“Very well, but don’t cry tears of boredom when the only friends you have are Stu and me, and your weekends consist of Canasta and pillbox sorting,” she says.
“I would never. Besides, I’m sure if we throw in some frozen pizza, it could make for a great time,” I reply with a chuckle then turn to the door. “Wish me luck.”
“Show ‘em how it’s done, kid,” Joan hollers, and with those last words, I head out.
Show ‘em how it’s done—I’ll be lucky if they don’t eat me alive.
The site map they provided with my orientation package does not read true to the actual size of the campus—this place is enormous. I probably should’ve come here earlier last week just to figure out where my classes are.
I slowly make my way around, turning the map and trying to figure out where exactly north is. It must be apparent that I’m lost, as a fair-sized skinny guy with perfectly combed hair and nicely ironed clothes walks up to me, asking if I need help.
I look to him with my desperate gaze, and he lets out a laugh. “Here, let me see your schedule.”
I hand him the paper, and immediately he knows where I need to go. “This here’s what I call fate; we have the same class—follow me.”
“Thank you,” I let out in relief.
Walking with me side-by-side, he starts up a conversation. “My name’s Chase, a first-year in the business program, and by your schedule I see you’re in the same.”
“Observant. Yes, and the name’s Velyn,” I offer with a smile.
“Nice! Well, maybe we can be study buddies or something, Velyn?”
I look to the lanky guy standing next to me and as I get closer to him, I realize he’s just a kid. “Chase, how old are you?”
He lets out a sigh. “I just turned seventeen at the beginning of the summer.”
“Just turned seventeen? As in you were only sixteen a couple of months ago? Shouldn’t you still be in high school?” I question.
He looks to me and shrugs. “Yeah, I was moved ahead a couple of grades in school. They felt that when I was correcting the teachers in front of the other students, it caused them to lose credibility.”
Eyes wide, I laugh. “Yeah, I can see why they may think that. So, you’re a prodigy of sorts.”
“Oh, not of sorts, I most definitely am.”
I let out another laugh. “Good, then I accept your offer to be study buddies because God knows I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
Chase smiles, pointing to the door just ahead. “This is us.”
We head into class and I take a seat in the middle of the auditorium-style room, Chase taking the one next to me.
“Did you do the assigned readings?” he whispers as others make their way into class.
I nod. “Yeah, finished them up last night so that it would be fresh for this morning.”
He faces forward as the prof enters the room, and in a whisper says, “Good, I prefer when my study buddies are well prepared.”
As the prof begins, Chase straightens right up, giving her all his attention. I can’t help but admire his enthusiasm. Joan was all concerned with me making friends, so she’ll be so pleased when I let her know that not even minutes into my first day, I made one with the only other person that’s as much of a keener as me. Granted, he’s barely old enough to drive and may still have a curfew, but he’d probably make a great fourth for Canasta night…I’ll have to run it by him.
After class, I say goodbye to my new friend as he scurries away to his next lecture. Opting for a light course load, I’m done for the day, so I start to make my way back to the diner. As I’m walking across the Quad, I see a large mass gripping my new friend in a headlock.
Are you kidding me—I thought they only did this shit in high school?
Instantly my walk turns into a run, and when I reach them, I use all my force to push the douche off my new friend. I quickly glance over to Chase to make sure he’s okay, then up to the ass who just had him pinned under his arm.
“Velyn—” Chase starts, but I stop him.
“No, he needs to hear this,” I sneer, then turn to the oversized goon. “You know, I’m pretty sure you have a good foot on him and about a hundred and fifty pounds. How about next time before that less than brilliant brain of yours decides to act like a douchebag, you take a minute and consider your next step because I promise you this; if I ever catch you so much as laying a finger on him again, it will become my mission to make your life a living hell. And let me tell you, my jackass quotient is pretty full, so I have a well-stocked arsenal.”
“Velyn, really—” Chase starts once again.
“Chase, don’t say it’s okay because it’s not,” I add and step to the dirty blond-haired giant.
Standing only inches from what I now realize is a good six-foot-five wall, I swallow hard past the lump in my throat.
I’m not going to back down.
Bringing up what courage I can muster, I get right in his face. “Do you hear me?”
Blondie, whom I’ve yet to know his name, straightens, making himself appear even larger. He plants a broad smile across his face and speaks. “Oh, I heard you…loud and clear, but I’m starting to think I’d like to see what’s in this arsenal of yours now that you have my curiosity piqued and all.”
I push in a little closer, and with the sun out of my
