Pulling Me Into Him

Chapter 4: The Gate Towards My Dreams

Althea POV

Wait, did he mean the 'Ace' that I met weeks ago during the entrance exam? Does he know him?

"I don't think I have even met a guy lately. Why would you ask that all of a sudden?" I asked curiously. For some reason, I can't bring myself to tell him about meeting Ace so I give the question back to him as to why.

"I see, that's good to know". He looked relieved after hearing my response.

"From what I heard, Ace is not a name but more of an alias and he does his activities in the black market. As you know, most snatchers would steal from innocent people and sell them in that market. But he steals from that particular market and uses what he got as his own. It may not sound bad to steal from the stealers themselves, but stealing is still stealing at the end of the day. So, he was considered dangerous, especially in the eyes of the Student Government. I also heard that he is still a student near our age and that he's been walking around the White Horse Campus lately, so I was worried you would encounter him." He added.

Now I know why Ace couldn't get into the university, no matter how many attempts he tried. It's been common knowledge that they don't accept students with bad records in the society and even with issues in school. Which is why I kept cautious about making a move on Zeke back in middle school to avoid fights and scandals. It didn't end well for the both of us but at least I get to study on my dream campus.

"No wonder you looked so scared. But don't worry, I can take care of myself from now on." I replied confidently with a smug in my face.

"I'm glad to hear that, but if you ever encounter him, don't hesitate to call me and stay away as much as possible" he said calmly this time. Now he's acting like my father, but it was cool to say the least.

"Are you some sort of superman or something? By the time you come by he probably have already stolen me", I said as I remembered the vow I made to my heart, but this type of kindness that he's showing is what made me fall for him. So, I really had to avoid him as much as possible before my feelings would be out of control again.

"Then, I'll just have to steal you back. I have a lot of money to bargain if money is what he wanted." He bragged as we both laughed.

Before I could ask any further, my mom went down with dad and he diverted his attention to them. Looking at what he's trying to do, I bet he doesn't want to talk about it with my parents. He immediately left after we ate together. Did he really just come here to warn me about Ace? Well, I did say I didn't want to talk about what happened to us that night, so it worked well. But if what he said about Ace is true, then I should stay away from him, right? I knew there was something weird about him and he tried to sway me away from that school. I should always be cautious of whoever I speak to and not be blinded by the idea of being friends with every person I run into.

A week later, after several days of preparing and organizing my stuff for school, the day is finally here. It's my first day of school and as a student of White Horse University. I barely got any sleep last night due to my excitement for this day. However, today is not a day for me to hate, despite my lack of sleep. Quickly, I took a shower, dressed in my uniform and went down to eat breakfast. Also, today is my first day riding a train on my own. My dad usually fetches me in and out of school but our university is quite far from his job. It is located in Hayday City, also known as the capital city of the country. So, he only fetches me to the train station and I had to take a train and later a bus everyday to go to school, which is a hassle but to me, is quite fun and adventurous. It's not like I haven't been there anyway, so I already know my way through. However;

"Oof! My train is going to leave in 15 mins. Was time really this fast?" I asked out of frustration.

"See! Didn't I tell you to keep track of the time?! Hurry now, both of you! It's bad luck if you'll be late on the first day." my mom said angrily as we rushed outside.

I barely reached the train but luckily, I still did. There were a lot of passengers on board so I was forced to stand alongside a bunch of people. I can't believe this is my first experience riding on a train independently. I just hope things will get a little better than this at school. Finally, the train stops and we reached the city. It was so busy and a lot of people were on their way to work or school. I was bumped and squished several times during this trip, which was kind of exhausting. However, this time, my world started to feel real after being isolated at home for so long. Well, maybe not that long, but at least most of my summer time.

I went to the bus stop and the bus arrived at the exact same time. Unlike earlier, I was able to secure a seat and spent my time listening to music on the way. My first commute had a lot of ups and downs but I still managed to arrive at my destination. It didn't take long before I realized that we're already outside the campus. I hurriedly went outside the bus and saw the beauty of the university that I once dreamt of. I held my breath and walked my way to the gate as if the windy breeze was pushing me through paradise.

I may sound weird for being a big fan of a school but I was just stunned upon walking through the campus. Just like what I saw online, the buildings look vintage yet elegant and were all made of bricks. This is the oldest school in the country after all and it dates back to 1835. It felt like I was walking and exploring around a city of the past. They have very wide yards with grass and trees where students can rest and hangout with friends if they feel like being one with nature.

As I approached the main yard, I could see the University's Library with large pillars and structures. I can't wait to read and study there. On the opposite side is the University's Dome where the main stage for very important events and announcements are held which is also where I would be going today for our opening ceremony. Lastly, is the University's Estate Building which is located in the middle of the campus and is what we would all see from afar upon entering the gate. This is where the executive and VIP offices are located, which also includes the headquarters for the National Student Government. I know there is a basketball and football stadium as well as a mini city with lounges and shops somewhere inside the campus which I really want to see, but for now, I have an agenda to attend.

I went inside the dome and it felt like I was entering a cinema, but is so much bigger and wider inside. The stage was still empty yet it was so clean and shiny. A lot of students were already inside as I entered, which I believe are all high school freshmen like me. I went to my seat where I met my previous schoolmate who enrolled here alongside me, Jubail. It seems he had already managed to acquire friends on the first day, which was not surprising considering his influence and ability to attract people's hearts. I wish I could be that type of person someday, to hang out around here with people you love.

I went to my seat where I was greeted with free snacks, drinks and a freebie university shirt, which was really cool. Suddenly, the lights turned off and the room was completely dark. It seemed the event was about to begin as colorful lights started to flash and smoke fired the stage. A person slowly walked to the middle where he was greeted by cheers and applause from the students. I believe he is the person that I saw on their website who was known as the best host in the entire campus and it earned him the epithet, "The Show Master".

Name: Charles Jansen

Nickname: "The Show Master"

Talents: Hosting, Organizing World-class Shows

Followers: 36 120

"Good evening freshmen and returnees as you may, it is an honor to speak here in front and on top of stage to welcome you to our very proud university, White Horse University. The home of the most talented graduates our country has ever produced. As for choosing to enter this campus, we will offer you the perks of becoming one of the White Horses. So, stay with us for the entirety of this event, fasten your seats, don't blink, and brace yourself as I'll present to you a show of a lifetime!" he speaks in a very strong and well modulated voice.

The crowd went so wild and loud that I felt like I was at a concert or something. The program lasted for 8 hours with a series of speeches from executives and faculty as well as intermission numbers from dance groups and choirs, which I personally enjoyed. During breaks, we were given pack lunches, with drinks and more snacks, all of which were for free. I guess that's what made me stay until the end of the event despite having two loud seatmates whom I had some quick annoying conversations with.

The show also had a number of clubs that were showcased throughout the event, but the one thing I had an eye on was the Scouts.

I know it may sound ridiculous and someone like me is not fit to be a scout, but it's like a total package of all the clubs in the university. Scouts are known for collecting badges to earn a specific rank and each badge corresponds to activites like swimming, first aid, archery, even singing all in one organization. After all, I wanted to get the best out of my dream university and it would be such a waste if I just joined a single club.

Now, I just had to find their office to fill in my application, which they said is located in the high school grounds. The campus is so huge, almost like a town or even a city, that it's no wonder I'm now lost. Luckily, I found Zeke sitting on one of the benches in the yard. I was so glad to see him but as I tried to approach, his girlfriend suddenly came up and sat beside him. It seemed they were on a date and, thank god, I stopped because I nearly interrupted them. But why? Why do I feel so lonely all of a sudden?

I decided to continue my search for the office on some other day since it's getting dark and I just wanted to go home. As I went out of the gate, I saw a group of dudes trying to beat up a guy. I am not some sort of school super hero, so I decided to ignore it and avoid trouble. Suddenly, those dudes started to scream and ran as the guy that was picked up on beat them one by one. It freaked me out so I ran to the other direction but that guy quickly caught up in front and stopped me.

"I swear I wasn't one of them, I was just on my way home, I swear." I closed my eyes and begged frustratingly so he wouldn't beat me up like them.

"I finally found you!" he laughed and let me go. That voice and laugh was oddly familiar, so I opened my eyes to see, it was Ace.

"Long time no see partner!" he said with a bruise and smile on his face.