I arrive at the Foxbury campus and make my way to student housing. I will not be staying in the dorms for my first term. Instead, I’ll be at the edge of campus in Maritime Manor, which happens to be for guys only. It’s also a remodeled version of the daycare that I attended back when I was a kid. I guess the college decided to stop funding the daycare, so they turned it into additional housing. Either way, I find it kind of cool to be back here all these years later.
There will be five guys living here. I happen to have the only single bedroom – everyone else will be sharing. I don’t know how I lucked up on that, but I’m grateful. I put up my new pic of myself with Pop-pop and try to decide what to do next.
There’s a Utili-Bot contest happening on campus, so I head out the door. Outside, I meet two of my roommates Jayden and Loke, who are playing basketball out front. They seem pretty cool. I ask them if they want to join me on the Quad for the bot contest. Jayden’s not interested, but Loke says he might meet me there later.
The campus seems slightly smaller than I remember as a child. But I’m beginning to realize that everything is enormous around you when you’re little. It still takes me a while to make my way across the campus. Finally, I arrive at the bot contest, but it doesn’t seem exciting if you don’t have your own bot to enter. I don’t stay very long.
I find a booth that sells Foxbury gear. I purchase a sweatsuit and change into it before making my way to the student center. There, I run into my good friends Vern and Liliana.
Liliana attends Foxbury, so seeing her isn’t a surprise. But Vern attends Britechester. I walk over to greet them.
Kai: *to Vern* Why are you even here?
Vern: My friends are here.
Kai: Why did you decide to go to Britechester, then?
Vern: Three words – better distinguished programs
Kai: Better? Whatever, bro. Foxbury is where all the more intelligent people attend.
Vern: Didn’t your mom graduate from Britechester?
Kai: Right, forget I said that.
Vern and Liliana grab drinks as I settle down at one of the nearby tables.
Kai: What are you even studying at Britechester? Whatever you’re majoring in there – you could have majored in here.
Vern: Yeah, but Britechester is more prestigious.
Vern hasn’t changed since he was a child. He used to love to brag then, and he still finds ways to boast now.
Kai: According to whom? It’s just more expensive – nothing less, nothing –
Vern: *interrupts as he pulls out his buzzing cell phone* Hold on, I need to respond to this.
While Vern is completing a text, I look to the left and see a girl walking by.
She’s beautiful, and there’s something about her that completely captures my attention. Time slows for a moment as we make brief eye contact before she averts her eyes and keeps walking.
Kai: *quietly to Vern* Oh, Watcher! Vern, check her out!
Vern responds but never looks up. He’s still busy with his text.
Vern: Uh-huh
I take another glance, but she doesn’t look again.
Vern: Stop staring and talk to her!
Kai: I can’t just talk to her. What the heck would I even say? Do you see her?
The girl is suddenly standing right beside me with her back turned, pouring herself a mug of coffee.
My new roommate approaches our table at that exact moment.
Loke: What up, roomie?
Kai: Hey Loke, this is Vern. Vern, Loke.
Loke: What’s going on?
Vern: He’s too scared to approach a girl.
Kai: I’m not scared! Do you see her?
I nod to my right.
Loke: Yeah. Go say hi.
Vern and Loke are right. If there was ever a good time to walk up and introduce myself, now would be it. But I feel as if I’m stuck to my seat. I realize that I am scared. This feels different than when I approached Annette at the coffee shop. This time it really matters to me how the girl responds.
Vern finally gets a good look at the girl as she turns and begins to walk away.
Vern: Oh yeah – she’s not ugly, dude. You’d better hurry up! She’s leaving.
My brain says get up, but my body is like “hell no”! I can’t walk up to a girl that looks like that in front of my friend and roommate. If she shoots me down – like I’m afraid she would, I’d lose a whole lot of cool points. So I shrug and try to play it off like I’m not that interested.
Suddenly, I’m saved by my cell – as I receive a call from Annette.
Kai: No time, bruh. I’ve got plans!
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
Thanks for reading! Please hit the “like” button below to let me know you were here! Keep scrolling if you’d like to leave a comment. 🥰
