A soft thunk echoed through the quiet dormitory room.
Vivienne’s forehead rested against the wooden desk as she stared miserably at the unfinished sheet of paper before her.
"...Education is not merely the acquisition of knowledge..."
She read the sentence for what felt like the twentieth time before sighing dramatically.
"...Why am I writing reflection papers again?"
She had already graduated from university once.
Seven years ago.
Somehow...
Life had decided one degree simply wasn’t enough.
Outside, the morning sun had only begun peeking through the curtains, bathing the room in a warm golden glow. The rest of St. Albion was only just beginning to wake, yet Vivienne had already been sitting at her desk for nearly an hour, trying to finish Professor Whitlock’s reflection paper.
"...Just one more paragraph..."
She clicked her ballpoint pen before writing the final few lines.
Across the room, another bed creaked softly.
Claire slowly sat up, blinking sleepily before stretching her arms overhead.
"...Morning."
Vivienne didn’t even look up.
"Mmm."
Claire slipped out of bed and quietly began making her bed before noticing the growing pile of books covering Vivienne’s desk.
"...You’re already studying?"
"I’m surviving."
Claire smiled.
"I thought yesterday’s homework scared all of us equally."
"It did."
Vivienne finally looked up, looking thoroughly defeated.
"I told myself I’d finish Professor Whitlock’s reflection after dinner."
Claire nodded.
"A reasonable plan."
"Then History assigned reading."
"Biology assigned reading."
"I took a shower."
"I got sleepy."
"I made another terrible decision."
Claire laughed softly.
"So now you’re paying for it."
Vivienne nodded solemnly.
"I am."
A few minutes later, Vivienne triumphantly placed the final period at the end of her essay.
"There."
"Finished."
She leaned back in her chair with visible relief.
"I survived."
Claire’s eyes drifted toward the folded timetable lying beside the stack of books.
Almost absentmindedly, she picked it up.
"...Vivienne."
"Hm?"
Claire unfolded the paper and quietly pointed toward one section.
"You know..."
"We don’t have Philosophy today."
Vivienne blinked.
"What?"
Claire turned the timetable so they could both read it.
Foundation Programme
Monday & Wednesday
8:00 – 9:30 Economics
9:45 – 11:15 Reading & Composition
Lunch Break
1:00 – 2:30 Philosophy
2:45 – 4:15 History
Tuesday & Thursday
8:00 – 9:30 Governance & Political Institutions
9:45 – 11:15 Mathematics
Lunch Break
1:00 – 2:30 Biology
2:45 – 4:15 Geography
Friday
8:30 – 11:30 Physical Activity
Lunch Break
1:30 – 4:30 Academic & Arts Organization
Silence.
Vivienne stared at the timetable.
Then...
At the reflection paper.
Then...
Back at the timetable.
"..."
"..."
"...You’re telling me..."
Claire nodded sympathetically.
"It’s due tomorrow."
Another long silence followed.
Vivienne slowly lowered her head until her forehead gently met the desk once more.
Thunk.
Claire bit her lip.
She really tried.
She truly did.
But the tiny laugh escaping her was impossible to stop.
"I was wondering why you looked so stressed."
Without lifting her head, Vivienne muttered into the desk,
"...Let’s pretend this never happened."
"I don’t think I can."
"Why not?"
Claire smiled innocently.
"Because it was adorable."
Vivienne groaned.
"I’ve been panicking since six in the morning..."
"...for absolutely nothing."
"You still finished tomorrow’s assignment a day early."
Vivienne slowly lifted her head and looked at the neatly written reflection paper.
"...I suppose that’s one way to look at it."
Just then, a familiar ringtone echoed through the room.
Claire reached for the mobile phone resting on her bedside table and smiled at the message displayed on the small screen.
"It’s Amelia."
Vivienne looked over curiously.
"What did she say?"
Claire read aloud.
"’Eleanor and I are already downstairs. We’ll wait for you before heading to class.’"
Vivienne smiled.
"They’re early."
"They probably don’t want to get lost on the second day."
"I can’t blame them."
Claire slipped the phone into her bag before picking up her books.
"We should go."
Vivienne nodded and reached for her own phone lying beside the timetable.
For a brief moment, she simply stared at it.
Then...
A thought suddenly crossed her mind.
...Now that I think about it...
I should’ve asked Anthony for his phone number yesterday.
She blinked.
She had already gathered every ounce of courage she possessed just to walk up to him.
I was already there...
I should’ve gone all the way.
She let out a tiny sigh.
What a wasted opportunity...
A second later, she shook her head, her cheeks turning faintly pink.
No.
One step at a time, Vivienne.
Yesterday I managed to say hello.
Maybe next time...
Smiling to herself, she slipped the phone into her bag before following Claire out of the room.
The campus was already awake.
Students crossed the cobbled walkways in every direction, some carrying stacks of books beneath one arm, others balancing takeaway coffee while checking the timetables in their hands.
Unlike yesterday’s nervous excitement...
Today felt different.
More purposeful.
Orientation was over.
University had truly begun.
As the two girls stepped outside the dormitory, Amelia waved enthusiastically from beneath one of the old maple trees lining the path.
"There you are!"
"We were beginning to think you overslept."
Claire laughed.
"Not us."
She glanced teasingly toward Vivienne.
"Someone was busy finishing tomorrow’s homework today."
Vivienne immediately covered Claire’s mouth.
"Claire."
"We agreed."
"We’re pretending that never happened."
The four girls burst into laughter before falling into step together, joining the growing stream of students making their way toward the Foundation Building.
Their first lecture that morning...
Governance & Political Institutions.
And before the morning was over, Vivienne would witness exactly why the heroine of The Duchess’s White Moonlight had captured the admiration of everyone around her.
TBC