Aurora's Point Of View

"Aurora, you are the only motherfucking Seventeen year old I know still taking Flintstone gummy vitamins."

I paused from chewing on a strawberry flavored one and frowned at Arlan's remark.

"Hey, I wanna have energy for my first day of college," I said defensively, playing with the hem of my baby blue cardigan.

He slightly rolls his sapphire eyes.

"It's college, not a triathalon. Come on, we don't want to get you late," Arlan set my backpack on my shoulder. He brushed past me to get his car keys.

"I scheduled you a tour before your first class so you become acclimated to your campus."

"And who's giving that?" I grew nervous, biting my lip hesitantly. I was shy around new people. Or, just people in general.

"One of the students."

I hear hefty foot-shuffling from the staircase above and look up, seeing Nate come down dressed in a "J.R Community College" T-Shirt.

"Nate," Arlan confirms.

My heart flutters with sadness. Nate was a student at the community college I'd be attending?

Arlan threw Nathaniel the keys (I now realize they're to Nate's car, not Arlan's) which Nate expertly caught in his left hand, his smoldering tundras of icy blue irises meeting mine with less than enthusiasm.

"He'll be driving you, I'll be picking you up. I've switched back to part-time again, so I'm done in the afternoons, but busy in the mornings."

Nate raised his eyebrows sarcastically at me.

Great. I looked off uncomfortably, crossing my arms around my waist.

"Arlan, if I don't have a phone, how will I know you're here?"

"Easy," He shrugged, "I'll meet you in the front circle in front of the Ariana Whitman building at 2:30. At 2:30, you meet me in front of the Ariana Whitman building."

I frowned. That wasn't the answer I wanted, I wanted a phone. I opened my mouth to plead my case for a phone when he leaned over me and pecked my forehead, my stomach filling with disgust.

"Have a good day, babe," He drawled before he nodded at Nate to take me. I mumbled a thank you that I only half-heartedly meant.

Nate's taste in music sucks, and he keeps grumbling a sigh every five seconds. I get it, he hates me. Why does he have to be so God damn obvious about it? I drummed my fingers against his car window.

Suddenly, one of my favorite Queen songs came on the radio- I'm In Love With My Car. My spirits lifted as I straightened my body and sat up.

"I like this song, came out in 1975," I quietly say.

"No, it came out in '73."

My eyebrows scrunched together.

"That's impossible, they hadn't even released A Night At The Opera yet."

"Maybe it's an early demo."

"Why do you hate me?" I abrassively interrogate, my frustrations killing me.

His expressions are jolted, he looks quite shocked, uncomfortable. But I can't take it anymore, I need to know what I did. He likes Elise, why doesn't he like me? None of this was my fault and he took it so personally!

With a sigh of exasperation, he leans back against the headrest and tightly gripped the wheel.

"I don't hate you," he murmured.

"It feels like you do," I counter icily, agitated. "This isn't my fault, you know I was kidnapped."

"Aurora, I don't want this life," He snaps. "I don't want to be in the mafia, I was forced into it. Kids like me, vulnerable kids, who have nowhere to go, people take us and throw us into it without a choice. And...and everyday, I hope I can somehow get out. But...," He looks briefly at me, eyes glazing with sadness, before back to the road. "You being here? It's bad. It means Arlan's getting worse."

He sighed again.

"It's like...it's like every time I see you, I'm reminded of everything."

We sat in the rest of the car ride in silence, I wasn't quite sure what to say. The gravity of his words set in. I always thought I had it bad, and that it wasn't possible to have worse circumstances. I guess I was wrong. Nate was thrown into this with no choice.

"I'm sorry," Nate lowly says, quiet just enough for me to hear it. "I'm sorry, Aurora. Let's make it a good day, okay?" He softly smiles at me, though I can tell it's forced. He's sad.

Wordlessly, I look to him, and just simply nod. Maybe I shouldn't have taken his attitude personally.

"Over here is the cafeteria, there's indoor seating too, if it gets too cold. You swipe this once," He holds up my ID card, "And punch in your 4 digit student ID code. And the library is just behind there, the main one, anyway. And...I think that's it. You remember where your first class is?" Nate inquires.

I bite my lip, observing the bustling campus around me. There are so many students out, conversing with their friends or studying under a table or buying coffee. Everyone seemed so comfortable.

"Aurora?"

"I just...feel so out of place," I meet his eyes and sigh, picking at the hem of my T-shirt. "Like I shouldn't be here. Everyone is clearly not seventeen," I murmur to him between my teeth so no one will hear. "And I am. I don't know how to...fit in."

"You're overthinking it."

"Am I?"

"So your first class, it's,"-

"Commons Hall, I know," I sighed, adjusting my backpack. "Thank you, Nate. I think I can take it from here, it's not too-too big of a campus," I offer a small but sincere half-smile. And with that, I'm alone.

After what seemed like an intricate scavenger hunt of buildings and staircases and different lecture rooms, I finally reached my designated classroom. I stand cautiously at the door, peering at the long tables spread across the room holding students with their notebooks and laptops. With a deep breath in, I step into the room and immediately feel my face get heated. I seat myself all the way in the back, not looking who is around or next to me but just quickly sitting down.

"Welcome to Beginner's Psychology of Behavior and Anatomy, I'm Professor Sandusky," The lanky, young professor exclaimed from in front of his Smart Board. "And no, for you horny teenage boys, this is not a sex class."

The boys of the class errupted in grumbles of laughter at the raunchy joke, a few slapping palms with each other. I froze, feeling uncomfortable. Teachers would never kind of make that joke at my high school....

"Now, I know most of you are taking this class as a part of your General Education Course Requirements and are looking for an easy A, and not for my impeccable teaching skills and even better collection of ties," A few students giggled, "As you can see," He gestured at his silly tie covered in bulldogs and pugs. I cracked a small smile. It was a funny tie.

"In front of you are worksheets to brush up on the psychology and science you have learned in high school. It is not graded, just simply a refresher to see what you know. Turn to the person on your left, as you will be working together."

The caccaphone of chatter and paper sounds erupted making me flinch, looking around anxiously. I peered to my left hesitantly, the girl next to me was passionately mouthing to a song, her purple headphones connected to her iPhone.

I felt slightly agitated, why was she listening to music in class? But then, her animated expressions and aloof oblivion to the fact we had an assignment made me giggle. It was a bit ridiculous.

"To the left, to the left," She whispered, snaking her body to the left while shaking her hair slightly.

Her hair was wildly curly and ginger, just like Elise's, and I liked Elise. I trusted Elise, I felt comfortable around Elise and so I felt comfortable around this girl because she reminded me of her. I cautiously reached forward and padded my fingers on the girl's shoulders, to not scare her, and she jumped and looked at me with alarmed eyes. Tugging out her earphones quickly, I stifled a few giggles back.

"Um, we have an assignment, we're partners, sorry..."

"Oh shit," She mumbled and pushed her iPhone away, quickly looking at the paper.

She then offered me a quick, but kind smile, and I caught a better look of her face: Coated in honey-glazed freckles, her cheeks were plump and her eyes were a gentle, kind shade of green. She had eccentric purple eyeliner and a small, barely noticable nose stud adorning her nose, as well as a funky cheetah print tank top on.

"Sorry about that," She laughed sweetly, then paused and gave me an intrigued smile with slit eyes, examining me.

"Wait...who are you? I've never seen you before."

She turned her body to face me and I nervously played with the end of my ponytail.

"Uh...I-I,"-

"You're not that girl that left last semester to have twins and came back?"

My face fell.

"What? Oh, God, n-no, I-I,"-

She collapsed into giggles, stifling them with a hand to her mouth.

"I'm messing with you," Once her laughter subsided, she inhaled air and gave another kind smile. "I'm Hadley. Hadley Merrit."

"I'm Aurora," I say softly.

"So, really though, are you new?" She wiggles her eyebrows and I can't help but admire her off-beat makeup. No one's appearance was ever bold in my high school and while hers was a bit different, I liked that it didn't look the same as everyone else's.

"I am, yeah. I'm a freshman," My throat feels uncomfortable as the lies come out. How does Arlan lie so freely, not plagued with guilt?

"Ughhh," She sticks her tongue out dramatically and giggles. "Not the freshies...I'm a sophomore."

I sheepishly shrug.

"Anyway, what's your number?" She abruptly turns to face her paper and picks it up. "It says we have to exchange contact information."

Fuck.

"Um, actually...I don't have a phone."

"You don't have a phone?" She repeats, and a smirk spreads across her face. She pauses, thinking.

"Yeah, you're cool. We're definitely gonna be friends."

My heart blossomed with excitement, feeling a bit in disbelief. A friend? Someone...wanted to be my friend?

"Really?"

"Yeah! You're different. I like you, Aurora, you're cool. Let's grab lunch."

"So, what helped you decide your major, A?" Hadley asks, plucking a fry from her tray as we sat outside with our lunch.

Hadley had started calling me 'A' once we entered the cafeteria, I guess it was her nickname for me. The cafeteria was definitely overwhelming, I nearly almost forgot my student ID code and it was very crowded. The area outside where we sat to watch was relatively calm, with a few occasional students walking to and from class around us.

"Uh, oh...I love animals," I nodded, answering her question.

Everything was so intriguing here, so much more casual than high school life. I couldn't help but be distracted by taking in my surroundings. Hadley gasped excitedly.

"Me too! I've actually been vegetarian for a couple of years."

My jaw fell open, head snapping in her direction.

"Really?! I-I always wanted to be! My, uh, my parents never really let me..." I trail off.

"Yeah, well, I actually didn't want to be at first, so don't think I'm too much of a saint," Hadley snorted. "But my twin brother's super into it and eventually he managed to convince me and now, I love pigs! I could never eat another one! There's this vegetarian place across campus"-

Suddenly, Hadley ducked and dodged an incoming frisbie as it flew past her head and I gasped, turning behind me and then back to her.

"Holy shit, oh my God, are you okay?!" I gasp.

"Yeah, yeah don't worry...," She exhales and pats her hair down.

"Speak of the devil," She sneered playfully, shaking her head and laughing dryly, narrowing her eyes.

An equally as ginger and, if not more, freckle-covered boy jogged over, biting his lip. He looked equal parts painfully apologetic and amused, laughing a deep and raspy laugh. He ruffled Hadley's hair.

"Sorry, sis," He leaned down to retrieve his frisbee.

With a dramatic eyeroll, Hadley explained, "Aurora, this is my slightly idiotic twin brother."

"I'm Beck," He grinned and I felt butterflies blossom in my stomach.

He looked like the human embodiment of a friendly lion, with red velvet ringlets curled around his head and honest, honey brown eyes that glowed with the sun's reflection. He was more freckles than face, the orange spots consuming him, and his bare arms exposed from his oversized t-shirt had little brown freckles like delicate coffee drops. He was art.

Holy shit. My heart was beating fast, and my heart never beats fast around boys. I felt nervous for the first time around a boy because...I was attracted to him, and I had never experienced this before. I realize I had been silent for seven seconds and silently cursed myself before stuttering:

"U-uh, I'm,"-

"This is A," Hadley smirked and finished for me, looking from me to him. "She's in Psych with me and she's cool. And, before you so rudely ruined a kick-ass hair day, I was telling her about the vegetarian restaurant across campus. You know, the one you work at?"

Hadley ruffled Beck's mess of curly hair and he shook his head away from her like a dog, palming her face with his hand.

In a fit of laughter, Hadley retorted, "Next time you try to cause a near-death experience for me, I'll think twice about giving you promo."

"You a vegetarian?" He asks me, and when his eyes are on mine, my body is on fire. He's looking at me. He wants to look at me-me, of all people, plain as can be, this beautiful man is looking at me and I'm so fucking flustered.

"Yeah," I say simply, smiling and nodding. It's all the confidence I can muster, which isn't much.

"Dope, you should both come by tomorrow! My shift is 3-8. Free burgers on me."

"Aye, Beck!" his friends called for him.

He ruffles his twin sister's hair once more before looking back to me again, "Aurora, it was delightful to meet you," He grins, starting to jog back to his friend group.

"AND YOU BETTER GIVE ME FREE FRIES TOO!" Hadley screams, picking up a couple fries and throwing them in his direction.

I giggled at her frustration, watching her shake her head.

"Yeah, that's my brother, as I was saying before his annoying ass came over. I guess I love him, or whatever," She shrugged, playfully rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, he seems nice," I added, my heart still fucking racing.

I didn't know what was wrong with me, I had never reacted like this to a boy before. Was this my first ever crush? I couldn't stop thinking about him...the friendly lion. And I absolutely couldn't wait to see his beautiful face again tomorrow.