Chapter 2: 3 days into college
Moving from South Gloucestershire to California was a huge culture shock.
By the time I had settled into my dorm room and figured out which building and what times my classes were, I was already three lectures behind. Luckily the professors barely noticed my absence. It had been a week since my flight and, the semester officially started.
"It's so hard keeping the clocks right in my head," I say.
Cora chuckles.
We are sitting in the cafe, and it is my turn to buy.
"Well, we are the first ones here," she replies.
I look at her, puzzled, she tilts her head, gesturing towards the stairs.
"I like to come early so I can study and enjoy the peace and quiet."
The coffee is a warm welcome, I haven't adjusted to sleeping in a different bed and I finally went shopping for the essentials over the weekend with Chay, she has a car which makes things easier. For the first few nights I had woken up freezing cold, I even slept in my trackies to stay warm.
Cora is staring at something, I follow her gaze and spot Collin, he is sitting by himself.
He has headphones on, and his eyes are closed. The muscles of his broad, toned shoulders strain against the fabric of his fitted grey sweater.
"He is cute," Cora says. "And those biceps," she laughs, "Wowza."
She leans back, glancing at me.
"We met at the admin office the other day, and he has been helping me settle in. He seems nice enough, but I have not spoken much to him." I say, feeling heat creep up my neck.
"Oh, the guy you bumped into and made a fool of yourself. Yeah, that's him."
I nod.
"Do you like him?"
I do like Collin, a lot. The sight of him makes me want to drop to my knees and beg for a piece of him.
"It's weird," I reply.
"What's weird?"
"I don't know, I just feel weird when I'm around him." I say, biting my lip.
"You should go and talk to him, maybe you just need to get to know him." Cora tells me.
"Maybe, but what if he doesn't like me? He's pretty popular, and I'm just an awkward English girl," I mumble, tugging at the sleeve of my dusty, sage green sweater.
Cora shrugs, sipping her coffee.
"I think you should give it a try, what's the worst that could happen?" she asks.
I shake my head. "I don't know, honestly."
Cora nods, taking another sip.
"I've got to get back to my room and do some studying," she says.
"Okay, I think I might take a walk around campus."
I grab the paper cup with the last sip of coffee, a few remaining ice cubes clink around, and I set off down the street.
The campus is quite beautiful. I walk along the side of the main building, the sound of a guitar and a few people talking drift from the open doors.
I see a group of students sitting on the grass. The guy in the middle is playing a guitar, the chords are soft and melodic, and the tune is unfamiliar to me.
He is wearing a light blue shirt, the neck is unbuttoned, and I can see the defined muscles of his chest, and the taut lines of his arms.
The guitar is a beautiful instrument. The neck is a little smaller than I expected. The wood is a pale-greenish colour and the body is a rich brown, with a white finish.
The man playing is tall and well-muscled. He has dark brown hair, and his skin is a rich, golden-brown hue, which makes me think of Collin sitting back at the coffee shop.
I stare for a few minutes, wondering if he is part of the music program.
The guitar sounds great. I notice a few girls watching, the guys seem oblivious, they are concentrating on the work in front of them.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice says.
I look up, startled, and see Collin standing next to me.
"Umm, yeah, I love music," I say, my face flushing. "Are you a musician?" I ask.
"No, just a fan. I study law," he says.
"Oh, like to defend people in court."
"Something like that," he chuckles, smiling.
"I'm hoping to major in creative writing, it's my dream. I want to be a successful author," I tell him.
"That's cool. Do you have an idea for a book?"
"Yes, actually, I have been working on one for years. I just don't know how to start."
"Maybe if you had the right inspiration," he says, glancing at me.
"Exactly," I reply, blushing at the implication.
"I'm trying to figure it out. I'm going to head back to the apartment, see you later, I guess." I say, turning towards the building.
"See you around then," he replies.
He waves and walks towards the group of people.
I continue walking, taking in the sights of the campus.
A couple of guys walk past me, they are both carrying guitars.
"Hey, you wanna join our group? We're starting a band, looking for a singer." One guy says.
"You'd be perfect," the other guy adds.
"Oh, err, no thanks, I'm not sure," I stutter.
"It's no problem, just come by anytime and we can give you a try, my name is Ryan, and this is Tom," he says.
"OK, thanks," I tell them, my face burning.
"Cool."
They go inside the main building.
I keep walking.
A group of girls are sitting at a picnic table. I recognise one of them as Chay.
She is sitting cross-legged on the bench, her laptop is open, and she is typing away, with headphones on.
She has a cup of coffee sitting on the table, and a half-eaten bagel.
I approach her, and she glances up, taking off the headphones.
"Hi, Chay."
"Hi, Maria, what's up?" she says, putting her laptop to the side. "Want to sit for a bit, I've just got to finish a project. I'm so far behind, I swear, the classes are harder than I thought," she sighs.
"Sure, I can't really concentrate, it's too quiet back at the dorms."
I sit across from her.
"So, how are things?" she asks.
"Great, it's a great campus. I love it here. My roommate is awesome and so friendly."
"Yeah, she seems nice. Have you spoken much to Collin?" she asks.
"Um, not really," I say.
"Oh, I was going to invite him to the party," Chay says.
"Party? What party?"
"Well, the guys from my hall, we all have a little get-together at our apartment. It's not a big thing, just a few of us. We usually do it around the first week, for a welcome. Usually, about six of us, plus my boyfriend."
"Oh, wow, that's cool. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it, but I'll check, and let you know."
"Cool. It's Saturday night at eight." Chay smiles turning back to her laptop to work.
My mind is racing, my first college party, What do I wear and what if Collin is there. My mind starts to play out scenarios.
What would I say?
"See you then." I get up and wave goodbye.
***
I return to my dorm, and my roommate is in her bedroom.
"Hey, Cora, do you have any party clothes? Like dresses and stuff?" I ask.
"I think so, I have some clothes. most of my party outfits I left back home. Why, do you have a party to go to?"
"Yeah, sort of, I am invited to a hall party," I tell her.
"Sweet, I didn't know we were invited to the parties."
"Well, if you have anything, it would be great, I really don't know what to wear."
"I might have a dress or something. Give me a bit."
She disappears into her room, and comes back with a hanger, holding a beautiful green velvet dress.
"Wow, that's beautiful." I say as she hands it to me.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, go try it on. We are roughly the same size."
"Okay, thanks," I say, disappearing into the bathroom.
I look at myself in the mirror, the dress is amazing, it's a beautiful emerald green and hugs my figure.
I step out, and Cora is waiting, she holds out her hands and twirls me. It looks beautiful but the zipper wont close all the way, my breasts are much larger then Cora's and I cant zip it up.
"Sorry, I'm a bit bigger than you are," I tell her.
"Maybe we can go shopping later?" she suggests.
"Sure, that would be fun. I have some money."
Later when I head to my mid-day class, I'm just about to go in the building when I see Chay with a guy, her arm is wrapped around his waist, and he has a hand on her butt.
"Hey, Chay," I call, smiling.
"Hi, Maria, this is my boyfriend, Alex. Alex, Maria is a new friend of mine." she quick to introduce us.
Alex is tall, very tall, and he's the type of guy who's height is intimidating and hard to approach. His body is tanned, and he has a nice face, with blond hair and blue eyes. He's wearing a t-shirt and jeans, and he is handsome and sweet looking.
"Hi," I say, feeling intimidated.
"I was just going to class, I'll see you later" I tell Chay.
"Yeah, I'll catch you later."
I walk into the classroom and take my seat.
I can't seem to stop thinking about the party. I know it's stupid, but I'm nervous.
After class are finished Cora and I decide to go to the mall in the city, and we spend a couple of hours wandering around the stores.
"Hey, let's go in here." I say, spotting a store I have been wanting to visit.
"You are really getting into the college life, huh?" Cora says.
"I guess," I reply. "This place has the cutest stuff."
"That's why we are here, right? To shop."
We enter the store and pick up a few items, trying on a few outfits and taking pictures to show each other.
"What about this one?" I ask Cora.
"It looks great, but it's too much. And you have to make sure to wear the right shoes."
"OK, thanks," I reply.
While we are walking back Cora decides to take a back alley as a short cut, I follow her down the alley, which is darker than I expected, and narrow.
"Wow, this is really dark, how far away from campus are we?"
I ask Cora.
"I think it's not far. We should be at the main road soon."
A breeze passes through the alley and I shiver.
"Hey, Cora, don't you think it's a bit windy?"
"Well, yeah, a bit, but we're nearly there."
"Maybe we should just go back, or call a taxi, or something."
I turn around to look, and I feel a sharp pain in my head. I am suddenly surrounded by darkness, and I can't see anything.
I try to move, but I am unable to.
"Cora, where are you?"
"Shhhh, be quiet."
A voice speaks, I can't see who it belongs to, and I can't hear what he is saying.
"Let me go," I shout, trying to break free.
"Maria, stop."
Cora's voice is different, more high pitched, almost like a man's.
"What's happening? Where are you?"
I shout, I try to lift my hands, but I can't, and the pain in my head is worse. The voice is in the shadows, I can't see it, and I can't tell if it's a male or female. I start to cry, my tears roll down my cheeks.
I can hear the sounds, like someone is fighting, and then a loud thud, the sound is painful, and the pain in my head grows. The light is just dim enough for me to make out two figures, a man and a woman. They are facing each other, and the man has his hand around her neck.
"You'll have to do better than that."
He says, pulling her by the neck, and lifting her off the ground.
She kicks her legs, trying to break free, and punches at his arm. She has a long sharp wooden spike in her hand, and she tries to stab him with it, but he catches her wrist, and the wood falls to the floor.
I hear the sound of a car horn, and then another, and the noises get louder and louder, and I can't figure out where they are coming from.
"You'll pay for this."
She yells, her voice is weak, and her face is turning purple, she starts to choke and gasp for air. Somehow she breaks free from his hold, and she stumbles forward, before he can reach her again she grabs for the wooden weapon.
"Get out of here!" She yells at me.
"I can't," I reply, feeling dizzy, my eyes won't focus, and I am starting to feel sick.
The woman leaps at the assailant thrusting her weapon into his chest. He collapses, falling to the ground, and she pushes the wood deeper.
The sound of the horns is so loud now, I am deafened, and the light is blinding, I can't make out the details.
My vision starts to clear, and the horns are gone, the light is bright, and I see Cora leaning over the man's body.
"Are you okay, Maria?"
I hear her voice.
"Cora, are you OK? What's happening?"
"I'll be fine, just stay calm. You have a nasty gash on the head, you've been hit."
She tells me, I can't see what she is referring too, and my vision is still a little blurred.
"Did you just kill a man?" I whimper shrinking away from her
"not a man, a monster," she replies. "I'll tell you later, right now we have to get out of here."
She grabs my hand and helps me to my feet, we start walking down the alley, and she is leading the way. We turn left towards the street. A few minutes later we reach the parking lot, and she hails a cab, and we get in.
Cora gives the driver directions to the campus apartments.
I am still in a state of shock, and I am struggling to stay conscious.
"What happened?" I ask her.
"He wasn't human, and I had to protect you," she says.
"From what?"
"I don't know, he was a vampire. I had to kill him."
"Vampire? What are you talking about? That's not possible."
I lean back, and close my eyes, feeling nauseous, and my head is pounding.
"You've got to believe me, Maria. I can explain everything. He was going to attack us, and if I hadn't done anything, you would have been killed."
I'm confused, and scared, and I can't think straight.
"What is going on, Cora?" I ask.
She takes a deep breath.
"I'm a hunter."
"A hunter? As in a hunter of what?"
"Dangerous creatures. You saw him. He was a vampire. A blood-sucker. He would have sucked your blood."
"Oh my god, you're crazy!"
"No, I'm not. I'm serious, he would have killed you."
I pull away from her, a sharp pain flares at the movement.
"Stop the car," I yell, "I want to get out."
I am just about to bail when my phone rings, the sound of Beyonce is loud in my ears.
"Hey," I answer the call.
"Maria, I need help!" Chay exclaims.
"What's wrong?"
"The party, it's tomorrow, and there's no alcohol. We need to get a few bottles, do you know where we can get some?"
"I'll try and find out, I'll get back to you later."
Glancing at Cora I have to think for a minute, we are both underage to buy alcohol in California, why am I even thinking about that. My thoughts are a jumbled mess, I assume i am in shock.
"Great, thanks so much." Her high pitched voice rings in the phone.
I hang up the phone and turn to Cora.
"How can I go to a party if my head is bleeding and I nearly got murdered, and my roommate is a spycho murderer?"
"I'm not a murderer, and I'm not a spy. I'm a hunter, and I was doing my job."
"And what about that guy, you're saying he's a vampire?"
"Yes, and he's dead."
I shake my head, trying not to cry, I am still shaken.
When Cora and I return to the dorm she shows me her journals and books, she even has a weapon, a sharp knife with a wooden handle.
She shows me a picture of her family, and her brother, his name is Jason. She also has a book on vampires.
"I can't believe any of this is real," I say.
It took a lot of convincing on her part but I finally relented and agreed that she wasn't crazy, though I had to admit, I was more than a little curious. After our long discussions I decide to take a shower, and put on a pair of leggings and a cropped top with a pair of white trainers. My heart beat has calmed down a little and Cora and I decide to go to a nearby cafe, and order a large milkshake, and a small bowl of chips. I try to think of anything but what had happened in the ally earlier.
"How old do you think Collin is?" I ask her.
"I don't know, twenty? Maybe older," she replies.
I bite my lip thinking, and glance at my reflection in the window of the cafe. A soft strawberry blond with a heart shaped face and doe eyes stares back at me, I reach my hands up and fluff my space buns. Mustering up the courage I scroll through my contacts until my finger lands on Collins name, it was saved with a winking emoji. He must have added when he put his contacts in my phone.
I type in a quick message before hitting send, a few seconds later the screen on my phone lights up with Collins response.
"Are you going to the party tomorrow?"
"Yes,"
"Cool, I'll be there."
"Do you have any friends who are older and can help with the booze?"
"I'll see what I can do ;-) ."
I let out a sigh of relief, Cora raises her eyebrow giving me a questioning look.
"Collins got the liquor covered."
"Oh, that's great, you're lucky."
"Yeah, I'm nervous though, what if he doesn't like me? Maybe he just being nice" I say.
"He will, you're adorable," Cora tells me, smiling.
I text Collin and tell him we have the basics for the party, and he responds with a thumbs up.
"I'm going to go to bed early tonight. I've got a busy day tomorrow," I say, yawning.
"OK, well, I'll see you tomorrow."
I spend the rest of the night grilling Cora about the supernatural and her after hour hobby of hunting creature in the dark.
The next day I wake up early, I make myself a coffee and a bowl of cereal. Cora is still asleep, and I tiptoe out of the room, shutting the door. I head out of the apartment and walk the short distance to the student lounge.
I sit on a bench and open my laptop, a cup of coffee warming my hands.
My English professor asked us to submit a five-hundred-word essay by today. I try to think of the words. I have to write about a time I felt scared, or anxious, or unsure of something, an image of Cora fighting in the alley comes to mind. I suddenly feel paralyzed unable to move.
I try to think about calming thing, I force my mind to think about my family, my parents smiling, my brother playing football in the yard.
I start typing.
I am sitting alone in the lounge, a hot cup of coffee in hand, a large window is beside me. I can see the buildings and the people walking back and forth, I can see the sunrise casting its rays upon the campus. The trees are still green, and the colours are vibrant. Back home they would have already turned yellow, and red. I look down at the cup of coffee. A black mark is forming on the surface, it is cold. I am thinking of my life, of the things I will do when I am older. I get home sick easy even though I have made a lot of new friends here. It's almost the middle of September, and the first semester has been a whirlwind. I have learned so much about the world, and how to be independent.
"Morning," a familiar voice interrupts my thoughts.
I look up and see Collin standing there, a cup of coffee in hand. He is wearing a light grey t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and a black hoodie.
"Hi, how are you?" he asks me.
"Great, I've got the whole day off, I'm doing some research. How about you?"
"I'm great," he smiles. "Are you working on a paper?"
"Yes, I just finished it," I tell him. "I keep locking myself out of my room, If it wasn't for the RA's and Cora I would be living on this couch for the rest of my time at college."
"I don't know if you've noticed, but this couch is pretty comfortable," he replies, grinning.
"You are probably right." I giggle, returning the smile.
He sits down on the couch beside me, we are a few inches apart.
"So tell more about who you are Collin.."
"My name is Collin Martines. But my friends call me Cole." He laughs, the sound is melodic and sweet.
"I'm from Colombia. My parents immigrated to America when I was twelve. My mom is a teacher, and my dad is an engineer."
"What was it like growing up there? Are the people nice?" I ask.
"Si, the people are very nice and friendly. The city is beautiful and has great views, a lot of the country is covered by forest."
"Wow, that sounds amazing," I say.
He nods.
"Tell me about you," he says.
"I'm Maria Lewis, and I am from England." We fall into a comfortable conversation about our interests and home lives.
He tells me about the places he has seen, and the friends he has met.
"Do you have a boyfriend back home?" He asks.
"No," I reply.
"Are you seeing anyone now?" I ask.
We sit in silence for a while, just staring out the window, watching the students move to and fro.
"Do you have any siblings?" He asks.
"Yes, a younger brother, James."
"How old are you?" He asks.
"Seventeen, and you?" I inquire.
"Twenty-one." He smiles. "I'm a second year law student."
"I thought you were older," I reply, blushing.
"Why is that?"
"You just have a mature sort of vibe."
"Do I now?" he asks, smirking.
"Well, maybe, but not in a bad way."
He looks at me, a strange glint in his eye.
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