The Worst First Impressio
Chapter 1 — The Worst First Impression
Kaia Aster had exactly three goals for her first day at Westbridge Academy.
Don't get lost.
Don't embarrass herself.
And most importantly—
Don't make enemies.
Simple.
Easy.
Completely manageable.
At least, that was what she had told herself that morning.
Now, twenty minutes before the first bell, Kaia was running across the enormous Los Angeles campus with one hand gripping the strap of her bag and the other clutching a crumpled campus map.
"Okay..."
She glanced at the map.
"Building C..."
She looked up.
"Building C."
She looked back at the map.
"...Where is Building C?"
Westbridge Academy was enormous.
The private academy sat high in the Los Angeles hills, surrounded by manicured gardens, towering palm trees, modern classrooms, and an enormous football stadium that Kaia could see from almost anywhere on campus.
She had transferred from another school only a few days ago.
Everything was unfamiliar.
The buildings.
The hallways.
The students.
Even the fact that everyone seemed to know exactly where they were going.
Kaia, meanwhile, had somehow managed to get lost before her first class had even started.
"Excuse me!"
She stopped a passing student.
"Do you know where Building C is?"
The student pointed behind her.
"That way."
Kaia turned.
"Oh!"
She smiled.
"Thank you!"
She immediately started running.
Five seconds later...
She realized she'd forgotten which direction the student had pointed.
"...Great."
She looked at the clock.
Seven minutes.
"Okay, Kaia."
She tightened her grip on her bag.
"Run."
And she did.
---
Across campus, Damien Everhart was having a much better morning.
At least, until Kaia happened.
Damien walked through the main courtyard carrying a stack of papers from the student council office.
He was dressed in the academy uniform, his football jacket hanging over one arm.
Students moved aside when they saw him.
"Morning, President."
"Morning, Damien."
"Good luck at practice."
He acknowledged them with brief nods.
Damien was used to it.
Being student council president meant everyone knew him.
Being the captain of Westbridge's football team made it even worse.
He had spent years building a reputation for being disciplined, intelligent, and almost annoyingly composed.
Nothing surprised him.
Nothing distracted him.
Nothing—
"BUILDING C!"
Damien stopped.
A blur of black hair came flying around the corner.
Kaia was running.
Very fast.
She wasn't looking where she was going.
Damien saw her.
She didn't see him.
He had approximately one second to react.
"Wait—"
THUD.
Kaia crashed straight into him.
The papers flew everywhere.
His football jacket fell to the ground.
Her bag slipped from her shoulder.
And Kaia stumbled backward.
"Oh my gosh!"
She stared at the mess.
"I'm so sorry!"
Damien slowly looked down at the scattered papers.
Then at her.
Then back at the papers.
"...You have got to be kidding me."
Kaia blinked.
"I'm really sorry!"
"You weren't looking where you were going."
"I know."
"You could've hurt someone."
"I know."
"You could've—"
"I said I'm sorry!"
She crouched down and began gathering the papers.
Damien sighed and crouched beside her.
"Those are student council documents."
Kaia froze.
"...Oh."
"Important ones."
"Oh."
She handed him a stack.
"Sorry."
He took them.
She handed him another.
"Sorry."
Another.
"Sorry."
Damien stared at her.
"You've said sorry six times."
Kaia looked at him.
"Would you prefer seven?"
He blinked.
"...What?"
She smiled nervously.
"Sorry."
Damien stared at her.
For a second, he genuinely couldn't tell whether she was joking.
She probably was.
He picked up the last paper.
"You should slow down."
"I was late."
"That's not an excuse."
"I know."
"You'll be late again if you keep running around like that."
Kaia stood.
"I'll remember that."
She brushed the dust off her skirt.
Then she noticed his football jacket on the ground.
"Oh!"
She picked it up and handed it to him.
"Here."
Damien took it.
"Thanks."
Kaia smiled.
"You're welcome."
There was an awkward silence.
She glanced toward the courtyard.
"Do you know where Building C is?"
Damien stared at her.
"...You're lost."
"No."
A pause.
"...Maybe."
He pointed toward the opposite side of campus.
"That way."
Kaia's face brightened.
"Thank you!"
She started walking.
Then stopped.
She turned around.
"I'm Kaia, by the way."
Damien looked at her.
"Damien."
"Nice to meet you, Damien."
She smiled.
"Even though I nearly killed you."
"You didn't."
"Good."
She waved.
"Bye!"
Then she ran off again.
Damien watched her disappear around the corner.
"...She didn't listen."
He shook his head.
Then looked down at his papers.
One of them had a faint shoe print across the corner.
His jaw tightened.
"Great."
---
Kaia finally made it to Building C.
She rushed into the classroom just as the bell rang.
Barely.
She slipped into an empty seat.
"Made it."
She exhaled.
The girl beside her smiled.
"First day?"
Kaia nodded.
"Is it that obvious?"
"You're wearing your schedule upside down."
Kaia looked down.
"...Oh."
She flipped it around.
The girl laughed.
"I'm Mia."
"Kaia."
"Welcome to Westbridge."
"Thanks."
Kaia leaned back in her chair.
"At least my day can't get worse."
She had absolutely no idea how wrong she was.
---
By the end of the school day, Kaia had survived six classes.
She had met three teachers.
Gotten lost twice more.
And discovered that Westbridge's football team was apparently famous enough that half the school stopped to watch them practice.
But there was one thing she still hadn't figured out.
Her dorm.
She approached the administration office after classes.
"Hi."
The receptionist smiled.
"Kaia Aster?"
"Yes."
"Your dorm assignment is ready."
Kaia's eyes lit up.
"Finally."
The woman handed her a key card.
"President's Residence. Room 304."
Kaia blinked.
"...President's Residence?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"The residence has an available room."
"Oh."
Kaia shrugged.
"Okay."
She picked up her suitcase and headed toward the dorm.
The building was much nicer than she'd expected.
She reached Room 304.
Checked the number.
304.
She knocked.
Nothing.
She knocked again.
Still nothing.
"Maybe he's not home."
Kaia tried the door.
It opened.
She stepped inside.
The dorm was incredibly neat.
A football sat beside a sports bag.
Books were arranged perfectly across a desk.
A few trophies stood on a shelf.
Kaia looked around.
"Wow."
She walked toward the trophies.
Then—
"Don't touch those."
Kaia froze.
She knew that voice.
Slowly...
She turned around.
Damien stood in the doorway.
Still wearing his football uniform.
He stared at her.
She stared at him.
Neither spoke.
Then Kaia pointed at him.
"...You."
Damien's expression didn't change.
"...You."
Her eyes widened.
"You're the president?"
"Yes."
"The student council president?"
"Yes."
"The football captain?"
"Yes."
Kaia looked around the room.
Then at the key card in her hand.
Then back at him.
"...And this is your dorm?"
"Yes."
She slowly smiled.
"...This is going to be awkward."
Damien crossed his arms.
"Very."
Kaia held up the key card.
"Apparently I'm your new roommate."
Silence.
Damien looked at the key card.
Then at her.
"...You're kidding."
"I wish."
He stepped aside.
"Come in."
Kaia dragged her suitcase inside.
Then stopped when she noticed something.
She looked toward the bedroom.
Then looked at Damien.
"Where's my bed?"
Damien didn't answer.
Kaia walked into the bedroom.
She stared.
There was one bed.
One.
Single.
Very large.
Very obvious.
She slowly turned around.
"...Damien."
He already knew what she was going to ask.
"Yes."
"Please tell me there's another room."
"No."
"Another bed?"
"No."
Kaia stared at him.
Damien sighed.
"The academy assigned you here because the other dorms are full."
"So..."
She pointed toward the bed.
"...we're sharing?"
"Apparently."
Kaia stood there in complete silence.
Then she looked at him.
"You know..."
"What?"
"About that first impression..."
Damien raised an eyebrow.
"The one where I crashed into you?"
"Yes."
She smiled awkwardly.
"I think we're off to a great start."
For the first time that day...
Damien almost smiled.
Almost.
Instead, he shook his head.
"You're going to be trouble."
Kaia grinned.
"And you're going to have to get used to me."
Damien looked at the single bed.
Then at her.
"...This is going to be a long year."
Kaia dropped her suitcase onto the floor.
"Don't worry, President."
She smiled brightly.
"I'll make it fun."
Damien stared at her.
He already had a feeling that she would.
And somehow...
That was exactly what worried him.
End.
