First Day Back
Daniella
My alarm went off at 6am. Screaming at me to get up for my last year at the University. I’m studying business management and my love for music, I hope to run or own my own music shop one day.
I poked my arm out from my blankets as they were draped over my head. I threw my hand on my alarm as I fought to turn it the hell off. I got up and walked to my kitchen to brew coffee.
“SELINA!” I shouted to my roommate and best friend since kindergarten. I walked down the hall to her room and knocked to wake her up so she could get ready for her day.
“Go away, Daniella Anne Valencia!” She opened her door and smiled when I passed her a coffee mug full of coffee. “Thank you, Dani.”
I stared at Selina for a while noticing something different about her. Her hair. She cut her hair.
“You cut your hair.” I said.
“Yeah it was time for a change since school is starting.”
“It looks really good. Even for bedhead.” I laughed. She laughed, “Thanks, Dan. Hey, Maureen.. I mean your mom phoned the landline last night, but you were sleeping. Better phone back.” She said.
“I’ll call in a while. She probably wants to make sure we’re prepared for our classes today.” Selina looked back at me and nodded as she took a sip of her coffee.
My parents have been separated since middle school, but they are respectably civil to one another. I dialed mom before she sends a smoke signal after the trifecta. What’s the trifecta?
Call, then text, then..
Call the person who lives with you.
“Hey mom.”
“Hey, sweetie. I justed wanted to wish you luck this year. Happy first day, babe.”
“Thanks, mom. What have you got going on today?”
“Oh, I’m gonna be having lunch with my friend Marcy today, in Santa Cruz. Then we’ll visit Wes and Anne Benson at the music shop. We haven’t seen eachother in a very long time. We just got in touch with eachother about a year ago. It’s much needed.”
“Good for you, mom. Tell Wes and Anne I love them and I hope I’ll come to the shop to help them once I get a vacation. Have a nice lunch, okay.”
“Thank you, sweetie. Talk later.”
“Bye, mom. Love you.”
Wes and Anne Benson are the cutest hippy couple that own this awesome little music shop in Santa Cruz. Mom used to get her instruments fixed by them when she was just a kid middle school. Then I got my instruments fixed by them ever since elementary school. Here I am, in college and I still get my instruments fixed by them. I also have my friends who are in bands, getting their instruments repaired by Wes and Anne.
I washed up, showered, and headed right for my closet. I stood there like an idiot wondering what the hell I was gonna wear. I was getting nervous not only at the fact that it was the first day back, but my friends were all attending the university, too. I consider all of them my best friends. I’ve known them either since elementary, middle school, and some I met in high school.
Last year was such a flop. I feel like I really messed up. Not only with one of my really good friends that I’ve known since middle school, but academically. I spent most of the last semester last year slacking off, just to go home and get on a stupid social phone line with Selina. Selina doesn’t go to the university, she goes to a community college in the city.
This school year, was gonna happen with or without drama. I'm gonna do this year right. I fixed my hair into my signature bun, and put a little makeup on.
I set my bag down next to the front door and went back to the kitchen to get myself some cereal.
After I finished my food, I grabbed my keys and headed for the door. I had my hand on the doorknob just as Selina caught me going out the door. “Seth called for you last night too.” She said tiredly, but I can hear the smile in her voice.
Dammit. I squeezed the knob and turn my head back to her slightly but staring at the carpet,
“What time?”
“Maybe about Nine o’clock. Sometime right before you’re mom called.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I smiled and gave myself a little laugh. “Thanks.” I said and I walked out the door.
I had a car that was a hand me down from an older cousin as a graduation gift from high school. An old civic that was in great condition. It was a good old faithful and got me to class and back. I was now headed for the jail they call, Sillicon Valley University.
The drive to school seemed like the longest drive ever. Thoughts were going through her head "What’s my class going to be like?" “What will the lectures be like?” Meeting new friends, or cute guys that were worth being eye candy in class or on campus.
The drive to school seemed like the longest drive ever. Thoughts were going through her head "What’s my class going to be like?" “What will the lectures be like?” Meeting new friends, or cute guys that were worth being eye candy in class or on campus.
I had a thought in the back of my mind going that I tried to shake off by turning the radio up a little louder.
When I arrived on the campus parking lot, I was thinking about Selina and how her day is going to turn out. I giggled and shook my head knowing Selina must be only worried about what guys she can try to bat her lashes to. I felt a tad bad that I forgot to really talk to her this morning to wish her luck and fun. I guess we can talk more when I get home.
Suddenly, I stopped. I was now facing those enormous black iron gates in front of the entrance of the campus that towered over anyone and anything that came across it. There were two giant pillars with statues of knights on them, greeting their civilians who entered. If only these were enormous statue guards that beamed lasers from their eyes, as in the scene from Never Ending Story, it would complete the rouge of these iron gates.
I opened my schedule forgetting where I was supposed to be.
"Meyers again? YES!" I said to myself out loud regardless of who was listening.
"Meyers for two hours again? What a relief." A mellow male voice stood beside her looking at her schedule next to her. "Juan!" She yelped excitedly. He smiled at her, and she hugged him tight and excitedly. "How was your summer, girl?" He asked, excitedly.
"It was... just ok." She shrugged. "Just ok?" Juan laughing in a shrug. "Hey so how was Indu.." Interrupting Juan, Daniella lowered her brows and her smile faded away, "Mexico! You went to Mexico, how was it?" Juan smiled knowingly, "I guess.. it was alright."
"Meyers for two hours again? What a relief." A mellow male voice stood beside her looking at her schedule next to her. "Juan!" She yelped excitedly. He smiled at her, and she hugged him tight and excitedly. "How was your summer, girl?" He asked, excitedly.
"It was... just ok." She shrugged. "Just ok?" Juan laughing in a shrug. "Hey so how was Indu.." Interrupting Juan, Daniella lowered her brows and her smile faded away, "Mexico! You went to Mexico, how was it?" Juan smiled knowingly, "I guess.. it was alright."
“You can’t avoid the Indulgence subject, babe.” He complained.
“You were there. You should know.” I couldn’t say fast enough.
“Correction, I was there to watch Sethy dj. And then I disappeared into the lovely rave abyss.”
I laughed, “Yeah, you did.”
I couldn’t change the subject fast enough. I smiled "Oh my god, I can't believe I have Ms. Meyers for English Lit again, but I'm more excited for drama class" Juan put his hand over shoulder as we walked to Ms. Myers, "Hey, remember, Ms. Meyers starts getting fun after she lectures, because she starts acting more relaxed and more like herself. It's going to be fabulous!"
We walked into class together like no summer ever passed. A tall thin lady with a bun in her hair and glasses, greeted us at the door with a sweet smile "Ah, my two favorite thespians!"
"It's not drama time yet, Ms. Meyers." I said with a smile. Ms. Meyers giggled and gestured at the desks, she nodded her head, "Have a seat favorite thespians".
We took their usual spots from the year before. "Front side?" Asked Juan with a smile. "Front side!" Nodding my head to Juan as if there should have never been any questions asked. Drama and theater class was our home room, their sanctuary. The theatre room they went into when it was raining or, needed time during lunch or brunch to finish homework or projects for other classes, or just to get away. Ms. Meyers was a force to be reckoned with, but a sweetheart to her favorites.
Daniella was afraid Ms. Meyers was going to give her an earful about her bad attendance last year. But, she never said anything about it. Only a knowing in her eyes with a smile said a million words to make a simple point.
Classmates strolled in and took their seats as they chose. As I was opening my notebook, a black Jansport landed heavily on my left ankle. I flinched at the pain that impaled me. I bit the knuckle on my left hand and closed my eyes.
Shit that hurt.
I didn’t even look to see who the hell it was. I squealed a tiny noise trying not to make a weird scene in class. It was so quiet. After ignoring it for a second, I started to doodle on my paper pretending the pain didn't just slice me, or whatever just happened.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry." A very calm male voice spoke. I looked up from doodling. My pencil dropped on my lap mesmerized by what I was looking at. What the hell is wrong with me?
Suddenly I got this feeling that it was not okay to be feeling like this. But I haven’t felt like this since.. well.. middle school and high school. Now I was trying to ignore this feeling, even though it was just an accident.
Don’t be rude, Dani. Tell him it’s okay.
A pair of powerful emerald green eyes and dark brown hair staring at me from the seat beside me, staring at me apologetically.
A pair of powerful emerald green eyes and dark brown hair staring at me from the seat beside me, staring at me apologetically.
