Chapter One

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You don't know why you decided to come on this trip, but you had to admit that the enthusiasm emanating from the back seat of your car was something else. Still, as you parked in the student's parking deck at the university, you couldn't help but feel uneasy. What's with me today? It's just a campus tour.

"Ugh! I'm so glad we graduated," Tiana groaned as she dramatically leaned back in the passenger seat. You rolled your eyes playfully as she tried to sink into the floor.

"You've said more times than I can count," Kathryn rolled her eyes not as playfully as you did.

"I swear I don't mind giving you medicine, Kathryn. Motion sickness is no joke," you turned around in your seat to check on your friend.

"Yeah, and maybe you'll stop being an ass," Tiana laughed as Kathryn frowned.

"Let's just stop, please? Kathryn," Jamie interjected as much as she could with her soft voice, placing a gentle hand on Kathryn's forearm. "You graduated as a super senior, and we know how much touring this college means to you. Don't make yourself do this with a headache just because you're stubborn."

Kathryn sighed dramatically, glaring at Tiana's cheeky grin.

"God, fine! But we have to go before we're late," Kathryn ordered all four of you out of the car. You shook your head, knowing she was just really nervous.

You handed her a pill for her to take and she did so swiftly while sliding out of the car with purpose. After checking everything was locked and safe, you followed your friends to the main center on the campus. It's where they held the registration offices, if their website was updated correctly.

I don't really even know if I should go to college yet, which is crazy to think about seeing how much I worked in high school. I'm eighteen, how can I feel so old and unprepared and yet objectively... not? I agreed to come along, because I know Kathryn needs me to support her. She got into this college after being waitlisted, and I know how much it means to her to be accepted. I just hope this tour chalks up to her hopes.

You let your friends needlessly chatter about random things, not too keen on entering the conversation. It wasn't uncommon though, they knew you well enough to not "enforce" speaking on you. As your group made its way into the visitor center, you saw all of the other potential students fall in around you. I didn't know this college was so popular. To be fair, though, I didn't really research many of them.

Thankfully you have yet to see anyone you recognized. You hate thinking about how awkward that'd be. You did have plans to meet up with some other friends who had to travel separately. I hope they made it safely. In the big group, a couple of people moved their way to the front and onto a set of stairs leading into a building. They turned around on the steps holding a megaphone and pom-pom shakers. They wore red, which seemed to be the school color.

"Goooood morning everyone! We're so so glad to see everyone make it today! For our tour, each of us up here will be leading a group. After you get checked in, your pass will have a number. Please head towards a leader holding up the coordinating sign. Are you all excited?" The eccentric woman spoke through the megaphone, a little too cheery for seven in the morning. You couldn't blame her, she was probably told to act that way. After the clapping had dialed down, everyone started to disperse to the check-in lines.

You got your number, but frowned when comparing it to your friends. Kathryn and Jamie were in group five, Tiana in seven, and you were in... one. Great. Thankfully, Kathryn seemed more relaxed with Jamie in their group. You didn't even get a chance to really talk to them before they headed out to find their group leader. ....Oooookayyy.

You looked around for your sign, but something caught your eye. A man dressed in a full, red suit and a face mask, and he was looking right at you.

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