Discovering Synergy, page 3
As we approached, I noticed that at the front of the line there was a security guard that looked somewhat familiar. “Wow! They need a bookstore bouncer?” I asked.
“Yup, that’s Tony. He is a nice guy; he also works for the school security team,” Parker said as he walked up to Tony.
“Hey Lailah, good to see you again,” Tony said winking. “I see you’re already making more friends. You let me know if Parker here ever gets out of hand, I’ll straighten him out for ya.”
“Not cool, man. Don’t be spreading lies about me,” Parker said, punching Tony’s arm.
Ignoring Parker, Tony turned to me. “You got your list of books?”
“Yeah, I have it right here,” I said showing it to him.
“Well in you go then,” he said holding the door open for us, grinning. “Not you Parker, I know you don’t need anything from the bookstore,” Tony said grabbing Parker’s shoulder.
Cami proceeded to stick her tongue out at him as she passed him into the bookstore. “Thanks a million, Tony! You’re a real gem and don’t let anyone tell you any different.”
Chapter 3 Parker
I watched the girls enter the bookstore and then turned to Tony. “What gives man? Why is Cami back at school anyway?”
“You know I can’t tell you stuff like that, no matter who you are. If you want to know, ask Beth,” Tony said crossing his arms.
“Have any of the other guys seen her back at school?” I pressed.
“Talk to Beth,” Tony said unwilling to budge.
“What happened to pals before gals? Man code? Is nothing sacred?” I asked shaking my head slowly at Tony.
“Leave, Parker. You can’t wait out here ’til they come back out,” Tony said catching on to my plan.
“Fine. I’m going. But know that I’m disappointed in you Tony,” I said over my shoulder.
After I walked down the block, I found a bench to sit on. I pulled out my phone and texted Beth’s number.
‘Hey, I ran into Cami... didn’t know she was coming back.’
I set my phone down and gave her a few minutes to answer. My thoughts drifted to the girl Cami was with, Lailah. I felt awful that I ran into her and killed her cookie. I hated that it happened to such an attractive girl, too. I’m sure Cami is filling her head full of lies about me just for her own enjoyment.
Lailah was not like the typical girls who came to our school. She didn’t seem rich, power-hungry, or a gold digger. No, I got a small-town vibe from her. She didn’t need makeup to look beautiful or have crazy perfectly dyed hair. I liked that she was comfortable in her own skin. It was super attractive in a whole new way. I would even say there was something between us. It was like my powers recognized that she was unique as well. Hmm, I wonder if Beth knows anything about her?
My phone buzzed with Beth’s response. ‘Leave her alone Parker. It took a lot of convincing to get her to come back. I don’t need you sticking your nose in this.’
‘That’s harsh Miss B. Hey! Do you know anything about her friend Lailah?’ I sent back.
‘She is a scholarship student, freshman, why do you ask?’
‘IDK. I just felt something when I ran into her and wondered if you had any intel on her?’
‘Parker I am not your dating service, if you want to know something maybe you should talk to her. Oh don’t call me Miss B.’
I shook my head knowing that was all I was going to get out of her. She was right about one thing; I was definitely going to need to talk to Lailah again.
Chapter 4 Lailah
For the rest of the weekend, Cami and I hung out and she showed me the basics of dorm life. She also helped me find the dining hall after I failed to find it on my own and spent a good hour wandering around. Having Cami around also seemed to keep people from making snide remarks about my scholarship. I hoped that the novelty of it would fade soon and not drag on all semester.
“I know you don’t have classes tomorrow because it’s orientation day, but I could really use your help finding the auditorium,” I begged Cami as we headed back to the dorm after dinner.
“You’re lucky I like you, Lala,” Cami said using the nickname she had picked for me. “What time do you need to be there?”
“You're a lifesaver Cami,” I said, and I hugged her before we got into the elevator at Ashfall. “It starts at eight.”
“Why are you taking that stupid class anyway? Who actually signs up for freshman 101?” Cami grumbled.
“I’ve been so fascinated with the school, I thought taking a class about it would be fun,” I said defending my choice.
“Whatever. I’ll make sure I get you to your lame class tomorrow, but you’re buying my coffee,” she said waving goodnight to me as she got off the elevator on her floor.
The next day I would be starting my first day as a college student, it was exciting and terrifying at the same time. Thankfully I had managed to figure out a plan with Cami so she could help me get to classes for the first week. We had a lot of classes in the same buildings or at least they were on the way, so it worked out easily enough. When I reached my room, I sorted through what books I would need and double-checked the syllabus to make sure I didn’t forget anything. Feeling as ready as I was going to be, I set my alarm for six-thirty and curled up in bed with my favorite book. I needed to end the night with a little Mr. Darcy.
“RISE AND SHINE! THIS is your six-thirty-a.m. alarm! The forecast today is overcast with a high of sixty-eight degrees!”
I rolled over and groped around for my phone on the nightstand to turn off my alarm. I groaned as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and remembered that I hadn’t given myself a huge amount of time to get ready. I shuffled my way down the hall to the bathroom. After washing my face and brushing my teeth I tackled my hair. I left it down and contemplated how it looked. I felt like the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz with my wild curls lose. I tried to pin it up in a cute way, but failed to find something that worked. Giving up, I just piled it on top of my head again in my usual messy bun. I brushed on some mascara and filled in my brows trying to make it look like I made an extra effort.
Back in my room, I pulled out my nice white skinny jeans and a silky blush-colored top to go with it. After slipping my shoes on, I was about to go meet Cami in the lobby when I thought better of it and grabbed my long olive sweater. Just in case the classroom got cold. I threw my messenger bag across my body and I did one last sweep of the room to make sure I didn’t forget anything. Satisfied, I headed down to meet Cami so we could grab a coffee on the way to my class.
It wasn’t hard to spot Cami half asleep in one of the lobby armchairs. “Lala, I’m not sure this friendship is going to work out if you're going to make me do this all the time.”
I walked over and pulled her out of the chair, “Come on. I’ll get you the biggest cup of coffee the school has to offer.”
Cami grunted at this and followed me out the door. Once we crossed the street onto the main campus, Cami took over leading the way, as she fully understood the severity of my directional issues. We reached the coffee shop and thankfully it wasn’t packed.
“Morning Cami! Want your usual extra-large black coffee?” the guy taking orders asked.
I raised my eyebrows at Cami, surprised to see this guy knew her and her order so readily. Cami just shrugged at me, “I like coffee, so sue me.”
“I’m paying for her addiction today. Could you add a chai tea latte for me?” I said to the barista.
Cami gave me a funny look as the barista handed over her extremely large cup of coffee. “You make fun of me for my coffee and yet you order that crap?”
“I love the smell of coffee but never acquired a taste for it,” I said walking over to the pickup counter.
“Just so we're clear. I am never ordering that for you. I will not have anyone thinking that I’m drinking that frou-frou shit,” Cami said walking out of the coffee shop, with me hurrying to grab my drink and catch up to her.
“I never would have guessed you’d be so judgmental over my drink choices,” I said teasing her and knowing that her attitude would lighten up as she drank her coffee.
Cami’s only response was a grunt from behind the lid of her coffee cup. I took in the sights of the school as we walked through the main buildings. The architecture was beautiful and showed the beauty of an age gone by. The intricate craftsmanship of each door, window and archway could never be replicated. Finally reaching the core of the school, I noticed all the other students bustling about heading to class. They milled about chatting with friends or looked at school maps trying to find the right building. I was so grateful to have Cami at my side, so I didn’t have to wander about lost for hours. Even with a map, I would have been lost in less than ten seconds.
“Remind me again. You have this class and then when am I supposed to check in with you?” Cami asked as we reached the auditorium doors.
“This class has two parts today. We have the class here for an hour, then we go on a tour of the grounds. They didn’t say how long it would take, so I’ll just text you when I get done and tell you where I’m at,” I said double-checking that I had my phone on me.
“Works for me. Make good choices and learn lots!” Cami said waving as she headed off.
I pulled open the old heavy wooden door and walked in. The auditorium had stadium seating and a stage with a podium in the front. I found a seat in the middle section for the best view and took out a notebook and pen.
A girl behind me snickered to her friend. “Look at the good little scholarship student, she thinks she’s going to learn something in this class.”
My irritation at her passive aggressiveness was reaching a breaking point. I turned slightly in my seat and looked over my shoulder. “If you think this class is so lame why did you decide to take it?”
Not feeling the need to wait for an answer, I faced forward again just in time to see the teacher walk up to the podium. He was an older man with white hair that was cut close to his head trying to diminish the fact that he was balding. His face was full of wrinkles, but they were evidence of his gentle nature born from smiling. His brown eyes were intelligent and warm as he looked out over the room.
“Welcome students! I’m Mr. Phillips, your professor for University 101. In this class, we will be learning about the history of our school and the town surrounding it. I hope that by the end of this semester you will have a greater appreciation for the history that you get to experience every day,” Professor Phillips said greeting the class.
“Today, our class will be broken up into two sections. First, we will go over the syllabus and my expectations for my students. Then, we will head out for a tour of the grounds. We have combined all the different classes together for today, so the student council will be helping me out since I am severely outnumbered by all of you,” he said giving us a smile and a wink that made everyone laugh.
I could tell I was going to like learning from Mr. Phillips. I pulled out my syllabus to follow along as he went over it. The class went by quickly and soon we were all asked to gather in the quad for the grounds tour. I filed out of the auditorium and pitched my empty cup. I followed the crowd hoping that they would lead me to where I was supposed to be. Some students broke off to the left, chatting with one another, and the other group went straight. I took a guess and followed the group going straight.
“All the students going on the grounds tour need to split up into their appropriate class groups. I need the eight o’clock class on my left, noon in the middle, and the five o’clock class on the far right,” a girl shouted over the group. I assumed that she was part of the student council that was helping.
I walked over to the left group and waited, looking around at all the people running from building to building. I was so distracted; I didn’t notice that my group had headed off on the tour. Not wanting to get left behind, I jumped into the noon class group before I could get lost. I was totally absorbed in the tour and all the history of each building. Who wouldn’t find this stuff interesting?
“Aiden Ryevick founded this school in sixteen twenty-three at the end of the Renaissance and entering into the Baroque period. At this time, churches were overseeing the type of art being produced, so Aiden Ryevick decided to found his own school specializing in the arts,” our student tour guide shared as we passed a statue of the founder. “We have come to find out that he lied to the Catholic church about adhering to their restrictions placed on all creations produced by artists. He was successful at the time because he put in the chapel, which we now use as an auditorium, as a facade.”
As the tour went on, I learned more about Ryevick’s founder and his drive to free artists and later scientists of all kinds, so they could dive further into their fields. We moved past several other buildings and went out into the gardens.
“Our school prides itself on being fully self-sufficient so we aren’t taking away from the community around us. The school has its own livestock, vegetable gardens, and grain fields that are used to make all the food here on campus. We also have our own herb garden that our medical students use to produce modern and holistic medicine.”
I was so distracted by all the indigenous plants, that I had to stop to investigate. Unfortunately, when I looked up, I couldn’t find my group. Why do I always do this? I know I get lost all the time, so I should be better at staying with the group. I remembered them saying that they would be heading to the garden maze next. I looked around hoping I might see something that would point me in that direction, but with no luck, I headed off to the right praying that was the direction I needed to go. I wandered for a while and ended up by the reflecting pool I had seen from the dorm windows ... nowhere near where I needed to be.
Lost on the school grounds, I sat on the edge of the reflecting pool letting my face fall into my hands. “Are you okay?” a voice said making me jump.
I looked up and was shocked to see a gorgeous man peering down at me. He was tall and attractive, just like Parker, that other guy I had met in town. His clothes were of the latest fashion and very high end but still practical. His rich brown hair was styled in the latest trend; short on the sides but longer strands on the top that were swept back. Did this school only have gorgeous model-esque students attending here? His warm hazel eyes were still looking at me, filled with concern and I realized then that he was still waiting for my answer.
“I am hopelessly lost. I was on a tour of the school, but I got distracted and lost my group,” I admitted as my cheeks heated with a blush.
“Yeah, this school is huge, it takes some getting used to. Would you like me to help you find your group? I’m actually supposed to be helping out with the tours anyway, but another obligation made me very late,” he said and held out a hand to help me up.
I reached out and let him pull me to my feet. When his skin touched mine a slight tingle ran down my arm causing me to shiver slightly. I smiled up at him awkwardly, hoping he didn’t notice my reaction to his touch. I was acting like I didn’t know how to be around attractive guys. I took that moment to collect myself and brush off the back of my pants. “I’m Brayden, by the way,” he said giving me a small smile.
“I’m Lailah,” I said returning his smile. “Thanks for offering to help me out. Let’s just say I’m directionally challenged and that is a severe understatement. I would have wandered around out here till I gave up and went back to my dorm. I can at least see that clear as day,” I said gesturing to Ashfall behind me.
“Ah, you’re staying in Ashfall Hall. I heard that the rooms have no windows. Is it true?” he asked as we started walking along the edge of the reflecting pool.
“Yup, but with the school load I decided on, I’m not sure I’ll be around much except to sleep. Thankfully there are common rooms that have massive windows to make up for it.” I chuckled.
“Well at Aiden House there are lots of windows and plenty of sunlight. The concept of not having a window and natural light freaks me out a little. As an agricultural major, you could say I’m pretty attached to the outdoors,” Brayden said grinning at me.
“Aiden House?” I asked. “I don’t think I know that dorm.”
“Most of the students here call it ‘The Manor’,” Brayden clarified for me.
I stopped in my tracks and gaped at him. “You’re one of the Five?”
Brayden turned to look at me unsure, “Is that a problem?”
“No, I guess not. The campus is so big, I just thought the odds of me running into any of you would be rare and now I’ve met two of you,” I said not sure why it surprised me.
“Oh? Who else have you met?” Brayden inquired starting to walk again.
“My friend Cami and I ran into Parker when we were in town.”
“You know Cami? What a small world! Our families have known each other for a long time. We grew up together,” Brayden said.
“Funny how that works. I grew up in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Although, it sucks when people who used to be your friends aren't anymore. It makes things awkward because they live down the street.” I was rambling.
“I’m sure that would be challenging, I’m sorry to hear that happened. Is that why you decided to come all this way to attend college?” Brayden asked.
Why am I telling him all this? I don’t even know him. He’s just so easy to talk to. Plus, he keeps asking questions, it would be rude of me not to answer.
“Yes and no. I knew that I wanted a change, but I didn’t know what exactly. Then I got an email from Ryevick University after my parents signed me up for this crazy college finder website. Funny, what really got me excited about this place was the history, the different culture, and the art. Like that fountain, for example.” I pointed to the huge fountain in the middle of the reflecting pool. I’d seen a picture on the website, but seeing it in person, it was much more impressive.
Brayden looked to where I was pointing and smiled. “That is one of my favorites. Would you like to hear the story behind it? But I have to warn you, it’s a bit fanciful.”
