Thoughts

As Kayla continued her lunch, she took a bite with the braised chicken, the rich flavours melting on her tongue. It felt good to indulge herself for once, to celebrate her small victories and, maybe even more so, to reward herself for surviving the day of enrollment. She'd been anxious and lost, but somehow, she made it through. And despite the turmoil, she met someone who seemed genuinely kind and sweet, Matthew. His smile lingered in her mind longer than she was willing to admit.

After finishing her meal, Kayla leaned back in her chair, sipping the last drops of her champagne. The meal had left her feeling full and content but also motivated.

"Alright," she mumbled to herself, stretching her arms above her head. "No time to slack off. School's starting soon, and I need to be ready."

Her eyes scanned the small pile of notebooks, pens, and other supplies she'd recently bought. They were scattered messily across her desk, still waiting to be properly organized. With a sigh of determination, she pushed herself off the chair and started gathering her things.

Kayla spent the next hour sorting her supplies, labelling notebooks, and organizing her backpack. She even went through her closet, picking out clothes she'd wear for the first week of classes. She wanted to start things off right; neat, prepared, and put-together. Not the panicked mess she was during enrollment.

Her phone pinged once or twice, but she ignored it, too focused on her preparations. She made a mental note to reply to messages later, her priority now set on getting her life in order.

Once she was satisfied with her preparations, Kayla flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling, her mind flitting between thoughts of school, friends, and, of course, Matthew. Their dinner kept replaying in her mind, the way he'd looked at her with those warm, patient eyes.

It was a pleasant distraction; one she couldn't help but indulge in. But even so, Kayla knew she had to balance her personal life with her academic life. This year, she was determined to be more responsible, more focused. She was doing this for herself, after all.

With a smile of satisfaction and a full stomach, she decided that tomorrow would be a productive day. But for now, she allowed herself a little more time to relax. After all, it was her little celebration, and she deserved it.

As she laid in her bed, she turned to her left bedside table, glancing at the clock. It was already 5 o'clock in the evening. Since she had a late scrumptious lunch, she did not bother to get up and prepare for dinner. More like she wasn't motivated to have dinner and just wanted to lay in the bed, contemplating life.

Kayla pondered seriously on her situation. She had always been the type to stick to a schedule, meticulously planning out her study time, personal reading, and even moments of relaxation. But now, there was something or rather, someone new in the mix. Matthew.

The mere thought of him sent a flutter through her chest. It was silly, really. They had only just met, but something about him made her feel lighter, like she could breathe a little easier when he was around. She liked spending time with him, that much was clear. But where would he fit into her already packed schedule?

Kayla groaned and turned onto her side, grabbing her phone from the nightstand. She opened her planner app and stared at the neatly organized blocks of time she had set for school, studying, and her beloved novels. It was already tight. And knowing herself, if she didn't set clear boundaries, she'd either end up ignoring her studies for her books or overthinking social interactions so much that she'd isolate herself entirely.

"I need a strategy," she muttered, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

First, school was the top priority. She couldn't afford to fall behind, not when she wanted to maintain her grades. That meant her weekdays had to be strictly scheduled for lectures, assignments, and review sessions.

Then there was her reading time; her personal escape. She'd spent years developing a habit of winding down with a book, and she wasn't about to give it up just because a certain someone had suddenly entered her life.

Which brought her back to Matthew.

Kayla bit her lip, feeling warmth creep up her cheeks. Would they even have the time to meet up again? What if he asked to hang out during one of her scheduled study hours? Or worse, what if she got so caught up in talking to him that she neglected her coursework?

"No," she said firmly, shaking her head. "That's not going to happen."

She needed balance. Maybe she could be flexible, leave her weekends more open so she could spend time with friends, or even Matthew, if he wanted to meet up. As long as she didn't let her emotions take over, she could manage everything.

With a deep breath, she tried to shift her focus to the upcoming semester. New professors, new subjects, some more challenging than others. She was particularly anxious about her literature class, knowing that the professor had a reputation for being strict. Then there was her research class, which she'd have to take seriously if she wanted to do well.

Her mind swirled with thoughts of assignments, exams, and deadlines, but oddly enough, there was also excitement mixed in with the nerves.

Kayla closed her eyes. No matter how hectic things got, she would find a way to make it work. She always did. Although there were times when she wasn't sure of her own decisions, it was only when something truly mattered to her that she would take the risk and step forward.

After spending so much time lost in her thoughts, Kayla eventually succumbed to exhaustion. The weight of planning, balancing schedules, and deciphering her own emotions had drained her more than she realized. A deep drowsiness overtook her, and she drifted into a dreamless sleep, skipping dinner.

The night passed in peaceful silence, the occasional chirp of crickets outside her window blending into the stillness. The stress that had clung to her shoulders all day seemed to dissipate with each steady breath.

Morning arrived too soon. The soft golden sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across her room. A faint buzzing sound jolted her from her sleep. Groggily, Kayla reached for her phone, barely prying her eyes open as she blinked away the last remnants of sleep.

A new message notification.

She squinted at the screen, her heartbeat picking up when she saw Matthew's name.

[Matthew: Good morning, sleepyhead. Hope you had a good rest. So, I was thinking… since school isn't starting for another week, how about another movie date?]

Kayla's eyes widened as she reread the message. Another movie date? The last one had been unexpectedly fun, but… did this mean he enjoyed spending time with her just as much as she enjoyed being with him?

She sat up abruptly, her hair a tangled mess as she tried to gather her thoughts. Was this normal? Were friends supposed to go on this many movie dates? Or was this leaning towards something else?

She bit her lip, trying not to overthink it. It was just a casual outing. A simple invite. No reason to panic.

Shaking off her nerves, she quickly typed a reply.

[Kayla: Good morning! That sounds fun. What movie are we watching this time?]

She hesitated for a second before hitting send. Almost immediately, her phone buzzed again.

[Matthew: I have a few in mind. I'll let you pick when we get there. I'll pick you up at 2?]

Kayla exhaled, running a hand through her hair. It was just a movie. Just hanging out. She could handle that.

[Kayla: Sounds like a plan. See you at 2!]

As soon as she sent the message, she flopped back down onto her bed, clutching her phone to her chest. A strange mixture of excitement and nervous energy bubbled inside her.

Her morning had barely started, and already, it seemed like it was going to be an eventful day.