heading towards the dining hall to
meet with Georgia. She’d had a different first class—I thought it might have
been her Biology class, with the lab set for later in the day; but we had Precal together, so we had made an agreement that we’d walk
there every day, unless one of us got sick and had to stay behind in the dorm.
I was actually starting to look forward to my afternoon classes, thinking that
it would be so much easier to deal with everything without worrying about
whether or not Johnny knew I existed and who might be flirting with him. I’d
skip the party—and the crazy frat boys that would come with it—and find my own
group of friends, probably some of the girls from my floor of the dorm.
“Becky!” I heard a familiar voice calling my name from
behind me and turned just in time to see Johnny jogging up, looking out of
breath. I was surprised; had he rushed to catch up with me? I told myself he’d
probably been running for another reason, spotted me, and somehow or another
remembered my name. It was nothing. I wasn’t going to let him infiltrate my
brain the way he had before.
“Hey,” I said, putting on a polite smile as he came to
a stop next to me. Some of the people around us kept going, moving towards the
dining hall and the food it promised. My stomach was growling; I had managed to
grab some fruit and some coffee, but I was more than ready for more to eat than
that.
“How’s it going? Settling in all right?” I smiled in
spite of myself and nodded.
“Yeah, I actually managed to make it to my first class
of the day without having a meltdown or ending up on the completely wrong end
of campus,” I replied. Johnny laughed.
“See? I told you you’d get used to this place in no
time. You’re too smart to wander around lost every day of the first semester.
Who did you have?” I showed him my textbook for the Introduction to Academic
Life class and he grimaced with sympathy.
“I’m pretty sure I could sleep every day in that class
and still manage to get an A,” I said, shaking my head. Johnny nodded.
“Oh God, yeah, it’s boring as hell, and anyone with
half a brain could manage a passing grade on the tests. Banks isn’t too tough,
though. I heard—what’s his name— Kircher is a total
asshole when he teaches it; makes everyone write like ten essays.” Johnny
grinned.
“Ten essays wouldn’t be that hard,” I said. “As long
as I could stay awake to write them.” Johnny laughed.
“You know, I think that might be the first actual joke
you’ve told me! Congratulations, you are officially a full student here.” I
rolled my eyes.
“Oh, so everyone who wants to be a fully-accepted
student has to tell you a joke?” Johnny shook his head.
“Nah, but it shows you’re getting used to this place.
Not afraid of us big, bad upperclassmen anymore.” I gave him a playful shove,
and he responded by giving one of the braids I had put my hair into a playful
tug.
“How do you expect me to be afraid of you when you’re
so nice to me all the time?” Johnny smiled, and there was something in his eyes
I couldn’t quite read, but it made my heart start beating faster.
“Hey, I’m just doing how I do. It’s easy to be nice to
a pretty girl like you—but I’m still plenty capable of kicking ass and taking names.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” I could feel myself
blushing at the fact that he thought I was pretty and told myself to stop it.
“Who else have you got today?” I showed him my Precal textbook and made a face. Johnny groaned.
“God, I’ve only had one class with this guy and
already I’m hopelessly confused. Is he as uptight as he seems?” Johnny nodded.
“Every bit. I had him my freshman year, too, and I
swear, if you didn’t phrase things in your answers exactly the way he put them
in the notes, you were screwed.” I groaned and put my face in my hands.
“God, I’m screwed. I’m going to fail.” I sighed.
“Well, at
meet with Georgia. She’d had a different first class—I thought it might have
been her Biology class, with the lab set for later in the day; but we had Precal together, so we had made an agreement that we’d walk
there every day, unless one of us got sick and had to stay behind in the dorm.
I was actually starting to look forward to my afternoon classes, thinking that
it would be so much easier to deal with everything without worrying about
whether or not Johnny knew I existed and who might be flirting with him. I’d
skip the party—and the crazy frat boys that would come with it—and find my own
group of friends, probably some of the girls from my floor of the dorm.
“Becky!” I heard a familiar voice calling my name from
behind me and turned just in time to see Johnny jogging up, looking out of
breath. I was surprised; had he rushed to catch up with me? I told myself he’d
probably been running for another reason, spotted me, and somehow or another
remembered my name. It was nothing. I wasn’t going to let him infiltrate my
brain the way he had before.
“Hey,” I said, putting on a polite smile as he came to
a stop next to me. Some of the people around us kept going, moving towards the
dining hall and the food it promised. My stomach was growling; I had managed to
grab some fruit and some coffee, but I was more than ready for more to eat than
that.
“How’s it going? Settling in all right?” I smiled in
spite of myself and nodded.
“Yeah, I actually managed to make it to my first class
of the day without having a meltdown or ending up on the completely wrong end
of campus,” I replied. Johnny laughed.
“See? I told you you’d get used to this place in no
time. You’re too smart to wander around lost every day of the first semester.
Who did you have?” I showed him my textbook for the Introduction to Academic
Life class and he grimaced with sympathy.
“I’m pretty sure I could sleep every day in that class
and still manage to get an A,” I said, shaking my head. Johnny nodded.
“Oh God, yeah, it’s boring as hell, and anyone with
half a brain could manage a passing grade on the tests. Banks isn’t too tough,
though. I heard—what’s his name— Kircher is a total
asshole when he teaches it; makes everyone write like ten essays.” Johnny
grinned.
“Ten essays wouldn’t be that hard,” I said. “As long
as I could stay awake to write them.” Johnny laughed.
“You know, I think that might be the first actual joke
you’ve told me! Congratulations, you are officially a full student here.” I
rolled my eyes.
“Oh, so everyone who wants to be a fully-accepted
student has to tell you a joke?” Johnny shook his head.
“Nah, but it shows you’re getting used to this place.
Not afraid of us big, bad upperclassmen anymore.” I gave him a playful shove,
and he responded by giving one of the braids I had put my hair into a playful
tug.
“How do you expect me to be afraid of you when you’re
so nice to me all the time?” Johnny smiled, and there was something in his eyes
I couldn’t quite read, but it made my heart start beating faster.
“Hey, I’m just doing how I do. It’s easy to be nice to
a pretty girl like you—but I’m still plenty capable of kicking ass and taking names.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” I could feel myself
blushing at the fact that he thought I was pretty and told myself to stop it.
“Who else have you got today?” I showed him my Precal textbook and made a face. Johnny groaned.
“God, I’ve only had one class with this guy and
already I’m hopelessly confused. Is he as uptight as he seems?” Johnny nodded.
“Every bit. I had him my freshman year, too, and I
swear, if you didn’t phrase things in your answers exactly the way he put them
in the notes, you were screwed.” I groaned and put my face in my hands.
“God, I’m screwed. I’m going to fail.” I sighed.
“Well, at
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