My Freshman Year: Day Six

By Ccandygrace

Days as a Freshman: 6

Current Mood: Confused

So, it’s almost been a week since I got here. A week and already it feels much longer. It must have something to do with living in the same place you to go to school at. You never leave anyone, so people and days just drift into each other to make this huge vague cloud of time.

Six days in, and its 50% great and 50% I want to turn around and go home. Part of that 50% of awesomeness is Sasha. The kid who sat next to me during orientation and who I’ve seen a few times since. He’s got a smile that makes me forget my name…and my ability to put words together to make a sentence.

I attempted to talk to him the first time at a bonfire that followed the ‘Welcome’ ceremony.

Standing with my roommates, shielding my face from smoke and wayward sticks piled high with marshmallows, I felt someone brush by me in an effort to get closer to the fire. Without looking I moved over, but stopped when I heard his voice.

“Hey. That speech took forever, huh?”

He was smiling at me again, a huge grin that took over his entire face. It was almost completely dark outside but I could still make out his smile. The first real friendly smile I had seen since coming to college.

“Hey, yeah. And it was like…115 degrees…in there.”

The words dropped out of my mouth like bricks; heavy, uninteresting bricks. I couldn’t think of anything to add. My mind just kept screaming he’s cute! and nothing else.

“Seriously.” He turned to watch his marshmallows in the flames, turning them around and around. “I’m Sasha, by the way.”

He looked back at me and held out his hand. Slowly, I reached out to shake it, silently panicking at the cold sweat he would undoubtedly feel. My first interaction with a hot college guy and I’m basically dripping in panic. Cool Grace, real cool.

“Hey, I’m Stacey, Grace’s roommate!”

Practically pushing me over, Stacey shot her arm out and grabbed Sasha’s hand before I had even fully let go. “Sasha, huh? I love that name, it’s beautiful! Oh, and this is Rebecca, our third roommate.” Yanking Rebecca forward with her other arm, Stacey watched approvingly as she awkwardly shook Sasha’s hand as well.

“Hey…I’m Rebecca…” Speaking into her hair, Rebecca let go of Sasha as soon as she could, backing up and retreating into the shadows, where she probably would have gladly dissapeared if Stacey hadn’t been holding onto her like a mother in a grocery store.

“Nice to meet you girls” Sasha said, without seeming the least bit put-off by Stacey’s ear-splitting voice or Rebecca’s Cousin It impersonation, “where you all living?”

“Over by the—”

“In Stanford 4^th.” Stacey practically screamed, unaware (or not caring) that she had just completely interrupted me. “Where are you living, Sasha?”

Before he could answer, three guys suddenly bounded over and grabbed him, pulling his hoodie over his head and dragging him away from the fire.

“The soccer house!” I heard him yell as best he could, “see you later!”

As the rest of the team descended on Sasha like vultures, hauling him away for a different kind of Welcome ceremony, I looked down and noticed his stick on the ground, the three marshmallows completely black from the fire. I kicked it, wishing for a moment that it was Stacey’s head.

“He’s cute!” My roommate gushed, nudging me with an annoying little arm. “Don’t you think?”

I didn’t answer. I was too busy realizing her and I would hate each other very, very soon.