Chapter Three
Harshal
Today is the first day of school and I’m beyond excited. I wake up ten minutes before my alarm goes off so like anyone else, I flip over in my bed and try to fall asleep again. I fail and jump when my alarm finally goes off. A knock comes at the door and Brunelle’s voice comes through the it.
“Harshal! It’s time to wake up.”
“I’m already up.” I say, beginning to climb out of bed.
Opening the door I walk past her and head to the bathroom. I get a whiff of one of her many cupcake smelling perfumes and it makes my stomach growl. She must’ve heard it because she giggles and says,
“I made you two waffles and a hashbrown.”
“Thanks.” I say entering the bathroom.
I was so discombobulated when I came home last night that I forgot to take a shower to get all the sweat and stuff off my body.
So, I turn on the shower, strip out of my clothing, and step in without checking the water.
The water isn’t hot enough for me so I adjust it to my liking before standing underneath the waterfall spray.
First, I grab the shampoo and begin to wash my locs which doesn’t take long since my hair only grazes my shoulders.
I got them when I was a freshman in high school and fell in love with them.
They’re so much easier to maintain than the mini afro I had before them.
After washing my hair I begin to wash my body.
Once my bathroom visit is finished I head back to my room with a towel wrapped around my waist and head for my closet.
Picking out an outfit I throw it on before entering the kitchen to get the breakfast my best friend made for me.
Speaking of my best friend she’s on the couch eating her own breakfast while watching some Reality TV show. I shake my head.
“You and your reality shows.” I say, before taking a bite of my hashbrowns.
“Shut up, I need my daily drama before I head to class.” She says.
I smile. “Who wants to watch drama to start their day?”
“Shh, just hush, it’s something you’ll never understand.” She said, her eyes never leaving the TV screen.
I finally sit down at the island and pull out my phone to look at my school schedule.
First class is English. I groan internally.
I hate English classes, especially in college, because of the stupid essays we have to write.
I need to be there at eight o’clock which is in thirty minutes.
Nice, campus isn’t that far from here so I’ve got time before class starts.
“Have you thought about what job you’re going to get so we can pay the bills here?” I ask.
“Uh I can’t decide if I want to work on or off campus, but I do have some jobs I want to work at either way it goes.” She responds.
She gets off the couch and walks to the kitchen. She rinses her plate off before putting it in the dishwasher.
“You?” she asks.
“I need a minute to look around.”
I’m grateful my grandfather paid for our rent, utilities, and stuff to get us in this apartment but now the rest is up to us. If we fail to keep up anything then it’s on us, no one else.
“Well we have a month before any bills come so we’ve got a little time.” She states. “But I don’t think it’s best to procrastinate on it.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” I deadpan.
“Just saying.” She says. “Well I’m off, need to get my feel of the campus so I won’t get lost trying to figure out where my classes are.”
She walks back to the living room and grabs her bag before turning off the TV and heading to the door.
“See you later.” She says.
“Bye.” I smile.
With that I sigh before finishing my breakfast and finally starting my first day of school.
***
I get to my English class I see a bunch of people out in the hall. I frown as I look at the watch I decided to put on before I left the apartment. I thought maybe I am early, but it turns out that I am not. It’s eight on the dot.
“Why are we standing out here?” I ask two girls.
They stop talking and frown as they look me up and down. One is dressed in an excruciatingly short dress while the other has a red bow holding her ponytail. The one with the red bow smacks her lips before she says,
“The professor obviously isn’t in yet.”
The other girl snickers as they huddle back up and continue their conversation. Oh-kay. I didn’t know asking a simple question would be offensive or annoying to them. Sighing I lean against the wall and pull out my phone, pulling up my text thread with Brunelle.
Me: Hey, are you in class yet?
A minute or so passes before I get a text back from her.
Brunelle: Yes, you?
Brunelle: My professor doesn’t know when to stop talking though.
I chuckle and the girls turn around to look at me.
“What you laughing at?” the one wearing the dress asks.
“Nothing concerning you, babes.” I respond.
“No, he was laughing at you when you said that you got rejected by Wraith.” The other girl says.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Out of all the girls that could possibly be my classmates I had to get these two, ugh.
“I’m sorry who exactly is Wraith?” I ask.
“Ugh, the hottest guy on campus.” Red Bow replies. “Completely out your league.”
“What makes you think I’m into guys?” I ask.
I know I like men and have known since I was in kindergarten I just never acted on my feelings toward anyone until high school which then led to a bad breakup. He was an emotionally and physically abusive asshole which helped lead to a bad breakup.
“I don’t assume, I just—”
“Sorry I’m late you guys traffic is crazy sometimes here in Arizona.” The professor said as he approaches his classroom door.
Thank goodness he showed up when he did because I have a feeling I wouldn’t’ve liked the direction the conversation with the girls would’ve went.
“Lived here my whole life and still can’t believe the traffic here.” One guy remarks.
We then filter into the classroom. Talking with the snooty girls made me forget about the text thread with Brunelle. So I just send her laughing and crying emoji before taking a seat. The class talks amongst themselves as the professor gets himself together.
“Alright, my name is Professor Stilex and I will be your English teacher this semester.” He announces, writing his name on the board.
He sits his marker down and turns to face us with a warm smile on his face.
“And I’ve read six books over the summer break.” He continues. “Now I want each and every one of you to introduce yourself and state how many books you’ve read over break, if any.”
I begin to rethink my summer vacation and try to remember if I read any books this summer.
I was about to say I didn’t but then I remember I read a memoir about a person who was a nurse attending the soldiers in World War II.
It was one of the best memoirs I’ve read in a while even though I rarely read.
I thought it was interesting given the fact that it’s a story told in the eyes of a nurse during a pressing time and the stress they were under to help as many injured soldiers as possible, along with protecting themselves etc.
Also, I’m studying to be a nurse so I just wanted to see the life of being a nurse through the eyes of someone else, even though I won’t be attending someone injured during a war.
The introductions begin and they start with the two girls I met out in the hall. Red Bow rises, her ponytail swinging in the wind.
“Hello everyone, my name is Kinsely and I’m not a fan of reading so I didn’t read any books over the summer.”
“Nice to meet you Kinsely.” Professor Stilex smiles. “Kinsely Mount?”
“Yes sir.” She replies.
“Okay thanks, this is helping me take attendance as well.” Professor Stilex chuckles, which earns a few chuckles from the class as well.
Kinsely beams a smile so big it looks like it hurts before nodding and sitting back down. Her friend stands next.
“Hello, my name is Emma Levi and I read two books this summer one being an autobiography by Zyn Wylth and the other being a thriller by Y. Mikeyz.”
Professor Stilex gasps. “I love Y. Mikeyz’s work, it just sucks that we don’t know if the author is a male or female given the fact we’ve never seen them.”
“Honestly, but nevertheless their work is phenomenal.” Emma comments.
“Yes, it is and nice to meet you, Emma.”
The introductions continue and when it’s my turn I state my name and how many books I read. When I mention the memoir someone in the class pipes up and says,
“Oh yeah I read that book, it’s so sad, particularly the ending.”
I turn to the person and smile brightly.
“It was honestly and a little dark if you ask me.”
She nods. “I especially love the fact that it was a story about a young woman of color in the United States being as powerful and strong as she was.”
“That is what America needs right there, diversity. We as a country need to focus more on those who helped the country become the amazing thing that it is instead of the people taking credit for all the hard work when they’ve barely done anything if anything to begin with.” Professor Stilex says.
“Especially when it comes to our women.” A young woman pipes up.
“Yes!” Professor Stilex says. “That is why this semester we are only reading novels with women of color being the main characters and them telling their stories, but don’t worry, for those who don’t like non-fiction all these novels are fiction but are inspired by powerful women in history.”
“About time.” A guy says.
Professor Stilex smiles. “Yes, it is.”
He chuckles.
“I love a good woman telling her story.” He says. “It’s how I met my wife.”
The introductions continue and I soon learn that the young woman who liked the book I read is Rasmin.