BETWEEN CLASSES & CHAOS

Episode 2: First Impressions

The bass echoed through Residence Hall B long before the music from the Welcome Party could be heard outside.

Hair dryers hummed.

Doors swung open and closed every few seconds.

Girls wandered in and out of one another's rooms carrying makeup bags, perfume bottles and curling irons.

Somewhere down the hallway, someone shouted,

"Does anybody have eyelash glue?"

"I do!" another voice yelled back.

Bailey laughed as she stood in front of the mirror holding up two dresses.

"I genuinely don't know."

Bianca looked up from fastening a pair of silver earrings.

"The black one."

"But the blue one brings out my eyes."

"The black one."

"You didn't even think about it."

"I did."

"For how long?"

"Half a second."

Bailey sighed dramatically.

"I came to the wrong roommate for fashion advice."

Bianca smiled.

"You came to the practical roommate."

Across the hall, Stella's room looked like a clothing shop had exploded.

"I have nothing to wear," Stella declared.

Chloe looked around at the pile of clothes covering both beds.

"You have everything to wear."

"I have options."

"You have too many options."

"Exactly."

Chloe shook her head, smiling to herself before turning back to the mirror.

She had chosen a simple cream top, fitted jeans and white trainers.

Nothing flashy.

Nothing overdone.

Yet somehow she looked effortlessly beautiful.

Stella looked over.

"You know..."

"What?"

"You could literally wear a bin bag and people would still stare."

"I hope they don't."

"They will."

---

By half-past seven, the four girls met outside the residence.

Bailey wore the black dress.

Bianca smiled proudly.

"Told you."

"You were right."

"I usually am."

"Oh, don't start."

Stella linked arms with Chloe while Bailey linked hers with Bianca.

The campus looked completely different at night.

Fairy lights stretched between trees.

Music drifted through the evening air.

Groups of students laughed as they walked towards the Student Pavilion.

Excitement buzzed through the entire campus.

"It finally feels like university," Bailey whispered.

---

The Welcome Party was already packed.

The Pavilion glowed with blue and gold lights.

A DJ stood on an elevated stage while students filled the dance floor below.

Food stalls lined one side of the venue.

Mocktails, burgers, chips and desserts disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived.

Bailey's eyes widened.

"This is incredible."

"You've said that six times already," Stella laughed.

"Because it is."

Before any of them could move another step, Bailey had already asked a stranger to take a photo of the four of them.

"No..."

She frowned at the screen.

"I blinked."

"You look fine," Chloe said.

"I look like I'm asleep."

"You are dramatic."

"I know."

After another ten pictures, Bailey finally approved one.

"There."

"Happy?"

"Very."

---

Music pulsed through the room.

Within minutes the girls had drifted apart naturally.

Bailey danced with a group of Nursing students she'd met during orientation.

Within ten minutes she'd learnt three names, where everyone was from and who had already managed to get lost on campus.

"You really do make friends everywhere," Stella said as she walked past.

"It's a gift."

"It's frightening."

---

Near the drinks table, Bianca reached for a fruit punch at exactly the same moment as someone else.

"Oh—sorry."

"It's okay."

She looked up.

Standing in front of her was a tall young man with neatly styled curls, warm brown eyes and an easy smile that immediately put people at ease.

"You first."

"No," Bianca smiled.

"You."

He laughed.

"We're really going to argue over juice?"

"I think we are."

"I'm Skylar."

"Bianca."

He repeated her name thoughtfully.

"It suits you."

She laughed softly.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know."

"It just does."

They ended up standing together.

Then walking together.

Then talking.

It started with simple questions.

Where are you from?

What are you studying?

How are you finding university?

Somehow those questions became conversations about childhood dreams, embarrassing high school memories and favourite music.

Neither noticed how much time had passed.

---

Across the room Bailey spotted Bianca outside on the terrace.

"...Who's that?"

Chloe followed her gaze.

"I don't know."

"But she's smiling."

Stella looked over too.

"Oh..."

"I haven't seen Bianca smile like that all day."

Bailey folded her arms with a grin.

"We're definitely asking questions later."

---

Meanwhile Chloe stood near one of the balcony railings.

She wasn't trying to attract attention.

Yet attention found her anyway.

One guy complimented her smile.

Another asked if she'd like to dance.

Someone else nervously introduced himself before asking what she studied.

She was polite.

Friendly.

But never encouraged anything beyond conversation.

Then...

She noticed him.

He wasn't looking at her.

He wasn't trying to impress anyone.

Instead, he stood talking to one of his friends, occasionally laughing at something that was said.

There was something calm about him.

Different.

For a brief moment their eyes met.

He smiled politely.

Not flirtatiously.

Just... politely.

She returned the smile before one of the girls called her name.

When she looked back...

He had disappeared into the crowd.

---

"You've been popular tonight," Bailey teased.

"I've just spoken to people."

"You've rejected four dance requests."

"It was three."

"You counted?"

"I notice things."

Bailey laughed.

"You noticed that but not the guy you kept looking at?"

Chloe blinked.

"I wasn't looking."

"You definitely were."

"I wasn't."

Stella smirked.

"Our psychologist has been psychologically analysed."

Chloe rolled her eyes.

"I don't even know his name."

---

The DJ suddenly shouted into the microphone.

"Everybody to the dance floor!"

Cheers erupted throughout the Pavilion.

The girls looked at one another.

Then smiled.

"Oh, we're doing this," Bailey laughed.

For the next hour they danced until their feet hurt.

They sang songs they barely knew.

Laughed until their stomachs ached.

For just one night...

There were no assignments.

No deadlines.

No pressure.

Just four best friends celebrating the beginning of a brand-new chapter.

---

As midnight approached, the campus slowly began to quieten.

The four girls walked back towards their residence beneath a sky full of stars.

Bailey nudged Bianca.

"So..."

"So?"

"Skylar."

Bianca tried to hide her smile.

"What about him?"

"You disappeared for almost an hour."

"We were talking."

"Talking."

"Yes."

"Only talking?"

Bianca laughed.

"He asked for my number."

Stella gasped dramatically.

"Our Bianca."

"He seems nice," Chloe smiled.

"He is."

Bailey grinned.

"I knew somebody would catch your attention before ours."

"Excuse me?"

"You've always been the hopeless romantic."

Bianca couldn't even argue.

Her phone vibrated.

Skylar:

Hope you got back safely. Tonight was fun.

Without thinking, she smiled.

Bailey noticed instantly.

"Oh..."

"It's already started."

---

The next morning...

An alarm echoed through Room B214.

Bailey reached across the bedside table without opening her eyes.

She accidentally knocked her water bottle onto the floor.

"Great start," Bianca mumbled.

Bailey groaned.

"My legs hurt."

"You danced for three hours."

"My feet have resigned."

"You'll survive."

"I don't think I will."

Twenty minutes later, both girls hurried across campus carrying coffees and half-eaten muffins.

"I'm blaming you if we're late," Bailey said.

"I woke up before you."

"Still blaming you."

---

The cafeteria buzzed with sleepy first-years comparing timetables.

Stella looked perfectly awake.

"How are you functioning?"

"I slept."

"For four hours."

"Exactly."

Chloe placed her tray on the table.

"I've already had my first lecture."

Bailey stared.

"I don't like overachievers."

"You loved overachievers yesterday."

"Today I'm tired."

Bianca's phone vibrated again.

Bailey looked over.

"Skylar?"

Bianca smiled.

"He said good morning."

Stella leaned back.

"He's consistent."

Bailey smirked.

"I approve."

---

After breakfast, everyone headed in different directions.

Bailey checked her timetable.

Mathematics for Health Sciences

Room A106.

"Here goes nothing."

---

The lecture theatre was already half full.

Bailey chose a seat in the third row before neatly arranging her notebook, calculator and pens.

A voice beside her said,

"Planning to solve equations..."

"...or open a stationery shop?"

She looked up.

The guy standing beside her was tall, effortlessly handsome and wore the most amused expression she'd ever seen.

His dark hair was slightly messy, as though he'd given up trying to fix it.

He carried...

One notebook.

Nothing else.

Bailey raised an eyebrow.

"I like being prepared."

He looked at the collection of pens.

"I think you've prepared enough for everyone."

"What if someone forgets one?"

"They'll probably ask you."

"I'd lend them one."

He smiled.

"I believe you."

He slid into the seat beside her.

"Cedric."

"Bailey."

"Nice to meet you."

"You too."

The lecturer entered, bringing the room to silence.

Halfway through the lesson, Cedric leaned over just enough to whisper,

"So..."

Bailey continued writing.

"So?"

"How many highlighters do you actually own?"

She tried not to smile.

"Eight."

He blinked.

"You answered that suspiciously quickly."

"I've counted them."

"I'm impressed."

"Or concerned?"

"A little of both."

She laughed quietly.

The lecturer glanced in their direction.

Cedric immediately sat up straight.

Bailey shook her head, smiling.

"You nearly got us caught."

"Correction."

He whispered.

"I nearly got me caught."

"You were talking to me."

"Exactly."

She laughed again.

For the rest of the lecture, they exchanged the occasional sarcastic comment whenever the lecturer wasn't looking.

It wasn't flirting.

Not yet.

It was simply two strangers discovering they enjoyed making each other laugh.

As students packed away their books, Cedric stood.

"So..."

"You heading towards the student centre?"

"I am."

"Good."

He slung his notebook under his arm.

"I've decided you're interesting."

Bailey smiled.

"And what made you come to that conclusion?"

"You carry eight highlighters."

She laughed.

"And?"

"And I want to know why."

Together, they walked out of the lecture theatre, still teasing each other, completely unaware that what had started as an ordinary conversation on an ordinary Monday morning would slowly grow into one of the most important friendships either of them had ever known.