Under The Stars

Chapter 2

ZIA's POV

In the two weeks that followed, I spent most of the time getting ready for college. For me, that meant spending as much time as I could with Kate and dad. Every evening after work we would have dinner and talk endlessly about what seemed to revolve around Yale.

“I think you should wear this red dress” Kate said enthusiastically holding up the really pretty dress.

“No” I quickly declined taking the dress from her and neatly folding it before putting it my bag with the rest of my stuff.

That was the last night at home before I left the following day for Yale. As expected, Kate was there to help me pack.

“But why not?” she continued pressing. Kate was one of the most stubborn people I knew and she could never give up without a fight. No wonder she was going to study journalism. I could already imagine her interviewing famous people and making them get chills from her numerous questions.

“Because, I will be overdressed, Iam going to college not a fancy dinner party”

“But that is Yale, not some other college, you need to make the ‘right impression’’ she said, a mischievous smile escaping her lips.

“I don’t need to make any impression” I said with an otherwise harsh tone that I had not anticipated on using and Kate knew better than to push further.

After dinner, I saw Kate off and went straight to bed. I was partly excited and partly sad. I hugged my pillow and slept off to the sound of crickets outside my window.

***

The next day

I had been waiting in the lobby at the airport for close to thirty minutes.

Kate had come to my house earlier in the day and we spent close to an hour sobbing and saying goodbye.

Dad had then driven me to the airport and had continued talking endlessly about me taking care of myself. It was evident that he was worried. This was the first time I was going to be miles away from him.

A part of me wanted to still be daddy’s little girl and start crying but at this point, I knew I had to be brave.

“Don’t worry dad, Iam going to be fine”

“Make sure you call me everyday”

“I promise I will” I said as he drove into the parking lot at the airport.

He took my brown leather bag from the trunk and we walked into the large building.

After my credentials had been checked and my flight confirmed to be leaving after forty five minutes, it was time to say goodbye to dad.

I hugged him tightly and could not help my tears from rolling down my now oily cheeks. I knew for sure that I was going to miss my old man.

“Take care bug, I love you”

“I love you too dad” I said as I stepped back and waved at him goodbye.

I took in a sharp breath and closed my eyes for a second. I then turned around and pulled my suitcase towards the lobby.

“Flight 321 passengers may board now.” A male voice announced through the speakers.

I sashayed towards the plane feeling happy and alive than I had in a long while.

After two hours of the flight we landed in New Haven.

I scanned through the exit lot and saw a lean man holding up a board written my name. The school had already made arrangements for me to be picked up from the airport.

I walked briskly towards him a huge smile plastered on my face.

“Hi, am Zia” I said promptly pointing at the board he was still holding up.

“Oh, hello am Mark, your chauffer. Shall we?” he said taking my bag in a cue to leave.

“Sure”

I got into the back seat of the car and Mark drove off.

New haven was a beautiful city and I marveled at the tall buildings, fleet of cars and beautiful sceneries. I was a little bleary from the flight and activities of the morning but mostly I was excited to be there.

After a weirdly short thirty minutes’ drive, we arrived at Yale.

I knew that Yale was incredibly beautiful but I was awestruck at the magnificent buildings and the whole architectural plan of the school. I let myself feel the beauty of the place and thought, finally.

I took out the school map that had been attached to the mail and found my way to the admissions office.

“Hello, am new here” is all I could manage to say to the secretary who seemed to be really angry at the keyboard from the way she was typing.

She looked up and scanned me from top to bottom, through her otherwise oversized glasses before smiling. “Name please”

“Zia, Zia Brown.”

After a while she came over to where I was seated and handed me over a pair of keys.

“Block 3, room F 12. Settle in, orientation begins tomorrow.” Is all she said before going back to her desk. I used the school map again and found my way to the room I had been allocated.

I put the key in the lock but oddly enough it was not locked, so I pushed the door open.

“What the f**k?!” is all I heard before wishing I had knocked first.

Laying on the bed in one corner of the room was a girl whose eyes looked like they would pop out from shock. On top of her was an equally shocked guy who was shirtless. His body looked so perfect like all the guys I had seen in movies and adverts suffice to say I had never seen one in real life.

“And what the hell are you staring at?” I heard him say bringing me back from my state of astonishment.

“Oh, sorry. Am Zia, and I think am your roommate?” I said without certainty looking at the girl.

“Oh crap, come on in. You can call me Lisa.” She said getting off the bed while trying hard to fix her messy hair.