Firstdayinschool
"Tyler!"
The word ripped itself from Hannah's throat as she jolted awake.
Breathing heavily, she pushed herself up and sat upright on the large, unfamiliar bed, scanning the new room frantically with her eyes.
For a few brief seconds, she didn't know where she was or why, but then it slowly began to return.
Her new room in Blackthorne University.
She raked her hand through her already messy hair and exhaled softly.
"It was just a dream."
A weird dream though. She had never met anyone with the name Tyler.
Yet the name felt weirdly familiar.
The feeling lingered for another second before she mentally dismissed it.
"Nice way to start your first day, Hannah." She mumbled the words and reached over for her cell phone lying next to the bed.
6:43 AM.
Hannah blinked and her eyes widened dramatically. She was going to be late.
Twenty-five minutes later, Hannah Monroe stood smack-dab in the middle of Blackthorne University's ridiculously crowded courtyard, clutching her class schedule.
And she already despised every single thing about this place because she hated new beginnings, but unfortunately life had decided to throw all three at her at once.
Hannah stood still in the centre of the madness, staring at the folded class schedule in her hand trying to convince herself not to turn around and walk right back the way she came.
Hannah had been in Blackthorne for two days.
Two days since she had packed up her life and left everyone and everything she had known and promised herself that this time would be different.
“You’re staring at that paper like it personally offended you."
Hannah looked up.
A girl stood before her, her eyes bright, her dark curls tousled, and a grin permanently stuck on her face. She looked… like she belonged everywhere.
“Huh?” Hannah blinked.
The girl held out her hand. “Elina.”
After a short pause, Hannah took it. “I'm Hannah.”
“I know.”
“You do?” Hannah frowned.
“Transfer student.” Elina pointed a dramatically raised finger at the schedule.
“Oh.”
“You’ve got that look.”
“What look?” Hannah asked.
“That look of someone that’s about to up and bail.”
“I wasn’t about to up and bail.” Hannah sighed.
“Uh-huh.” Elina’s grin widened. “You totally were.”
Before Hannah could respond, Elina snatched the schedule from her hands.
“Hey!” Hannah exclaimed.
“Relax,” Elina said, scanning the paper, her eyes widening in disbelief. “No way.”
“What?” Hannah asked
“We have Professor Howe together.”
Hannah stared at her, uncomprehending.
Elina groaned. “Wow, you really are new.”
“That tends to happen with transferring,” Hannah said immediately.
Elina actually looked startled for a moment before bursting out in laughter that echoed through the courtyard. Hannah immediately regretted opening her mouth.
“Oh my god, I like you already,” Elina said excitedly and that was even worse.
Less than ten minutes later, Elina had claimed her as her new best friend, or, you know, unofficially. Twenty minutes later, she was dragging Hannah around campus by the wrist. Thirty minutes later, Hannah realised she wasn't going to escape.
“This is the library.” Elina showed her as they passed a large, stone building.
“The cafeteria.” Another building.
“And over there,” Elina pointed towards a fountain, “is where everyone cries after exams.”
Hannah laughed, despite herself.
“There! See? You smiled.” Elina instantly pointed at her.
“I smile sometimes.” Hannah defended immediately.
They continued their tour of Blackthorne, Elina filling the air with constant chatter. Surprisingly, Hannah didn’t mind. For the first time since arriving, she didn’t feel quite so alone.
Finally, they arrived at Professor Howe's classroom. The room was already half-full with students chatting amongst themselves as they waited for the professor to begin. Hannah slid into a seat in the middle of the class.
Moments later, Professor Howe walked into the room. All conversation ceased immediately. He surveyed the room and then his eyes landed on Hannah.
“Before we begin, I'd like everyone to join me in welcoming our newest student.”
Hannah’s heart sank as every head in the room turned towards her.
“Miss Hannah Vale transferred to Blackthorne this semester.”
A few students smiled politely, others just stared but Hannah wanted the floor to open and swallow her.
Thankfully, Professor Howe didn't dwell on it and launched into his lecture. Hannah tried to pay attention, but her gaze drifted to the back of the room. A young man was sitting alone by the window, his hair dark, his clothes black. He had a notebook open in front of him but wasn’t looking at it. He wasn't looking at the lesson. He wasn't looking at anything in the room for that matter. He just… sat there. Silent and detached and almost bored. There was something peculiar about him, though, not dangerous, but… different.
Before she could give it much thought, Elina called her name. Hannah immediately snapped her attention back to the lesson, and by the time class was over, she had completely forgotten about him.
Students flooded the hallway as they poured out of the classroom. Elina was instantly beside her.
“Survived your first class.”
“Barely.”
“You'll get the hang of it.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“You will.”
They walked together towards the courtyard. The afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the campus and, for a moment, everything felt normal. Then Elina ruined it.
“We’re going to a party Friday.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Hannah sighed. “Elina.”
“It’s going to be fun.”
“I doubt it.”
“Trust me.”
“That phrase never ends well.”
Elina laughed. “It will help you meet people.”
“I don’t want to meet people.”
“You need friends.”
“I have one.”
Elina stopped. Her mouth formed an exaggerated ‘O’. “Oh my God.”
“What?”
“You mean me.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. Elina gasped.
“I’ve never felt so loved.”
“You are exhausting.”
“But you still like me.”
Unfortunately, she wasn’t wrong.
By the end of the conversation, Hannah had somehow agreed to go to the party. She wasn't sure how it had happened, but Elina looked utterly delighted. As they walked towards the dorms, Hannah glanced back at the campus. At the students. At the life she was trying to rebuild. For the first time, she thought that maybe Blackthorne wasn't going to be so bad after all.
She was wrong.
Hannah had no idea yet, but agreeing to go to one stupid party was going to destroy her normal life forever.
