001

I knew I was irreversibly in trouble on the first day of school. Actually, no. The first few hours of class. 

My stepmother's insistence that I enroll in the English language course made a lot more sense as soon as my eyes met his. Much more than the shallow reason she had given in trying to convince me. You love reading and writing, you will find yourself in this course.

True, I love reading and writing. But in the last few weeks I have been discovering a third activity that I never imagined could give me so much satisfaction.

Today I can't see myself without it. Without them. My God, where is that concentrated and focused girl I was and what have you done with her?

So that you understand better, I will tell you from the beginning. 

Not that I am being kind, it's just that, particularly, I love to remember every detail that brought me to the delicious mess I am in now.

***

Shortly after I received my High School certificate, Lysa, my stepmother, held tightly one of my arms and said: "You won't stop here. Next year you need to be in college.

You can't imagine the persuasive power this woman has. She convinced my father to marry her only six months after my mother's sad death. She is not a bad person, maybe the big problem is that she wants to be too good, and because of this she ends up being a bit controlling. 

And it's not enough to want an idealized life for her and my father, she also likes to control mine and Ethan's, the "brother" I ended up getting in this game of forming a new family.

I was already thinking about continuing my studies, and in the end, I thought that the "little push" that Lysa gave me was a good thing. I was torn between English Language and Arts. I have always been an admirer of fine arts and I take the risk of painting some canvases and even composing some abstract sculptures from time to time. 

But at Sunday lunch, when Lysa brought up the subject again, I found myself, after her incision in the guise of advice, opting for something more tangible. Something that would give me more opportunities in the future in the job market. 

Maybe I had the gift of being a teacher or...a writer. Although I have never been exactly a nerd, I have always loved to write, and have a collection of journals. Maybe one day my writing would make its way into the world. 

So, at the end of January, with very little time left until the deadline, I applied and was accepted to Metropolity University. 

When I received the enrollment confirmation e-mail, I was overwhelmed by a feeling that was still new to me. It was a new stage of my life, literally starting, and little by little the chips were falling. I was definitely no longer a teenager but a young adult university student. Is this the part where I should also become a responsible woman?

Whatever.

I look in the bedroom mirror searching for this new woman. At least on the outside, nothing had changed. In a few weeks I would be nineteen, but some of the traces of my fifteen year old self were still there. My lightly tanned skin reflected my partly African-American ancestry, despite my straight black hair, which now reached my waist. 

All my life I had been thin, but now looking closer, I realize that I had gained a few curves, enough to attract looks from a few guys. Including Ethan, my naughty fake brother.

And the glasses. Ah, this prop that, until then, I had always needed to help my nearsightedness, now represented something more in the minds of these malicious guys. I was a walking fetish with my outlined body, my long hair and these glasses.

I'm not really complaining, I'm not going to be a hypocrite, because there is a lot to be gained from being cute and hot. But sometimes, the attitudes of these guys irritate me and demand a much more serious attitude than a roll of the eyes. 

Well, without further ado, let's skip to the first day of school, the fateful day.

Metropolity University is 120 kilometers from the apartment where I live with my "new family". Excited about my approval, my father and Lysa agreed to keep me in one of the student hostels, at least during the first semesters or until I get an internship.

My happiness doubled at this moment. Whenever I thought about attending university, I imagined myself in one of these houses crowded with students, with people from every corner, sharing experiences, from studying to partying.

The best part is the partying, you know.

So I held myself back from jumping out of the car towards the huge and imposing iron gate of the University. In one hand, my wheeled suitcase. On my back, my favorite pink backpack. 

On my face, an enigmatic smile.

I was free to try everything I wanted and could. I was alone, a few steps away from making one of my dreams come true.

"Oops, I'm sorry!

I let out the air I had instinctively held when I was pushed by the bump. 

" Uh"huh, okay, no problem." That's all I managed to say, without even raising my eyes.

"He must be blind too, this animal," I thought, irritated.

Argh, the day did not give any indication that it would continue as good as it started...

" No problem... really?" . The bizarre clumsy guy was still around.

He asked, lightly touching my arm, now forcing me to look into his eyes. 

" Yes. No. Trouble. “

I couldn't help but stutter. He could be a troublemaker, yes. But there was nothing bizarre about him. The son of a bitch was a cat, in such a cliché way that I doubted my own eyesight.

How long had it been since I had my glasses checked?

To top it off, he was also four"eyed, like me. But in a Clark Kent kind of way, you know? Nerdy, but mysterious. The kind of guy who doesn't even know how sexy he is. 

Has it suddenly started to get hotter around here? Or is it just a very occasional hormonal variation, guys?

" My name is Peter.”

“Aria.”

"Different name, nice. Nice to meet you, Aria. Do you want help with the bags?”

" It's nice to meet you.". I answered, extending my hand, imitating her gesture. " Oh, no, that's okay, I can handle it.”

" I know you can, but... if you want some company. I think we're going to the same place.”

" Do you think so? I doubt it.”

" English language?

" Really? " I doubted again, giving in to a smile.

" Relax, we won't be in the same room. But maybe in the same sorority, if I'm lucky.

" Very funny.

In a few seconds, a clichéd bump into each other had turned into a potential collegiality. At least, if I could establish certain necessary boundaries. If I wanted to set those boundaries. Oh, you get the picture.

In the end, I saw no harm in accepting your help. The suitcase was really heavy. And the wheels weren't all that new, so...

It was a long way from the main gate to the area of the campus where the sororities were. The more privileged ones got along well because they parked their cars in a place much closer to where they would be and where the classes would be.

But I was on the team of another type of lucky people. The scholarship holders. The only privilege was to be a student there. The rest? Turn around.

" You don't look like you like the English language.”

" What do I look like then? " Peter seemed to enjoy our lightning friendship.

" Business, maybe. Accounting? Economics? Something along those lines”.

" I hate mathematics.

" I would never suspect it. No offense, but... you look like a real nerd. Has anyone ever told you that you look like…”

" Superman? " He interrupted me.

" I was going to say Clark Kent.”

" Oh.”

" Oh, come on, there's a difference.”

" Of course there is. And, yes, I've been told I remember him. But I disagree.”

" You don't like superhero stories?”

" On the contrary, I love them. I just think I'm better looking than him.”

" Oh. " I joked, imitating his expression of seconds ago. 

" What did you bring here? Your house and what else? “

“I told you the suitcase was heavy.”

" Don't exaggerate. There's only half my house in there.”

" Wow. I hate to sound sexist, but... this is very womanly.”

" It's the thing of a well"prepared person. " I defended myself. " You didn't bring any of the essentials to stay here for several months?”

" The essentials for me fit in a backpack. " He said, flatly.

" Impossible.”

" The essentials are invisible to the eye.”

" I can't believe it. " I smiled again, gently nudging his shoulder. We walked side by side.

" We have arrived, it seems." . Peter warned, as we approached the big house.

There were several big houses scattered all around the campus, and from the directions in the booklet we had received, this was ours. It was still early, but the movement of students was increasing rapidly.