LS: The Beginning (2 page)

"This must have cost you so much. Thank you," I said.

"Actually, it's my husband's. He hardly uses it, so we decided you should have it."

“Thank you, once again."

"You're welcome, dear. I'm glad you're happy."

"Yeah that reminds me, how are my cousins?” I asked, moving round my new car.

“They’re good. Stacey says she'll be your college guide. I think she happens to know almost everything that goes on in school.”

“That’s cool. I can’t wait to see her. It's been a while,” I said.

“No worries, she’s already here,” Susan replied, looking toward the black gate.

The same car that picked me from the airport drove on to the estate. At first, I couldn't see the passenger because of the car's tinted windows. So I walked to the car and opened the back door. Stacey stepped out with a warm smile on her face that was just like my mother's; it stretched across her two cheeks. Stacey was the only relative I'd played with when I was a kid. Since then, we only traded few emails and calls.

“What took you so long?” she asked

“There was a flight delay."

"Really, or you missed your flight?" she teased.

"Nope, there was a flight delay."

“All right, if you say so,” she replied. “How was your flight?”

“Very well, thank you.”

I placed my arm around her shoulder as we walked to the front door of the house.
My house
. We entered the living room and sat down, and discussed a bit about my flight experience.  I realized I had so many stories to tell Stacey.

I w

as aware of Susan observing us for some time, then she interrupted the conversation. “Stephen, you'll need to go to the bank tomorrow and request to see Fred Bellow. Here's his card.” She withdrew a golden case from her purse and handed me the man's business card. “Since you were born, your parents have been saving money for you, so don't be surprised when you see your account summary. Over here, we call it A Trust Fund. Do make sure you take your American Passport along. In the meantime, there's an envelope in the first drawer of your room's desk. I believe that will keep tide you over until your account is sorted. Also, you need to register with the doctor. Stacey will take you to our family doctor. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me.”

“Okay. Thank you so much for everything once again,” I said.

“You're welcome, dear, but do thank your parents as well,” she added.

“Yeah, I will.”

Susan turned to look at her purse. “One last thing,” she said. “I hope you brought your international driving license, because you wouldn’t be able to drive your new car without it.”

I nodded.

“Yeah, it’s in my hand luggage.”

“Beautiful. The international license will last you for a year, and then you’ll need a US driving license to continue driving. Later, we’ll discuss about doing a formal driving test and so on. Stacey will help you if you fail to understand the road signs, but read this first.” She pointed at the book that was on top the center table.

I picked up the book and looked at it. “I read a similar book before coming. Mom wanted me to be prepared for my stay in the US. However, reading it again wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Susan smiled; she seemed so pleased.

I glanced at Stacey.

“I was wondering if Stacey could stay with me, at least for a while.”

Susan turned to look at her daughter, who then nodded in approval even though it wasn't sought.

“Sure, why not! I don't see any harm with that. I'll have to check it with her father when I get home.”

"Thanks."

Shortly, Susan left for her house but Stacey stayed behind to make sure I knew the location of the college and got there at the right time.

Feeling tired and exhausted, I went to the bathroom to freshen up, which helped diminish the jet lag. Afterwards, I retired to bed. I had a couple of hours before getting ready for my first day at college. 

Chapter Two

First Day At College

Being a light sleeper, I always heard when someone attempted to creep up on me, but this time was different – I was fast asleep. I guess it was because of the long flight. I kept hearing, “Wake up, Stephan,” in my dream. The more I heard it, the higher its pitch became. Then I felt the touch of a soft and tender palm, but I turned my head to the other side of the bed and continued sleeping. The palm touched me again and with that I knew it wasn’t a dream.

As I opened my eyes, I saw Stacey sitting beside me. 

“Good morning," I said.

“Good morning, Steph. Get ready, your first lecture starts in less than two hours,” she said.

“Oh, okay. I’ll be out in a bit.” I sat upright and frowned, wishing I’d arrived during welcome week.  

As Stacey strode towards the door, she glanced at me. “
I hope he doesn’t go back to bed
,” she said.

“I will,” I answered.

She raised her eyebrows as he face turned bright red. “I didn’t say anything. How did you know what I was thinking?” she asked.

Sadly, she didn’t wait for a response as she closed the door behind her. I shook my head.
But she just said…
Maybe she’s just trying to mess with my head
, my subconscious said.

I climbed out of bed and took a hot shower, and selected a white shirt, blue pants and a white pair of shoes – my usual dress code. Before sleeping, I'd thought the cold would subside, but it seemed worse that morning, even when I was still indoors. So I wore a jacket that reached my knees and took a pair of leather gloves from the closet, in an attempt to ease my situation.

Before leaving my room, I opened the drawer Susan had described and found a white envelope inside. I grinned upon opening it, and the green dollar bills smiled back.

Stacey and I met on the stairway as I was heading to the kitchen. Her warm chestnut eyes glistened, but not compared to her black hair. She seemed prettier than the girl who woke me up; perhaps because of the makeup she now wore. Sadly, we didn’t have time to cook breakfast before college so we ate cold cereal.

“I hope you’re as good as my mom said?” Stacey asked as we arrived at the car.

“Yeah I can drive, but you know, actions speak louder than words.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, sliding into the car.

My driving wasn’t as bad as she’d expected – at least, that was her comment after a few minutes in the car with me. Well, I begged to differ. I was a good and careful driver, and that was my driving instructor‘s comment. The road signs weren’t much of a difficulty as Susan had posed. The few ones I didn’t recognize, Stacey helped me out.

As we drove to college, I hardly noticed any greenery in Sloutenville; all I could see were tall buildings and landscapes. However, I couldn't conclude on her geography just yet because I hadn't seen the entire city. One thing I knew about the city was that it was located in the Northern part of US, close to a city called Minneapolis.

Thanks to Stacey, I was able to get to college on time. She directed me to the students' parking lot and informed me about the rules and regulations in order to park there. I climbed out of the car, walked over to the passenger’s side and opened her door. She was also excited to resume school; her cheerful grin was a definite sign.

I looked around the parking lot and there were several buildings, but unlike my previous school, they were all labeled, making it easy for one to find his or her way around. Also, there were sign posts which helped navigation as well. Stacey and I followed the signpost that led to the reception.

“My lecture halls are a couple of blocks away. I’ll meet you at the main cafeteria. Let’s say after your first lecture
. I trust you'll find your way? Call me if you lose your way,” she said as we walked towards the reception

“Yup, I’ll be there,” I confirmed.

“Wonderful. Have a nice first day at college,” she said.

I smiled.

“Thanks, you too."

I followed the signposts to a building that was labeled, Physics and Technology department. I walked into the building and
went to go through the doors marked student office. They were locked so I had to use the bell to seek attention.

“How can I help you?” she asked.

“I'm a new student and I’d like to enroll for the new semester.”

She smiled.

“No problem. Please, do come in and take a seat.”

"Thank you," I replied as she held open th
  r
e doors.

She wasn't the only personnel in the office. There were five desks in the room, each with its own PC. I sat down on the designated desk and gave her my folder. She had a brief look at my admission letter, and handed me back the folder.

“My name’s Samantha Grey and I’ll just give you a brief introductory speech. Stop me when I begin to bore you.” She chuckled. “You've come to major in Physics, and I must say this isn't an easy course of study. I'm sure you're aware of that. The Department of Physics and Technology is known for its academic prowess, and there's stiff competition in the sophomore and Junior Year. In your senior year, you'll be more concerned with projects and less of GP. However, if you want to achieve greatness, it starts now. Your transcripts are really good; I'm impressed. That said, I'll personally welcome you to our department and I wish you the best of luck.” The lady paused, looked at the screen of her PC and continued, “You'll have to create a school account and enroll your details online. Afterward, you'll need to go to the library center for your Student ID card.”

“Okay, thank you,” I said.

“You're welcome. Before you go, take these.” She gave me two papers and a leaflet. “These are the instructions on how to enroll. This is your timetable, and this is the school's map.”

"Thank you," I repeated.

"You're welcome. If there's any problem, don't hesitate to come back. My colleagues and I are always happy to help."

I nodded. "Okay."

"Have a nice day," she said.

"And you too." I stood up and left the room.

According to the map, the University of Sloutenville was a very big college. Although at the moment, all I could see were the sprawling buildings and the nice leveled grass encased in-between cemented pathways. Unlike my former school, sixty percent of the buildings were made of glass, which made them glow under the little sunlight. It was breathtaking.

As instructed, I enrolled online using a computer in the library and then snapped a photo for my Student ID card using the computer's webcam. Thereafter, I was given a personal teacher online, and was asked to book an appointment with him. One thing I loved about the library was its gigantic volume; seeing it sent chills up my arms and down my back. It had four floors, excluding the ground floor where I did the registration. The registration process was very fast compared to my former college, which took days or perhaps weeks to complete.