time.
"He's Lacie's boy toy," Stephanie wiggles her eyebrows and my mouth drops.
"What!" They both screech in surprise turning to me.
"He's notâit's not. I just met him!" I yell before hastily grabbing a starburst.
"Oh yeah," Stephanie lays back down on her. "Then what did the text say?" I toss the starburst back and forth between my hands, my eyes flickering between all their stares, before I chuck the starburst at Stephanie. She tries to catch it while I pick up another one and throw it at Savannah.
"Hey!" She yells, but I pick another one up and throw it at Megan.
"That's it," Stephanie says picking up a few gummy worms and tossing them towards Megan and I. Leaving us all to start throwing candy at each other. Gummy worms and starburst fly everywhere.
"Wait, wait!" Megan stands up and throws her hands out, ceasing fire. "What the hell are we doing? We're wasting perfectly good candy!" We all go silent, our eyes flicker between each other, before we all burst into laughter at how ridiculous this whole situation is.
I lean back against the wall behind my bed and reaching up, I pull a stay gummy worm out of my hair. Shrugging I bite into it and pull it back.
Like she said, why waste perfectly good candy?