The Start of Something New

The sound of her alarm jolted Victoria awake. She groaned, stretching her arms above her head before rolling over to silence the persistent ringing. 7:00 AM. Today was her first official day at NYU.

Excitement and nerves bubbled inside her as she climbed out of bed, her feet hitting the cool wooden floor. Across the room, Aria was still asleep, buried beneath her blankets. Victoria then tiptoed towards her dresser and grabbed a pair of jeans and a cream-colored sweater. She wanted to look presentable, but also be comfortable—she had no idea what the day would bring.

After a quick shower, she ran a brush through her thick red hair, letting it fall naturally over her shoulders. Her freckles stood out more than usual today, but she didn't mind. With a swipe of lip balm and a final glance in the mirror, she grabbed her bag and headed out, feeling a rush of excitement.

NYU's campus was already buzzing with activity as she made her way to the orientation hall. Freshmen gathered in small groups, some already chatting like old friends, others standing awkwardly, unsure of where to go. Victoria scanned the crowd, searching for familiar faces, when a voice called out—

"Tori!"

She turned and saw Grayson waving at her. He was dressed in a gray sweater and dark jeans, his round glasses perched slightly crookedly on his nose.

"Hey!" she greeted, walking over to him.

"Ready to be bombarded with a week of icebreakers and campus tours?" he asked, a small smirk on his lips.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she laughed.

Just then, three more students approached them. A girl with curly blonde hair and green eyes, a guy with sandy brown hair and a mischievous grin, and another girl with jet-black hair in a high ponytail.

"You're Grayson's friend, right?" the blonde girl asked. "I'm Kimber."

"Victoria, but you can call me Tori," she introduced herself with a smile.

"Nice to meet you! This is Aspen," Kimber gestured to the black-haired girl, who gave Victoria a small wave. "And that's Harry."

"Sup," Harry said casually, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets.

Victoria could tell instantly that they were an easygoing bunch.

"Are you guys in Literature?" she asked.

"Nope, Computer Science," Aspen replied. "Same as Grayson."

"Ah," Victoria said, glancing at Grayson. "So, I guess I'll be third-wheeling your nerd squad?"

Grayson chuckled. "You say that now, but wait until you need us to fix your laptop."

Kimber laughed. "Exactly. We come in handy."

Victoria grinned. She already liked them.

Orientation week flew by in a blur of campus tours, info sessions, and too many introductions to count. She got lost twice, signed up for a literature club and a dance club, and discovered the best coffee spot near campus (Grayson had been right—it was essential to survival). By the time the week ended, she felt more comfortable at NYU, like she was truly settling in.

Monday morning arrived faster than she expected. Victoria's stomach twisted in knots as she got ready, slipping into a fitted burgundy sweater and jeans. She double-checked her schedule—her first class was Introduction to Literary Theory.

After grabbing her notebook and a pen, she headed toward the lecture hall, surprised to find Grayson waiting by the door.

"Hey," she greeted, adjusting her bag.

"Hey," he said, pushing up his glasses. "Figured I'd wait for you. First days can be overwhelming."

"That's sweet," she said, touched by the gesture.

They entered the hall together, choosing seats near the middle. The professor, a woman with sharp eyes and a warm smile, introduced herself before diving into the syllabus. Victoria found herself enjoying the discussion, and Grayson seemed equally engaged.

When class ended, he nudged her. "Not bad for a first class, huh?"

"Not bad at all," she agreed.

The rest of the day passed in a blur—literature seminars, workshops, and discussions. During lunch, she met up with Aria, who was already deep in a dramatic retelling of one of her journalism classes.

"And then the professor said, 'If you don't ask questions, you'll never get the truth.' It was like something out of a movie," Aria exclaimed.

Victoria laughed. "Sounds intense."

"It is, but I love it," Aria said. "What about you? How's your nerdy book world?"

"Surprisingly fun," Victoria admitted. "And I survived my first class, so that's a win."

The two spent their lunch break gossiping and laughing before parting ways for their afternoon classes.

Later that day, Victoria entered her Modern Poetry class, excited but exhausted. She found an empty seat near the window and pulled out her notebook.

Just as she was settling in, a deep voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Is this seat taken?"

She looked up and froze.

The guy standing in front of her was… stunning. Tall, with piercing blue eyes and a strong, chiseled jawline. His dark hair was tousled in a way that looked effortlessly perfect, and a slight stubble framed his jaw. His fitted shirt did little to hide his toned chest.

"N-No," she stammered, mentally cursing herself. "Go ahead."

He grinned, sliding into the seat next to her. "Thanks. I'm Damon, by the way."

"Victoria, but you can call me Tori," she said, offering a small smile.

"Damon Ford," he repeated, as if testing how her name sounded in his voice. "Nice to meet you, Tori."

She felt her cheeks heat up. Get it together.

"You're in Literature too?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Yep. Figured I'd get my poetic side in check," he joked. "Though, fair warning—I suck at analyzing poetry."

Victoria laughed. "Well, lucky for you, I love poetry."

"Good to know," he said, flashing a charming smile. "Maybe you can be my tutor."

She raised an eyebrow. "Smooth."

Damon chuckled. "Hey, can't blame a guy for trying."

The professor walked in, and class began, but Victoria found it hard to concentrate. Every now and then, she'd catch Damon glancing at her, a smirk playing on his lips. He exuded confidence, the kind that made people gravitate toward him.

By the time the class ended, she had barely registered half the lecture. As they packed up their things, Damon leaned in slightly.

"Walk with me?" he asked.

"Sure," she said, surprised at how easily she agreed.

They stepped out into the crisp evening air, the sun casting golden hues over the campus.

"So, tell me, Tori," Damon said, sliding his hands into his pockets. "What's a girl like you doing buried in books all day?"

She smirked. "A girl like me?"

"You know—pretty, charming, probably way too smart for her own good," he said smoothly.

Victoria rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "And what about you? Let me guess—you're the mysterious, brooding type who secretly loves poetry?"

Damon chuckled. "Not quite. But maybe you'll change my mind about poetry."

Victoria found herself enjoying the conversation more than she expected. Damon was confident, yes, but not in an arrogant way. He had a way of making her feel like she was the most interesting person in the room.

As they reached the dorms, he turned to her. "So, what do you say, Tori? Friends?"

She hesitated for a brief second before smiling. "Sure. Friends."

Damon grinned. "Good. See you around, Sunshine."

Sunshine?

With that, he turned and walked off, leaving Victoria standing there, heart racing.

As she made her way back to her dorm, she couldn't stop the small smile on her lips.

Between Grayson, her new friends, and now Damon, NYU was turning out to be far more interesting than she had imagined.