Here I come -2

After what felt like ages on the road, Dad finally pulled up. The sudden stop yanked me out of my nap, and I felt something weird in my mouth.

I immediately spit it out…turns out, it was a rolled-up piece of paper, stuck in my mouth like a cigarette. Great.

Before I could fully wake up, I shot a sharp look at Bob, who was casually holding his phone, camera aimed right at me.

"Hey! Take that off!" I snapped, swatting his hands away in an attempt to ruin the video.

But of course, Bob was one step ahead, his grip stronger than I expected.

I could tell this wasn't going to be the last time he tried to prank me today.

Bob just kept giggling, his phone still recording, capturing every moment of my misery.

I was about to lose it, thankfully mom is always there for my rescue.

She was the only one who could stop Bob from being his usual annoying self.

"Mom!" I screamed, hoping she'd hear me.

Bob immediately dropped his phone, acting all innocent, like he hadn't been torturing me for the last five minutes.

But of course, Mom didn't turn around. She was busy making sure her makeup was just right.

Here I was, heading off to college, and she was the one stressing over her appearance. Typical.

"Prep yourself, honey, we're here," Mom said, snapping me out of my daze and making me realize we'd actually arrived.

I slowly turned my head to the left, taking in the scene outside.

The first thing that hit me was the bold, block letters across the street: SKYVIEW SCHOOL OF SCIENCES.

A cold shiver ran down my spine, and suddenly, my feet felt like they were made of ice.

"Pull it together, Brenda..." I whispered to myself, trying to steady my nerves. I ran my hands through my hair and adjusted my clothes, hoping to look at least somewhat put-together.

"I'm going to be driving in, are y'all ready?" Dad asked, but the way he glanced at me in the rearview mirror made it clear the question was really directed at me.

I didn't even notice at first. I was too busy biting my lips, staring out the window, lost in my own thoughts.

Then Dad called out, his voice pulling me back to reality.

"Darling, are you ready?"

I snapped out of it, forcing a smile as I met his gaze.

"Uh uh... yes!" I stammered, trying to make it sound more confident than I actually felt.

We drove in, and that's when I started noticing the faces.

The first one to catch my attention was a security guard who came up to Dad's window as soon as he stopped for a check.

"Where are you from? A parent or student?" he asked, his eyes scanning us with that professional, no-nonsense look.

"Yeah, I brought in my daughter," Dad replied, rolling up my window.

I plastered on a big, fake smile, hoping it would do the trick.

But clearly, my charm wasn't working on this guy.

His stern expression didn't budge, not even a little.

He just nodded curtly and motioned for us to continue, directing us to a parking lot specially reserved for parents and visitors.

Dad pulled in and switched off the engine.

Suddenly, all the excitement I had been holding onto seemed to vanish, replaced by nervousness.

Oddly enough, Bob seemed way more excited than I was.

He was out of the car in a flash, followed by Mom and Dad, like they had been waiting for this moment for ages.

It took me a full five minutes to shake off the nerves and finally step out of the car.

I slammed the door behind me, trying not to look too closely at the curious faces around me, as if everyone's eyes weren't already on me.

"Let's head in!" Dad said, taking the first step toward the entrance.

I followed, but with every step, I lagged behind the rest of them, moving slower than everyone else.

I couldn't escape the whispers and side conversations as we walked.

The eyes. I could feel them all on me, burning into my skin.

I'd gotten used to the attention….my physique had always been something that drew eyes.

In the past, I didn't mind it. I had grown accustomed to it.

Maddie used to compliment me, saying I had those sweet grey eyes, a round fair face, and a wine glass shape that turned heads. She never understood why I never said "yes" to any of the guys who came around.

I get that her points were genuine, and yeah, I knew I looked good.

But the way these students were looking at me? That was something different. It wasn't the typical attraction. It was more like,

"Who's she?"

Thanks to the clear signage, we managed to find our way to the check-in center before I got completely swallowed by the weight of their curious stares.

"This way..." A voice rang out, cutting through the tension as soon as we stepped into the hall.

A well-dressed lady, probably in her 30s, appeared out of nowhere, leading us toward a lounge.

Her professional attire and calm attitude made it clear she was used to handling situations like this, and for once, I was grateful for her presence.

*

*

*

Just bury me now!

I thought as soon as I stepped into the lounge, which was filled with other students and their parents all waiting for their names to be called.

My pale face darted around, desperate to find a corner where I wouldn't be noticed. Somewhere….anywhere….out of the spotlight.

But of course, fate had other plans. As I started moving toward the back, I heard Mom's whistle.

"Pssst! Over here!" She called out, her voice barely a whisper, making me turn back slowly.

And there they were; Mom, Dad, and Bob, already settled comfortably in the middle of the lounge, as they waited for me to come and join their little happy family moment.

Mom gestured to the empty space beside her, tapping it twice.

I shamefully turned back to them, trying to block out the prying eyes around me.

But there was something strange in the air. For some reason, I didn't feel as tense as I thought I would.

It took me a moment to realize why.

I lifted my gaze to the rest of the room and saw it….the same nervousness and shyness on other faces, the same unease in the air.

"Guess I'm not the only one in these shoes," I whispered to myself, a small smirk tugging at my lips.

I sat down next to Dad, deliberately choosing to avoid any chance of Bob pulling one of his pranks again.

*

*

*

A few minutes passed, with my legs nervously tapping on the floor, when a young-looking man appeared from the check-in office.

His voice rang out, calling my full name.

"Brenda Charles!"

I hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised my hand for a wave, trying to keep my cool.