Chapter 1 (new student)

I entered the lecture hall and sat behind, as usual, I was late. I disliked morning lectures and coming to classes so early.

This morning we were having philosophy and I kind of enjoyed the course and the lectures. Our lecturer was Professor Silver Springs, who was a renowned philosopher in the country he was about sixty years of age, he was always on low cuts and he wears tailcoats most of the time. His classes were interesting and lively, he was very good at lecturing the course.

When I was well seated on my chair, I brought out my textbooks and notebook from my bag and I was ready to listen to what Prof Silver was saying but then Luke Calvin the new transfer student entered the hall.

I watched him as he took a seat at the front of the lecture hall, weird enough, this had been three weeks since he was transferred into this college and hadn't spoken to anyone since that time, yet he was so popular, talks about him spread like wildfire, and there were countless gossip and rumours about him flying around in school. I didn't know whether it was because of his good looks or because he had a peculiar character that everyone loved talking about that made him this popular. But no doubt, he was very handsome, he had sea blue eyes, he had long lashes, he had a chiselled jawline, he was tall and muscular--he was every girl's dream.

"Essss. Has Luke Calvin carried your mind somewhere else again?" Emily my best friend whispered into my ears and tapped my shoulders rapidly, pulling me out of my trance, I was mooning at Luke's breathtaking features.

"No-no I wasn't even thinking of him," I stammered my reply and pretended as if I was listening to what Mr Silver was saying. "I was thinking of something else."

"Really Cruise? That's the best lie you can give?" She raised an eyebrow. "I have been there and I am still there Cruise." Emily could tell whether I was lying or not even though no one could--I wonder how she does it, maybe it was because we have been best friends since we were four and she knew me as a sister that was why she could detect whether I was lying or not, I have spent more than half of my life with her and all the moment of our lives we spent together were so precious to me.

"No, I am not lying. I can't be sitting here daydreaming about Luke when I got exams next week," I still defended my lie, I flipped the pages of my textbook and pretended like I was reading it.

"You were staring and drooling at him so much that I thought you were being hypnotized. You were surely daydreaming about him," she said shaking her head slowly, "You should go talk to him Cruise, or this will just get worse."

Talk to him? That was impossible, I couldn't do that! He wouldn't want to talk to someone like me. I've heard of how he snubbed everyone both boys and girls who approached him to start a conversation, and I, who was almost a nobody in school can't even try that, he wouldn't even pay attention to me.

"No, I can't. I don't think that would be a good idea," I voiced my mind, even though I am against meeting up with him and then starting a conversation, a part of me wanted it.

"I'm sure it is a great idea, you can't say whether it's a great idea or not if you don't try it out." She smirked and gave me a convincing look. "By the way, he won't do anything to you if you talk to him. Would he?"

"A try? Yes he would, he could snub me or do something worse," I told her and she chuckled.

"You're being silly, Cruise, he won't do such, I guess," she contemplated, her facial expression showing that she wasn't sure about it.

"You aren't sure about it?" She nodded. "Oh my God, Emily and you want me to go for it."

"Yes, I did say you should, who knows whether he might answer you and then you guys become acquainted."

Acquainted with me? She must be joking! This school had many girls who are better than me in every way, I am certain that I won't even be his last choice of acquaintance.

"Please say something realistic," I doubted.

"So you are saying that you aren't sexy and capable enough to be that asshole's friend?" She raised an eyebrow questioning and I shrugged.

"I just don't think. I am certain that I am light years away from his choice of girls. I am not even capable of winning Tom's heart." She gasped. Yes, Tom, the most idiotic boy in school who is hated by every single girl in this school, was such a big pervert, ugly and annoying, No girl wanted to have something to do with him.

"That's some low self-esteem you got there, Cruise." She shook her head in disappointment and I began rethinking my decision, if I walk up to him and talk to him it might not be that bad. But girls are not usually the ones that start up a conversation...ugh, this was so difficult.

I had no idea why she was disappointed I was just being careful and starting conversations is not my thing, I suck in it as much as I suck in lawn tennis.

She started packing her notebooks and textbooks into her bag as soon as the lecturer announced the end of the lecture, whilst I was looking for Luke, he was nowhere to be found, he had zoomed out of the lecture room as usual, and he is always the first to leave--so much of a social life.

"Stop looking for him, Cruise, you know where to find him." Emily said and I became shocked, how did she know that I was looking for him? "Let's go."

We stepped out of the lecture room and Emily started pinching my dress all of a sudden, I was sure that she has not changed to an annoying bed bug.

"What is it, Emily? I am not ready to play with you, I got-" I tried explaining to her that I was not in the mood for her games.

"Shut your big mouth up, and look at what I found," she snapped and pointed at Luke like he was some hidden treasure she just found. I turned my head sharply and I saw Luke walking down the hallway, he walked with so much confidence, each of his strides seemed like they were calculated, and he was so handsome even from behind.

"Go for it Cruise. Go claim him." She winked at me and I was confused. Was he a lottery?

This girl was truly a devil, she had finally succeeded in convincing me to go talk to him as my legs began acting on their own and I saw myself chasing down Luke. What am I doing?

I have to try, I have to be brave, who knows whether we could be friends? I continued chasing after him before he will go too far away from this place. I was finally fifteen feet away from him and I slowed down, his back was facing me and I suddenly feel nervousness seeping into me.

What was I going to say to him? I thought as I was closing on him, he noticed that I was behind him and he turned. He stared at me and I froze, he was more handsome than I thought, he looked so superficial with his sea-blue eyes and his chiselled jawline and long lashes made me drool.

His eyes scanned me and I stood there stiffly like the Statue of Liberty...

"Why can't I move?" I cried in my mind.