New Friend

 Sophie POV

This is my first day at this University. And I am slowly adjusting to the new environment. First is because there are a lot of students who came from different countries, and I become anxious sometimes thinking if they are talking bad about me when they started to speak in their language. 

After I got kicked out of my previous school, I got easily intimidated and afraid of those who would stare at me. And those laughs after looking at me. Whether they are talking about me or not, I am still afraid. I overthink things a lot. 

I am at the cafeteria, having my lunch. I am all alone. I think it is much better than having a lot of friends, whom I am not aware of, stabbing me behind my back. 

“Hi!” I heard someone say. It’s a girl. And she’s pretty. She looks like Aphrodite. I mean, her beauty is like Aphrodite. She sat on the chair in front of me. Now we’re facing each other.

She’s all alone. I look at behind her to see if she has someone with her or if maybe she has a group of friends that told her to come and sit with me here. Maybe they are having a bet or a dare. 

I got panicked. What does she want? Why is she talking to me? Is she here because she’ll make fun of me? Did she hear about me being kicked out?

“I am in the same class as you. You’re the transferee, right?” She said. 

‘Why is she asking me when she already knows that?’

She’s giving me a warm smile. A smile that is telling me that it’s fine, I shouldn’t be scared of her.

“Uhh, maybe you’re shy or scared because I come and talk to you, hehe. Don’t be. It’s been three weeks now, and I still feel out of place. And finally, you came” she said.

“Wh… what do you mean?” I ask. Even though she’s giving me a friendly vibe, I still don’t want to put down my barriers. 

“In our class, I am the only one who’s a Filipino. All of our classmates came from different countries. And I am too shy to approach them as they speak another language. Most of them are still studying English to understand others. And I am really scared to approach them. Since most of them befriended those who have the same nationality as them,” she said. 

So, she’s here, talking to me, because she wanted to befriend me since we have the same nationality?

“You’re here because no one wants to be your friend?” I ask.

“No, no, no,” she said while shaking her hands. “I mean, it’s not that they don’t want to be my friends. It’s just that, they are hard to approach,” she said.

I nodded my head, indicating that I understand what she was saying. 

“My name is Aphrodite,” she said. Extending her hands to me for a shake hand.

Oh? Aphrodite? I am thinking earlier that her beauty can describe as Aphrodite since she’s beautiful. If you see her, you wouldn’t dare to take off your eyes on her. And now, her name is the same as the person I describe to her earlier.

“Sophie,” I said, accepting her arms. I don’t want to accept her hands but, I don’t want her to be embarrassed because of me.

“ So, uhm… can we be friends?” she asks. “I can help you with your assignments. I mean, I am an honor student and a top student too. Hehe,” she said shyly.

So am I. hahaha but I don’t want to say that to her. She looks so desperate in finding a friend. 

“You don’t have a friend here? Or at least haven’t you tried to talk to other students in our class?” I ask. 

“I did try to talk to them and befriended them, but… I hate people talking ill about others. I mean, I am not that kind of person,” she said.

Yeah, she looks so kind and warm and someone who wouldn’t do something bad to others.

“Hmm, I see,” I said.

“Yes. Hehe,” she said. I know she feels awkward talking to me. But, I hope she doesn’t get me wrong. I am just scared of having new friends and meeting new people after what happened. But, I want her to be my friend. I feel sorry for her if she feels like I have no interest in her. I just don’t know how to show her that I am happy that she wants me to be her friend too.

“Are we classmates in all subjects?” I ask. 

“Uhh, I don’t know. My next class is P.E. swimming. At 2:30pm. How about you?” she asks.

I look into my phone to see my next schedule. 

“Oh, that is my next class too,” I said.

“Great! We can go there together!” she said. She looks so excited and happy.

“Uhm, how old are you, Sophie?” She asks. We are still having our lunch. 

“19, how about you?” I said.

“I’m 20 years old,” she said.

“Ohh, how come you took the same class as mine? You should be my senior, right?” I ask. Well, that’s what I believe. That there is a certain age for every year here. For example, at the age of 18  or 29 years old, you should be a freshman in college. When you’re 20 you should be in your second year,” I said.

“Uhh no. in this school, they let you enroll as long as you are qualified with their standards. They don’t care about your age. As long as you will pass all the subjects. Plus, I had some problems that’s why I stopped enrolling in college after I graduated from middle school,” She explains.

“Ahh, that’s why” I commented.

I hope she won’t get bored with me as I barely react to what she is saying.

“Are you renting a dorm here?” Aphrodite asks. 

“Ahh, no. I am staying at our house” she said.

“Oh? Isn’t it hard? I tried to commute before too, and I had a hard time with it. As soon as I enter the campus, I need to run for me not to be late. Or even if I used the E-bike provided by the University, I am still having a hard time since the University is far from our house and I can’t use the E-bike they provide as my transportation,” she said.

“You are commuting your way here?” I ask.

“Yeah. My father’s car broke down the last two weeks. And it is still in the repair shop until now. since the ordered replaced parts have not yet arrived” she said.

“Ahh, that’s why you rented a dorm?” I ask.

“Yes. And for convenience. So that I won’t be running late to class, “ she said. 

I nodded my head. As I don’t know what else to say.

“By the way, why did you transfer here just now? I mean, the classes started four weeks now. Uhh, I am just wondering. Hehe It’s fine if you don’t want to answer it or you find my question, uncomfortable” Aphrodite said.

I smile at her. 

“Thank you for your understanding. Uhh, but I am not ready to open it up for now. Sorry” I said. I know that the first step to gaining friends is to share some of your pieces of information with her so that both of you know how each other. But, As I’ve said, I am not yet ready to open up about my past. It was too dark for me to open it up.

“Oh, it’s fine. You don’t have to say sorry. I understand. What’s important is, that I met you. I finally have a friend” she said happily. 

I’m glad she’s not the type of person who pushes someone to share even if it feels uncomfortable. She has a kind heart and a good personality. I think other people would take it for granted as she’s so kind and sensitive to other people’s feelings.

“Hey, Sophie, did you know her?” Aphrodite asks. Pointing someone with her lips.

I look at where she’s pointing her lips. And there I see the woman earlier, the one who stared at me and blocks the door. She’s staring at Aphrodite, it’s different from the way she stares at me earlier. She’s looking at Aphrodite with a flame in her eyes. It looks like she’s ready to attack her anytime. Like, she’s willing to kill her.

“Is she your enemy?” I ask.

Maybe she was about to Attack Aphrodite earlier when she’s in front of our door. Maybe she’s looking for Aphrodite but failed since it was me who comes out?

“No, no, no. I never had an enemy. I don’t want to have an enemy,” she said. 

“But, why is she looking so mad at you?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I am asking you if you knew her since I saw you talking to her earlier before the class is about to start.” She said. 

“Nah, I don’t know her. I think she thought that our room is her next class,” I said.

Weird. Why is she looking at us and she’s fuming in anger? 

I saw her friend, the girl who pulled her earlier, she tapped her shoulder and followed her gaze. Then she smiles widely at me and waves her hands. Saying hello. I smiled back.

“I thought you didn’t know them?” Aphrodite said.

“That’s true,” I said.

“Then why is her friend, waving at you?” she asks.

“She’s just being friendly. Maybe she’s an extrovert” I said. Aphrodite smile. 

“That girl who looks so mad at me, she looks cute. And scary at the same time” she commented.

I look behind me, but I didn’t see them. Maybe they found a vacant chair.

Aphrodite is right. She looks so cute and she kind of resembles a wolf. A baby wolf.

After our lunch, Aphrodite and I went to our locker. There are assigned numbers in every locker for students who are having a PE class. 

“By the way, Sophie. Uhm, you don’t have to call me Aphrodite, since I think my name is too long to pronounce” she started.

“But I like your name,” I said.

“Really? Thank you. But, I don’t want to call Aphrodite by my friends” she said. 

Aww, she thinks of me as her friend. 

“What do you want me to call you then?” I ask.

“Uhm… it’s up to you hehe. I wanted to make a nickname, a good one. But I can’t think of any nickname that I like” she said.

“Why did you want to have a nickname?” I ask. “don’t you have a nickname when you were younger?” I continue.

“I have. But… that’s not a good one. I just want to have a nickname since I don’t want to be teased by my name” she said.

“What do you mean? Your name is beautiful” I said. We are now changing our clothes to PE uniforms. Since it will be swimming, we need to wear a one piece.

“Really? You think so?” she asks.

“Why? Don’t you like your name?” I ask. 

I know some people dislike their names. but, Aphrodite is a great name. plus, it suits her beauty.

“It’s not that I dislike it, it’s just that, I wanted my friend to call me by nickname. Since for me, calling me  Aphrodite would be for strangers,” She said.

“Ahh, ok. I’ll come up with your nickname if I have thought of one,” I said. 

We just finished changing our clothes for our PE. 

The class finished quickly. Aphrodite and I head our way home. There are only two subjects for this day. 

“Do you want to come and visit me in my dorm?” Aphrodite asks. 

“Don’t you have a roommate?” I ask.

“For now, no. since my roommate will be arriving tomorrow,” she said.

Oh, I thought when you had your dorm, you can choose whether you want to be alone or you want to share it with someone.

“Is there a dorm here where they allow only one person to occupy the whole room?” I ask.

“Of course, there is. It’s just that, you need to pay double for it. But I heard there are condominiums here. It was for that elite student. Those students came from prominent families. It was exclusive for them” Aphrodite said.

Hmm, I see. I wonder where that condominium is. Aphrodite and I were walking our way outside the building. 

“By the way, you said that you’ll be having your roommate tomorrow?” I spoke.

“Yes, why?” She asks.

“Is she a late enrollee too?” I ask.

“Uhm, I don’t think she’s a late enrollee. I heard she’s from Thailand. And she wasn’t supposed to be my roommate. Since her parents paid for the elite dormitory. the caretaker said that it was her request to transfer to a dorm where she can have someone with her. She wanted to have a roommate because she doesn’t want to feel alone, and she feels so bored when she’s all by herself” Aphrodite said.

“Eh? Don’t the elite dormitories have an extra bed? I thought all dormitories were good for two?” I spoke. From what I know, in most dormitories, there is always a roommate. 

“That’s what I thought too. But I don’t know,” she said.

Hmm, I see. 

“Did she choose to be in your room?” I ask. I am curious if you have a choice to be with someone in one room or if it is the administration who’ll choose what room you will be occupying too. Or is there any available room for you to occupy?

“I don’t know hahaha are you interested in my new roommate? Do you want me to ask that to her?” She chuckle.

“Uhh, no. I am just curious since I have never been in a dormitory. My brother won’t allow me to live alone,” I said. 

That’s true. My brother wants me to be independent but that doesn’t mean that they want me to live far away from them. They said that they want me to stay near them so that if there is an emergency, I could easily call them, and they could easily come to me. Like I have said, they always treat me like a baby.

“You live with your brothers? Where are your parents?” she asks.

“They both died,” I said.

“OMG! I’m sorry if I asked it. I really don’t know. I’m sorry” Aphrodite apologized, and she is about to cry.

“Eh? Why are you crying? It’s not like it was your parent who died” I chuckle. She’s sensitive and empathic.

“I know how hard it is to live without your parents. I may not experience it since my parents are still alive, but I can’t imagine losing them,” she said.

Aww, she has a pure heart. 

“You don’t have to feel sorry about it. My brothers fulfilled their duty as my parents. I am not that affected anymore by my parents’ loss, since my brothers never leave me behind. They took good care of me and send me to a beautiful school. Like what I’ve said. My brothers acted as parents to me. If it was not for my brothers, I may not be here” I said. 

I suddenly remember the help my brother did. He used his connections to send me here.

Suddenly, my phone rings. 

“Excuse me for a moment,” I said.

“Hello?” I said as I answered the phone.

“Sophie, I will be having a business trip for 5 months in Rome. Uhm, I contacted your university to book you a room in a dorm. Will you be fine with it?” he asks.

Eh? A dorm? Is he serious?

“Huh? Why? I mean, I can ask our driver to send me to school,” I said. I have a driver, why would he find a dorm for me?

“Err, your driver called me this morning, he’s asking for a few months’ leave since he wanted to focus on taking care of his pregnant wife,” He said.

Right. My driver told me that he wanted to be there for her wife until the baby come out. 

“I can commute,” I said.

“No, no, no! you know that I won’t let you commute,” he said.

“I can book a Grab to send me home or a taxi, you know,” I said.

“Nope. Staying in your University’s dorm is better,” he insisted.

“I can ask—” but before I could finish my sentence, he inserted.

“He will be having training in Australia,” he said.

Right! I forgot that my other brother is a candidate to send to Australia to train the new Aircraft that would be sent here. 

Aish. I never imagined staying in a dorm since I was fine living alone in our house.

“I already contacted the University’s director. You better go there after your class. Your driver will pick you up to get your things in the house. And then he will bring you back there, okay? Update me in your moving out. I’ll send you money for food. I have already paid your rent for your whole school year until you graduate” he said.

“Okay, thank you” I replied. As if I can do something about it. One attitude that I hate about my brother is that he will push his decision on you and that will leave you no choice but to accept whatever plans he has for you. You can’t decline him. 

But he is just like that when in terms of things like this, I mean when it is about my safety. But he won’t insist on what he likes when it comes to the career I wanted to take.

“Good. Take care~ see you after 5 months. Update me when you have time okay? Your brother loves you” he said then he ended up the call.

I sigh. It’s not that I don’t want to live in the dorm. But… I am thinking that I can’t go out at midnight if I live in the dorm. The campus is closed when midnight and there are curfews. Unlike when I am left alone in the house, I don’t have to sneak out just to go out at midnight. I can just leave the house.