Chapter Text
Birds chirped, and light streamed in through the blinds on the balcony, painting stripes of sunlight across MC’s face. Groggily, she woke up, sitting up with pain in her back. She looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, recalling how she ate pudding and fell asleep on the floor last night. Checking her phone, she saw that she had woken up an hour before her alarm clock. With her back begging her not to lie back down, MC deigned instead to begin getting ready for the day.
She got herself ready in the bathroom and fished a fresh set of clothes out of her boxes. Heading to the kitchen, she pulled out some bread she’d bought yesterday and stuck it in the large, counter-top toaster oven. Waiting for it to cook, she washed the cup of pudding and spoon from the night before, wondering if Victor was really a good or bad person. By the time she’d finished, her bread was ready. Shoving a slice of toast into her mouth, she began packing up her things and headed out the door. Recalling how long it took her to get to campus yesterday, she decided to use her extra time to sit at the campus center with a coffee while she crammed a bit more.
The morning air was crisp and fresh. Although the apartment complex was situated close to campus, both were located more on the outskirts of Loveland, meaning that the apartment complex still had green woods behind it, giving the area a much more relaxing vibe. Walking down the walkway toward the stairs, MC did her best to clear her mind and relax as much as possible on her way to the exam.
She had made it about halfway down the steps before an unexpected, “g’morning,” caught her so off guard, she missed the next step and slid the rest of the way down.
“Woah!” gasped the voice, coming to stand over her “sorry about that; you okay?”
It was Gavin, backed by the morning light, reaching a hand down to her. She took it, rubbing her already hurting back, “Yeah, sorry, I didn’t expect that…what are you doing under the steps?”
Gavin pulled MC up easily, examining her for bruises, “Oh, just working on my bike a bit before classes. That’s where I store it so it doesn’t take up a space; good place to work on it too. ”
“I see… uhm, well, sorry for interrupting you, I’ve got to get going,” replied MC, still feeling awkward in Gavin’s presence.
“Oh yeah sure. By the way, now that I’ve got my tools, I can fix your table for you if you want. I can come by later today to fix it.” Offered Gavin before MC left.
“Oh right, thanks for offering,” MC shut her eyes, remembering that she had agreed to give the guy a chance, “I think I’ll be back after lunch, is that okay?”
“Yeah sounds good, I’ve got a meeting at the Academy at 3:30, should work out well. See you then,” smiled Gavin waving her off.
****
A while after MC exited the apartment property, the door to apartment 1C opened. A man walked out.
“Good morning, Gavin. Lively today, aren’t we?” asked the man smiling plastically.
“Yeah. New girl.” Muttered Gavin, focus entirely on his bike.
Expecting no more pleasantries from his neighbor, the tenant of 1C proceeded to lock up and go about his day, pausing briefly near the stairs, when his foot slid over a piece of plastic.
“Hmm?” The man bent over to pick up the card someone had carelessly dropped. Looking it over, he smiled. A new girl, huh? Pocketing the card, the man jovially began whistling no particular tune as he, too, leisurely made his way to campus.
*****
Before she knew it, MC was back on campus. Early it was, as the campus center was nearly empty, however, this meant that MC’s favorite box bay window seat, overlooking the campus gardens, was quite open. Taking it as a sign of good luck, MC nested herself in the box: feet scrunched up, back against the pillows, notes in lap, and coffee by her side. The sun rose higher and higher in the sky as people passed going about their morning business.
As the time for her exam drew near, she mentally recounted what she needed to do. She had to pick up the exam from the secretary in the film studies office, take the exam in a back room she’d already reserved, and hand it back to the secretary. Easier than having to take it in a proctored room with the professor staring right at you the entire time.
Walking through the garden of the familiar campus grounds, MC felt confident and at ease for the first time in a while.
“What do you MEAN I can’t take the exam?” questioned MC, freak out mode upon her.
“I’m sorry, since you don’t have your student ID on you, I can’t let you take the exam,” explained the secretary, "school rules to prevent cheating."
MC’s placid mood took a nose dive as attempt after attempt at rifling through her bag failed to produce her student ID. MC strained to think of the last time she had it in her hands. It was when she used it that summer to get into the Loveland Museum of Art with Anna, Kiki, and Willow. They’d decided that she’d been stressed out enough and she needed a girl’s day out. She remembers specifically putting it back in her wallet though, and she obviously had her wallet on her since she’d just paid for coffee.
Ready to give up, MC was on the phone, texting the girls her SOS. A few minutes later, a knock on the open door frame of the office had MC turning to face the visitor with both hope and the beginnings of tears in her eyes. Unfortunately, she did not recognize the man who’d come by at all. Dressed in in dark jeans and a v neck, it was unclear if this handsome stranger was a student, or a TA. He didn’t look like someone from her small department, but he also didn’t look old enough to be a new professor.
“Ah, what luck.” Smiled the stranger, walking into the office stopping right in front of MC, “MC I presume?”
“Huh?” blinked MC, wracking her brain trying to remember if she’d met the man before.
“Haha, no, we haven’t met yet," smiled the man kindly, reading her mind, "but I believe this belongs to you?”
MC gasped seeing her student ID in his hand, “Oh my god! Thank you so much! Where did you find this?”
MC accepted her precious ID card back, wiping the tears from her eyes with the pads of her thumb.
“In the parking lot just this morning, you must be the new tenant in 2B?” answered the man, still smiling sweetly.
“Oh! I am! My name is MC…but, I guess you already knew that, and you are?”
“My name is Lucien; 1C. Its nice to meet you,” greeted Lucien, offering his hand, “It’s a good thing the IDs have the their owner’s department listed on them. Lucky I was able to catch you just now.”
“You’re telling me,” laughed MC, taking the proffered hand, noting its cold temperature. “I was just freaking out a little since I need it to take a reentry exam right now.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Lucien, a soft expression on his face, “well, then don’t let me keep you. I guess I’ll see you around another time then. Good luck on your exam.”
“Thank you!” replied MC gleefully, exchanging a heartfelt smile with Lucien before he took off.
ID in hand, MC turned back to the secretary, feeling put off her good vibe from earlier, but still eager to prove she was ready for her third year.
“Oh…my….god. You know Professor Lucien?” gawked the secretary.
“Huh? Professor?” questioned MC, exchanging her ID for the exam packet.
“Yeah, he’s famous on campus!” gossiped the secretary, “Super hot and super smart. No one knows what department he’s in, but he’s been seen in lectures across almost every department. He’s also like Wikipedia personified so everyone just calls him ‘Professor,’ and apparently he’s been on campus for like, ever! Haven't you heard of him?”
“Huh…is that so?” answered MC vaguely, more interested in getting started on her exam than gossiping about her new neighbor. Avoiding a more in-depth conversation, MC maneuvered her way out of the front office and into the back room where she situated herself for the test.
Two and a half hours later, MC emerged from the room, riding on the high that the exam was over. She traded the secretary the exam back for her ID, and exited the office feeling like a new woman.
Pulling her phone out from her bag, she switched it back on for it to immediately blow up with messages. She totally forgot to tell the girls that her ID had returned to her, but the more recent messages suggested that Willow had booked it over to the office and already found out that MC was able to start her exam. The latest message was a picture of the campus center from Kiki with the message, “Come meet up for lunch!”
Smiling, MC headed back through the garden, ready to decompress, and finally feeling like she could restart her life.