Chapter 1

Aria Carrington

 Aria, wake up! It’s your first day of college, and you want to be late already?"

"Ughhh… I’m awake. Just give me five minutes, at least make me some tea in the meantime."

"Fine, but hurry up!"

Good morning to myself. Everything in my life isn’t perfect—I know that. It’s not the worst, either, but some things feel so out of place. I guess I’m just a miserable kid with a short temper and a tendency to get irritated easily. My parents are supportive—there’s no doubt about that—but they struggle to keep up with this modern world. It’s not their fault, though. They are who they are because of how they were raised. Maybe they aren’t really like this but just pretend to be, so I can stay focused on my studies instead of getting distracted by the outside world."

Their intentions were good, but somewhere along the way, it felt more like a curse for my mental health than a blessing. But today, a new chapter begins, and I don’t want to dwell on the bad times. I’m looking forward to good things, things I won’t regret later.

Still, it’s hard. Some wounds haven’t healed, and one incident in particular broke me. But I’m trying to pull myself together. Today is a fresh start—a new day, a new place. High time to move on, Aria.

_____________

"Is my tea ready?"

"Yes, come and get it."

She took a sip. "Mmm, nice. Where’s Dad?"

"He’s reading the newspaper over there."

"Good morning, Dad!"

"Good morning, bro!"

"Why do you call me ‘bro’ and not by my name? I mean, I like it, but is there a reason?"

"We don’t take the name of the eldest child in our home," he chuckled.

"But I’m your only child, Dad."

"Still, you’re the eldest, aren’t you?"

"Yes… Never mind," she laughed.

"Did you iron my dress again? Thank you."

"I’ve been doing that since you started school. Nothing new."

"I know, but still."

She hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her cheek to his.

"All the best for today."

"Thank youuuu!"

_______

Here I was, standing in front of my college after all the hard work it took to get here. "Please, God, don’t make my first day miserable. Please."

I was early—thanks to Dad’s perpetual advice to leave extra time for unexpected delays on the road. I arrived an hour before the staff had even fully assembled. Ugh.

Wandering around the campus, I spotted a dance hall. A flood of memories hit me, and I struggled to breathe. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself, a routine I’d perfected since he left.

"Why am I thinking about him again? Forget it, Aria. Move on," I muttered to myself.

As the minutes ticked by, students began to arrive. The bell for my first period was about to ring, so I started walking briskly toward my class, which was in the opposite corridor. No way was I running and making a spectacle of myself on the first day.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice my surroundings. I suddenly found myself in the middle of a huge crowd of boys—it was near the boys' washroom, of course. My chest tightened. Crowds, especially of boys, made my anxiety spike.The noise—laughter, shoes scuffing, voices overlapping—became deafening. My breathing grew shallow, and my vision blurred. My legs felt like lead, refusing to move.

"Not again, Aria," I scolded myself. "Stop thinking about that incident."

Just as I was trying to ground myself, a sudden shove broke my paralysis. Someone had collided with me, nearly falling in the process. I instinctively grabbed him to steady him.

"Thank you," he said, regaining his balance.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"No, no need to apologize. But thank you again. It’s my first day, and I’m really excited!"

"Excuse me?" I snapped, irritated.

"I said, thank you—"

"No, I mean, repeat what you just said. I didn’t hear you properly."

"How rude," he muttered and walked off.

"Is every boy like this?" I sighed.

A glance at my watch snapped me out of my thoughts—only two minutes until class started. "Run, run, run!" I weaved through the crowd and made it to my classroom just in time.

 _______________

Inside the classroom, I spotted Ivy, the girl I had met during orientation. She waved enthusiastically, signaling for me to join her. I nodded, relieved to see a familiar face. She was seated on the fourth bench in the middle row—a sweet spot, neither too close to the teacher nor far enough to be a backbencher.

As I slid into the seat next to her, Ivy launched into conversation, her energy pulling me out of my anxious haze. She shared stories about her morning, her family, and her first impressions of the college. I engaged with her, sharing just enough to keep the conversation going but holding back anything too personal. I wasn’t looking for close friendships—not after everything I’d been through.

While she spoke, my mind wandered back to my own thoughts, replaying the morning’s events and lingering memories.

"Aria, are you even listening to me?" Ivy asked suddenly, snapping me back to reality.

"Yes, yes," I blurted out, trying to sound convincing.

"Really? Then what did I just say?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

My mind raced for an answer, guilt prickling at the edges of my thoughts. I was about to fumble for an excuse when, thankfully, the lecturer walked in. Saved by the bell—or, in this case, by the professor.

The class began with the usual introductions—names, aspirations, and other first-day formalities. It was mundane but comforting, giving me a chance to collect myself.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***