THE FIVE OF US

Chapter 15: The First Bell

The First Day of Classes

The morning sun cut sharply through the blinds of Room 412, catching the scattered coffee mugs and empty pizza boxes left over from the night before.

Chloe was already up, sitting on the edge of her bed with her hair pinned back, meticulously applying mascara in a small hand mirror. Across the room, Emily was frantically flipping through a heavy printed course catalog, her dark hair a tangled mess as she muttered under her breath.

"I set three alarms," Emily groaned, shoving a stack of pristine notebooks into her canvas bag. "Three! How did I sleep through all of them?"

"Relax, Em," Chloe said with a easy smile, capping her lipstick. "Intro to Bio isn't until nine-thirty. You've got twenty minutes, which is plenty of time if you don't stop to admire the campus squirrel population again."

Ava emerged from behind her closet door, looking effortlessly put together in a tailored cream sweater and fitted trousers, her long blonde hair falling in smooth waves over her shoulders. She slid her feet into leather loafers and grabbed her leather tote.

"I'm heading out early," Ava said, checking her phone. A unread message from Julian sat on her screen—Good luck today, let me know when you're free to call—but she locked the phone without replying. The knot in her stomach tightened slightly, but she smoothed her sweater and offered a confident smile. "My first lecture is across the main quad in the Business building."

"The dreaded Business building," Chloe teased, winking. "Go show those corporate boys who's boss."

As Ava stepped out into the hallway, the door to Room 414 swung open. Scarlett stepped out into the corridor, looking striking in a fitted crimson top and dark jeans, her bright red hair falling in dramatic curls around her face. She held an iced coffee in one hand and her phone in the other, tapping away with long, manicured nails.

Seeing Ava, Scarlett paused, her sharp green eyes flicking down Ava's outfit before returning to her face with a practiced, cool smirk.

"Early start?" Scarlett drawled, leaning against her doorframe. "Or just trying to beat the crowd to the front row?"

"Some of us actually care about getting a good seat," Ava replied smoothly, not slowing her pace as she walked toward the stairwell.

"Right," Scarlett scoffed, turning back to her phone. "Because sitting in the front row is definitely going to make business lectures interesting."

Ava didn't bother answering, pushing through the heavy fire doors into the stairwell.

Out in the courtyard, the cool morning air was crisp. Freshmen were rushing in every direction, holding campus maps on their phones and looking slightly lost.

Near the grand fountain at the center of the quad, Vivian stood waiting, looking pristine in a sharp navy blazer and trousers, her dark hair caught in a sleek low ponytail. She was holding a paper cup from a local cafe, posture perfectly straight as she watched the chaos around her.

"Ava," Vivian called out with a subtle wave as Ava approached. "Heading toward the Academic Commons?"

"Business hall, actually," Ava said, falling into step beside her. "How did you sleep?"

"Surprisingly well, once the hallway finally quieted down," Vivian said, taking a measured sip of her coffee. "Although my father has already called twice this morning to remind me about my economics advisor meeting." She let out a short, quiet breath—almost imperceptible—before her polished composure locked back into place. "Parents. They mean well, I suppose."

"Some of them," Ava agreed softly, thinking of her own father's strict expectations waiting for her at the end of four long years.

They reached the fork in the brick pathway where the paths to the Business and Liberal Arts buildings split.

"Good luck today," Vivian said, offering a genuine, elegant smile. "Let's make sure we all survive until dinner."

"Deal," Ava smiled.

As she turned toward the heavy glass doors of the Business hall, Ava reached into her tote bag, her fingers brushing against the smooth cover of her hidden sketchbook tucked safely between her textbooks. She took a deep, steadying breath, pushed the doors open, and stepped into her new life.