Chapter 3

Aarya

Phew! After enduring a grueling 20-hour flight, I finally touched down at the airport. The exhaustion weighed heavily on my back, reminding me that such long flights weren't friendly to one's back. Anxiety bubbled within me, but I wore a mask of composure, remembering the adage, "fake it till you make it," that echoed through my mind. Stepping out of the plane into the frigid weather, I was grateful for having the foresight to wear a jacket.

Amidst the hustle of finishing immigration formalities and retrieving my bags, I found a moment of quiet reflection. Standing there, waiting for my cab I felt conflicted. Hauling my bags out, I spotted my Uber and embarked on the beginning of my adventure in this foreign land. As I navigated the unfamiliar city, crowds of strangers rushed around me, a stark contrast to the quaint village I had left behind. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought of my family and the life I had known.

Summoning a deep breath, I decided to video call my parents. Despite the late hour in India, I needed to hear their voices to quell the nervousness building within me. My father answered after just two rings, and I couldn't help but grin. It was evident he had been eagerly anticipating my call. During the ride to my new abode, I spoke with them, occasionally showing them glimpses of the view from the cab window.

Finally arriving at the address, I maneuvered my luggage out of the car, ready to embrace this new country, city, and life. As I entered my dorm room, I was met with an unexpected sight: a rather intense make-out session in progress. Flustered and caught off guard, I instinctively turned around, my cheeks aflame with embarrassment.

My cheeks flushed, and I quickly averted my gaze and said, "Ahh, I am so sorry. I did.. didn't know."

Amused chuckles followed my hasty exit. "Hey, no worries! You must be Aarya," a lively voice addressed me. Turning around, I faced them, " Hey I am your new roommate. How are you? How was your flight? Do—"

I had to stifle a chuckle at her rapid-fire questions. "Relax, Lea," a male voice interjected. "You're speaking too fast for her to respond. Hey, my name is Steven, and I'm Lea's… ma.. well, uh, boyfriend," he said, waving a greeting.

I greeted him in return. "Hello, Steven. My name is Aarya. It's great to meet you. And I apologize for entering without knocking earlier."

Steven chuckled and kissed Lea on the cheek. “This is your room as well. There’s no need to be sorry. Anyway, I’ll let you get comfortable. Nice to meet you, Aarya. I’ll see you later, babe. I love you.”

A familiar warmth spread across my cheeks as I glanced away. "I love you too. Bye," Lea's words lingered in the air, an intimate moment shared.

With Steven gone, Lea turned her attention back to me. "So, Aarya, let's make you comfortable. Are you hungry? I'm absolutely famished."

A shared laugh accompanied the dragging of my luggage, and I found myself liking Lea immediately. "I could definitely eat," I responded, grateful for her welcoming demeanor.

Left alone with Lea, she wasted no time in making me feel comfortable. After some laughter and conversation, we devoured pizza, sharing stories and learning about each other. Strangely, I felt a sense of ease around her like I had known her for ages, a desire to trust and protect her. There was an unspoken connection, a sense of ease that resonated between us. It surprised me how naturally our camaraderie was developing when I hardly have any friends in my village.

As the sun rose on a new day, I was roused from slumber by Lea's enthusiastic energy. However, my response was far from elegant. Instead of awakening gracefully, a pillow met Lea's face as a result of an unintended pillow fight. Laughter erupted, and we quickly readied ourselves for the day ahead. Stepping out onto the sprawling campus, a blend of excitement and nervousness coursed through us, uniting us in laughter.

I gawked at the campus and college building. I have seen many pictures but nothing beats the real deal. Many students looked busy running around. We looked at each other a bit nervous.

Amid our shared excitement and nervousness, Lea offered comforting words. "Don't worry, Aarya. Everything will be alright. Let's head to the admissions office and sort out our schedules. Fingers crossed, we'll have some classes together."

Arriving at the admissions office, we were greeted by the kind smile of a sweet old lady. “Excuse me, are you Mrs. Denis?” I inquired.

“Yes, dear,” she said with a grin. “How may I help you?”

“I’m Aarya Verma, and this is Lea Port; may we please have our schedules?” I inquire. Mrs. Denis handed us our schedules and said, “Sure, take this.”

Armed with these schedules and brimming with hope, we navigated the labyrinthine corridors, eager to locate our first classes. The students rushed towards the class with nervous eyes and awkward smiles. Settling into our seats for one of our shared classes we waited for it to start.

The lecturer addressed us. “Hello, my name is Landon Page, and I’m your lecturer. For a few days, we assigned all the new students to a senior student as their guide. On this list, I mentioned your partner. Please double-check this before leaving the class. Near the lab, all the seniors will wait for their partners.”

The ensuing 45 minutes of class felt interminable as we anxiously awaited its conclusion. Once the class finally ended, a wave of excitement swept through the room as students began searching for their assigned senior partners. Amid the buzz, Lea couldn't contain her elation. "Guess who's my senior partner!" Her voice carried across the room, brimming with excitement.

Suppressing a laugh, I urged her to lower her voice. "Calm down, Lea. Who is it?"

With a grin that threatened to light up the room, she exclaimed, "Steven!!!! OMG, I'm so excited!" Her dance of joy was infectious.

Chuckling, I responded, "Well, you lucked out there! And who's mine?"

"Your senior partner is Nyx Coleman. I recently met her. She's friends with Steven, and don't worry, she's pretty cool," Lea assured me. "Come on, let's go meet them."

Joining in Lea's excitement, I followed her towards Steven. Lea enthusiastically greeted Steven, hugging him tightly she buried her head in his neck. I looked anywhere except for them it's so weird. After she was done kissing Steven Lea turned her attention to me. "Aarya, this is Nyx."

My eyes turned to Nyx, Steven's friend and now my senior partner. Her striking appearance, with red hair and blue eyes, was reminiscent of Rose Leslie from Game of Thrones.

"Hiya, my name is Nyx. It's a pleasure to meet you," she greeted me, her voice infused with genuine warmth. Her easy confidence made me feel welcomed.

With a light-hearted tease, she added, "Let me show you around campus while these two lovebirds sully the nearby janitor's closet." As Nyx walked ahead, I followed, feeling both grateful and slightly taken aback by the openness and camaraderie of these new friends I had just met. These people are way too okay with this kind of talks.