MAD LOVE

Chapter 6

Alana

Half of the morning, I tossed and turned, thinking about the past two days. For half a year I couldn't look any strange man in the eye, and yesterday I talked to one, though it was intense.

He hosted a wonderful party for me... Does it mean that he really likes me? Though... Don't be silly, Alana. He wants something else from you. After all, nothing happens without a reason, and no one will give you the stars for doing nothing. Forget about him and figure out how to leave sooner.

It seemed the supreme forces took pity on me and gave me a way out.

"Good morning, my sweethearts!" My dad's pleasant voice filled the living room through the speakerphone. "I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

"Dad, don't keep us in suspense! Let's start with the bad news," I said. Bad news didn't bother me anymore, as long as it was not about my relatives.

"I'm sorry to ruin your vacation, ladies, but I have to tell you that both of you should return home immediately!" he said. What news! Why did Dad think it was bad? I wanted to smother him with kisses on the phone.

"What happened, dear? Why such haste?" Mom asked in dismay, and my feet were squirming under the table.

"There's more. We got a letter from Harvard. Our daughter has been accepted!" A stony silence hung in the room for a while, then the walls went deaf from the wild shrieks of two women, unable to contain their joy. "Hold on, girls, I haven't finished yet! The letter also says students have to report up two weeks before the classes. I don't know why, so get your rears in gear and come home soon."

Should I say goodbye, or not?

Remorse consumed me, yet I wasn't too sure we had to keep them in the loop about everything. He might think I'm after him. That just makes people like him feel important. Been there, done that...

He will not going to show up at my door for a showdown, will he?

I mentally rolled my eyes at that thought and started packing.

***

Harvard University, the campus area. I am in front of one of the nine dormitories, waiting for the administrator. What the hell am I doing here? These buildings are for the second-year to fourth-year students, and even then not all of them. Only those who deserved it by excelling in their studies.

One annoying word repeatedly rang through my head, the word that had become the anthem of my life – mistake. I got admitted to the university, but they messed up assigning dormitory rooms for the first-year students. What did I hear? "We are sorry, there's been a mistake, blah-blah, for now, you'll stay at such-and-such place". The academic year hasn't even started yet, but there were already problems.

"Hello! You must be Alana? Sorry for making you wait. As you know, there's been some administrative issue. By the way, my name's Sheila," she said as she held out her hand, grabbing mine. We entered the building.

Despite making it seem that we were big friends, I felt a growing urge to escape from Sheila's grasp. I hate it when people invade my personal space like that.

"We haven't had freshmen here yet - it's against Harvard rules," she smiled. "But I think it's fate and we'll manage just fine. Here is your room; of course, you're sharing with a roommate. You can come down a little later and I'll tell you everything about this house!" She winked at me and flew away on her high heels; and I stood there at the door, clueless. She was too keen on me, and that made me want to avoid her. The last thing I needed was a rainbow.