Astrophysical Equations of Love

Around class time, Nikki made her way down to the basement level. It was still dark when she arrived, but other students had already started sitting in the classroom, so she didn't feel too worried about heading inside. The classroom resembled what one would expect from a college classroom, featuring multiple rows of tiered seating. She found a seat towards the back of the room that gave her an unobstructed view of the board without being too close to the front. Nikki despised sitting in the front row, no matter where she was. Her anxiety caused her to feel as if people’s gazes were boring holes in the back of her head whenever she sat in front of them. “I got a good seat before anyone else.” She hummed with delight as she set up her textbook and notebooks. She had already read her textbook, filled with notes and tabs to help her locate interesting topics. Nikki reviewed her class schedule again as she waited for the rest of the students to find their seat

Nikki was relieved she made it to her next class in time. Her second class seemed to fly by compared to Professor Thorn’s. This was most likely because it was less eventful than his class, which she found to be a great relief. “Finally free.” She sighed as she darted out of class. She stretched a bit before starting to make her way off campus. The apartment she had called home for the last few years was conveniently located only a mile off campus. It would only take her thirty minutes to walk home. She smiled as she walked. She was happy that her first day of college had gone so well despite being targeted by Thorn. After seeing him respond to Kendall, though, she started to think he was not as monstrous as he could be towards her, something she was, in the end, thankful for. As Nikki made her way through campus, she ignored the other students she passed. She had never been overly social with her peers, having graduated from high school the ye

The day passed quickly for Nikki but seemed to be moving slowly for Thorn. While Nikki was elated to have discovered such an opportunity at the university, Thorn was consumed by his thoughts of the young woman. “Finally…” Thorn was pleased to head to his office for the short break between his classes. His sour mood faded when he saw Nikki walking towards the classroom as he left. “Ah, Miss Crowman.” He greeted her. “Hey, Professor Thorn.” She smiled at him. “Today has been such a great day.” She beamed. Her smiling face was blinding to the grumpy professor. “At least one of us thinks so.” He grumbled as he turned and headed to his office. Nikki frowned slightly at Thorn’s cranky demeanor. She was planning to wait in his office with him but figured he was in a bad mood and just wanted to be alone. She sighed as she turned to head up to the lounge area. Thorn frowned when he realized she was leaving him. He turned to her and snapped.“Where are

Nikki stayed in her seat at the end of class and watched the other students pack up to leave. She thought she would get a moment to relax after a long day, but she frowned when Ella made a beeline for her instead of leaving. “Nikki, was it?” Ella smiled. “Can I help you?” Nikki asked. “I just wanted to tell you about my club,” Ella revealed. “I am the president of the Daughters of Academia club here on campus.” She gestured to the other girl standing with her. “This is my Vice President, Mabel.” “Hi.” Mabel smiled. “Nice to meet you.” Nikki sighed as she smiled. She was doing her best to be polite. “What is this club you run?” She asked her. “It’s a club for daughters of prominent academics,” Mabel explained. “My father is a retired professor of Havard.” She smiled. “Oh, um. I don’t have such a heritage.” Nikki revealed. “We can make an exception for you.” Ella

Reverie was a unique restaurant and popular spot for the youth of Moonward Bay. Its menu included items from England, France, Germany, and Italy, and its décor was designed to provide a sense of privacy for its patrons. “Welcome.” The hostess smiled as they approached her. “Booth, table, or private room?” She asked them. “A private room, please.” Nikki smiled at her. She nodded and then grabbed two menus. “Follow me.” The hostess said as she led them through the restaurant. The restaurant had tables and booths before it transformed into a hallway with sliding doors. “Here you are.” The hostess slid a door open to reveal a small room with a table for two hidden from the rest of the restaurant. “Thank you.” Nikki smiled as she and Thorn sat down. The hostess put the menus on the table before excusing herself. “What’s with the hidden room?” Thorn asked as he grabbed his menu. “The restaurant caters to the