Chapter Five
922 Words
The next morning, I was still asleep when I felt someone shaking my shoulder.
"Melanie... wake up!"
I slowly opened my eyes.
Ashley was already dressed.
"Hurry up! We're going to be late."
I dragged myself out of bed, grabbed my towel, and followed her to the bathroom. After showering, I returned to the room and wore one of the few decent outfits I had brought with me.
Ashley looked at me from head to toe.
She didn't say anything.
But the expression on her face said enough.
I knew she wasn't impressed.
"You ready?" she asked.
I nodded.
"I'm ready."
Well...
Ashley wasn't.
She spent almost thirty more minutes getting ready.
Fixing her hair.
Changing her earrings.
Applying lip gloss.
Checking herself in the mirror.
Again.
And again.
By the time we finally left the hostel, we were already late.
When we got to the lecture hall, we were the last students to arrive.
The first lecture was a general orientation class for all freshmen.
The hall was packed.
There wasn't a single empty seat in front, so we ended up sitting at the back.
Honestly...
I couldn't hear half of what the lecturer was saying.
Most of the students around us weren't listening either.
Some were scrolling through t****k.
Others were chatting or pressing their phones.
Before I knew it...
The lecture was over.
Ashley looked at me.
"Come on. Let's find your department."
She walked with me to my faculty building before leaving for her own class.
When I got there, students were already standing outside the lecture room.
The lecturer had arrived.
My heart immediately sank.
A few other students and I approached the door, hoping to quietly slip inside.
The lecturer stopped us.
"Why are you late?"
No one answered.
"We're new students, sir," someone beside me finally said.
"We're still trying to locate our classes."
He looked at all of us for a few seconds.
"You should have found them before now."
We apologized repeatedly.
After a long silence, he stepped aside.
"This is the first and last time."
We thanked him and hurried inside.
As soon as I entered, I felt every pair of eyes in the room turn toward me.
My heart began racing.
The lecturer pointed toward the front.
"You newcomers..."
"Come here."
My legs suddenly felt weak.
We slowly walked to the front of the class.
"I don't tolerate lateness," he said firmly.
"If you're late again, don't bother coming into my class."
We all nodded.
Then he looked at us one after another.
"Introduce yourselves."
My stomach twisted.
One by one, the others introduced themselves.
Then he pointed at me.
"You."
I stood up.
My hands were shaking.
"My... my name is Melanie."
He looked me over.
His eyes stopped on my outfit.
"What you're wearing is not acceptable for my class."
For a moment...
I forgot how to breathe.
I looked down at my clothes.
I had honestly thought I looked fine.
I wanted the ground to open and swallow me.
Out of everyone standing there...
Why did he have to pick me?
I quietly returned to my seat, too embarrassed to look at anyone.
For the rest of the lecture, I couldn't concentrate.
His words kept replaying in my head.
"I don't accept your dressing."
After class, I found Ashley waiting exactly where she had promised.
"There you are!"
She smiled.
"How was class?"
I forced a smile.
"It was... okay."
As we walked back to the hostel, Ashley suddenly became excited.
"There's a Freshers' Party tonight!"
She grabbed my arm.
"We're going."
I laughed.
"I don't know..."
"You'll make friends."
For a moment, I thought about it.
Maybe she was right.
I had promised myself that university would be different.
Maybe it was time to stop hiding.
"Okay," I said.
"I'll go."
When we returned to the room, one of my roommates, Ruth, walked over to me.
Ruth was beautiful.
She had a baby face that made her look much younger than the rest of us.
She smiled shyly.
"Melanie..."
"Can we go to the party together?"
"I don't really know anyone yet."
I smiled.
"Of course."
That evening, the hostel transformed completely.
Girls who had looked ordinary all day suddenly appeared in short dresses, fitted gowns, full makeup, high heels, and expensive perfumes.
I couldn't stop staring.
Ashley laughed at my expression.
"You know some girls bought brand-new outfits just for tonight?"
"Seriously?"
"They even did their hair and bought new heels."
I laughed.
"People are really taking this party seriously."
Compared to everyone else, my outfit was simple.
A pair of shorts.
A shirt.
And my usual sneakers.
Nothing special.
When we finally arrived at the venue, loud music echoed through the night.
The line outside was already long.
Just as we were about to enter, security stopped us.
"Tickets?"
We looked at each other.
"What tickets?"
"If you don't have tickets, you can pay at the entrance."
Our hearts sank.
Neither of us had enough money.
Embarrassed, we quietly stepped away from the line.
Ashley sighed.
"So that's it?"
Just then, Ruth walked over with a mischievous smile.
"I know someone inside."
We both looked at her.
"He said he'll sneak us in through one of the side windows."
She looked toward the crowded hall before lowering her voice.
"We just have to wait."
"When everyone gets drunk..."
"And when the place becomes too crowded."
Ashley burst into laughter.
I couldn't help laughing too.
University was already proving to be nothing like I had imagined.
- Writer
