Chapter One
Liz Melbourne, 20: FRESHMAN AT FORAY SCHOOL of ARTS AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
Foray School of Arts and medical sciences was not just rumored to be immensely big, it was actually big, accommodating people from all walks of life, both the naive, the vastly knowledgeable and those who were neither wizards nor dummies; like myself.
It was hard navigating through school on my own and trying to stay sane despite the latest developments in my life, but I had no choice other than to hang on. I was not exactly looking forward to making friends, but it did not stop other people from wanting to be friends with me.
After my last class for the day on the second week of resumption, I decided to take a stroll down to the school cafeteria that I have not visited yet. I was alone, walking slowly, clutching to the handle of my backpack as I made my way there, watching people walk past in twos and threes, often talking loudly and laughing.
Everyone seemed to be having the best times of their lives, being in the same school with either a best friend or a sibling while I trudged along alone.
I did not let myself get sad over it. I had convinced myself that it was what I wanted. What I needed. Making friends and being in a romantic relationship had not exactly been the best experiences for me in the past and I did not want to have to go through the heartaches I had so smartly moved away from.
Mom had recently remarried and we had had to move to Los Angeles into our new home. I had no right to try to influence her decisions and I was old enough to go stay on my own, but I did not have all I needed to live comfortably alone so I moved in with mom.
Someone bumped into me the moment I stepped into the hall. I had not finished looking around, to locate an appropriate and lone place where I could sit and watch the number of brightly dressed youngsters thronging into the cafeteria
"Hey, sorry!"
The voice apologized without hesitation.
It was a female. She had long black dreadlocks, she was tall and thin and she had a bewildered look on her face as she stepped back from me.
"It's okay." I said dismissively but she did not leave my arm that she had caught.
"I'm okay. Hope you're not hurt?"
I asked. She shook her head and stepped back to look me over, a smile spreading across her dimpled cheeks. She was dark and I could have said how much I liked the fact that her skin was literally glittering under the lights but there was a small commotion behind us, just by the entrance of the hall. We turned around to look.
There was a cluster of people, females mostly, clamoring for some dude's attention.
I didn't know what to make of that.
"Why are there so many people trying to get the guy's attention? Is he a celebrity?"
I asked no one in particular, but the black girl answered.
"To many basketball Lovers, he is a celebrity." She said, and then she took hold of my hand, "come let's go sit over there and watch. "
She offered, pointing towards the table closest to the exit hall right across the hall. I nodded and let her lead the way.
"What's your name?"
I asked, grateful we did not have the attention of most people as we walked past tables.
"I'm Amma. What's your name? I'm not sure I've seen you before."
"I'm Liz. Yeah, I'm a freshman."
I said, but the moment we were seated, my eyes went back to the entrance door where the crowd had started to thin out.
"What is with the guy that everyone seems so interested in?"
I asked my new friend, Amma. She shrugged.
"He is good. He plays basketball really well, he's represented the school many times and brought back the awards. He is the closest thing to a big basketball star we have." She replied.
Her explanation made sense but I didn't see why the ladies looked at him with such leery eyes or fawn over him like they were doing. I did not want to sound bitter so I took off my glasses and wiped them for want of something to do.
Amma laughed.
"Aren't you hungry?" She asked, "I got sandwiches and was going to head out to meet my boyfriend but I got a text from him saying he didn't want anything." She said, holding out the sandwich.
I took and murmured a word of thanks. It explained why she had run into me. She had been looking at her phone, reading his text.
"Who's that guy right by his side?"
I asked, pointing at the basketballer as he finally walked fully into the hall, but not towards the counter.
"That's his best friend, Cain. He is the studious one of the two, he doesn't play basketball."
"So, that one..."
"Will is his name."
"Oh, so, Will doesn't pay that much attention to his studies?"
I asked. I knew I was sounding nosy about a total stranger but stopping was hard. Amma was laughing but she started to talk, anyway.
"He doesn't. I know his grades are suffering and he might be graduating poorly since he is already in the penultimate class but he doesn't look like he cares. He would rather spend time chasing the prettiest Freshman girls. He is a reputable rake. The girls don't let him try too hard."
She laughed some more as my eyes met with hers and held her gaze.
"Don't stare at me like that. I'm in the sophomore class. I know a bit of stuff around here. "
She said, I sighed, but when I turned to see if Will was still in the cafe, I saw that he was gone as were many other people who had been in the hall.
"There is going to be a basketball match this evening, will you come watch?"
I shook my head vehemently.
