Chapter 1
It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of good looks, must be a player, serial killer, or gay. The latter would not be a problem for the other gay men. But, for a woman, it can be trying. Particularly if this woman has never dated before. The reason is not immunity to other people’s charms. But the lack of a suitable time.
Sierra Thompson is 21, 5 feet 4 inches tall. She has an hourglass figure with a warm ivory complexion, dark brown silky hair, and dark brown eyes. She recently enrolled in Pinewood University. She would have enrolled two years ago but had to pause her academia. But resuming her educational journey was more challenging than she had anticipated.
One of the reasons is her age difference from the rest of her peers. Although, the difference was only two years. But the experiences she had endured in those years aged her twice as much. There are very few human beings in our lives that we choose to love unconditionally. They get to know you, the good, the bad, and sometimes even their mix. Family is one of those people. The loss of a loved one can be excruciating. The worst part was that Sierra had seen her sister die in front of her. No matter how much time passes, she still remembers it, and that day still haunts her. Living to survive the death of a sibling is one thing, and experiencing the entire process is another.
Another reason is that she mostly kept to herself. She went through her days at the university as if she were doing her daily chores. She would go to classes five minutes before the lecture. Listen and take notes diligently, go to the library in her free time, or head home.
It almost seemed like she was avoiding any situation where she had to talk to anyone. No one has seen her having a meal on campus. Or even outside the classes unless she was walking towards a room or leaving for home. If she sat next to anyone, she would smile as an interaction and start writing. Conversations, even if initiated by others, were short and to the point.
After a few weeks of no interaction with anyone, she seemed to get used to the routine. But even after staying as stealthy as possible, someone had noticed her. Over the past few years, Sierra had learned the art of observance, not by choice but by necessity. She saw a guy staring at her during the lectures. After a few weeks, he even started sitting next to her in classes that were common. Usually, girls would flatter themselves and start a conversation. But for Sierra, this situation was alarming.
At first, she thought that she was overthinking. But it was no coincidence since the guy sat next to her in each class, even after she tried changing her seat. The strange thing was that he would sit there and not try to start a conversation. That made him look like a creep. Maybe he is too shy or an introvert, but still, it made Sierra suspicious.
Today, she waited for him to leave first. He got up, pulled his bag onto his shoulder, and strolled through the door. As soon as he left, Sierra sighed. It felt like she had been holding her breath all this time. Sierra had to do something about this situation. She could not focus on the lecture at all. Gathering her things, Sierra got up to leave. It was her last class, so she searched for a playlist on her phone while walking in the corridor.
As soon as she found it, she wore her earbuds. The sound of Taylor Swift immediately calmed her. Dressed in a white linen eyelet bustier top and a floral midi skirt, Sierra walked towards the exit. She walked to and from the university since she lived a few blocks away. Upon reaching her house, she remembered her mother would not be home until the evening. Pulling out the keys, Sierra unlocked the door.
Dumping her bag on the couch, she poured herself a glass of water. Sierra microwaved her lunch and began to eat while watching a video. Placing her dishes in the dishwasher, she lifted her bag and headed to her room. Sierra lay down and went to sleep. She woke up two hours later when her mother came home.
Stepping down the stairs, she greeted her mom.
“Hi, Mom. How was your day?”
“It was alright, how about you? How did the last day of the week treat you?”
“Just like every other day.”
“Nothing new? Haven’t you made any friends yet?”
“Not exactly. But I did notice something strange, though.”
Ruby had taken off her coat and was drying her hands after washing them. She looked toward her daughter, who seemed slightly frightened.
“Go on.”
“I noticed that a guy that takes a few classes with me has been sitting next to me in all the lectures.”
“Have you guys exchanged introductions yet?”
“No. That is the weird part. If that guy wants to be friends, shouldn’t he talk to me instead of sitting there silently?”
“Honey, maybe he’s shy. Or he is not good at starting a conversation. Okay, here is an idea. Why don’t you try talking to him first? You can become friends. Do you know his name?”
Sierra recalled his name from their attendance earlier.
“This should be fun. Let’s stalk the fellow.”
“Mom, that’s not necessary.”
“Oh, come one. Do not be a buzzkill. Let’s see what we find out.”
After a few profiles on social media, Sierra confirmed one of them to be the right one. Ruby whistled when she saw his pictures.
“Not bad, Sierra, not bad at all! I suggest the next time you see him; you have to talk to him.”
“Looks can be deceiving, Mom. What if he is a serial killer disguised as an attractive man? Honestly, I am hoping that he is gay. That would make him less weird.”
“I am sure serial killers do not enroll in an engineering university. And it is too soon to judge! Learn to mingle with people, Sierra. It is time you made friends, gay or ungay. You have a life ahead. You can’t always depend on your old mother.”
“You’re not old. Yet.”
Ruby slapped Sierra’s shoulder playfully.
“How dare you make fun of your mother like that? You ungrateful girl!”
Laughing heartily, Sierra heated her mother’s supper and dished it out for her. The two kept talking while Ruby ate. Ruby shared her day’s events, and soon, they shifted to the couch in the lounge.
Sierra kept changing the channels until she stopped at one. She laid down on the couch with her head on her mother’s lap. Ruby brushed her fingers through Sierra’s hair. She felt sad that her daughter’s past still scared her. She hoped this new beginning in Sierra’s life would bring her joy.
Sierra had to start a new friendship. This process could have started earlier, but Sierra was living in fear. The time has begun when she needs to leave her fear behind and move on in life.
