"…all I need is you by my side."

It keeps on replying in my mind, and it’s pissing me off since this morning. I just want to forget it and act like it didn’t happen. Maybe it is partly my fault because I assumed things, but no, it is not partly my fault. It is all his fault. He said those words to me, a person who doesn’t have experience with sweet talks, a person who experienced being hugged by a man for the first time and then he just... argh!

"Why am I so affected?" He frustrates me every time we meet. I shouldn’t think of him.

"Are you fine? You seem stressed." Confused Ria asked me. She’s looking at me like I’m some weird alien. But to compare the two of us, she’s the one who’s weird. She’s now wearing bright yellow matching clothes.

We’re walking on the second floor of the main building. The main building is connected to other buildings, where the classrooms are located. I don’t know what we are doing here. My mind is wandering somewhere. Ria just dragged me here.

"If you don’t mind, but what are we doing here?"

“You sure you’re okay? I told you earlier that I needed to go to the faculty.” She was assessing me, but she just shut it off. “And now I am asking you to accompany me to the library." She holds my arm and I push it away immediately.

"I don’t want to. Just go by yourself. I will kill time at the garden; just go there when you need me.” She rolled her eyes at me and marched away.

But before I took another step forward, I saw, at the end of the hallway, the man I loathed for life. He’s with his two teammates. I think they just finished one of their classes. They are holding their binder notebooks. I turned around and ran after Ria.

"Oh, I think I also need to go to the library." I put my arm on her shoulder. She looked at me weirdly, "Let’s make it fast because I need to read that book." I push her a bit to quicken her walk.

"You’re acting strange. Are you sure you’re okay?" I stopped for a while to look at her, but I heard voices, and I am sure it was from Travis and his friends.

"I'm a hundred percent okay. Let’s go.” I said with an assuring voice. I don’t want to increase her suspicion of me.

"We don’t need to rush; the library will not leave us." She complained, but she couldn’t do anything. I still pushed her to walk fast.

“But I need to read that book. I don’t want others to have it. "
___
"I thought you needed to read a book, but what are you doing right now?" She looked annoyed and confused at the same time.

“I could not find the book. That’s all. I told you to walk fast, but you just ignored me.” I defended myself.

"You look like the sun; your clothes are shining bright." I tried to change the topic so she wouldn’t ask anymore.

"Yes, I am wearing these clothes because I have a report later." And I want them to look at me and focus on me. " She’s smiling ear to ear.

“But whatever you wear, if they don’t want to listen, they will not listen. What do you expect from these students?" I have done lots of reporting before, and only a few of them dared to listen.

"Yeah, I know that, but I really want to wear these clothes." She pouted and continued on what she was doing.

“I don’t mind if you’re wearing those clothes. I’m just curious, don’t worry. And don’t worry about what people will say.” I saw a hint of sadness in her eyes when I asked that question. I just get a random book and start reading it. I only have an hour to wait for my next subject.

"Good thing your wounds healed fast. There are only a few scratches, but they are not that visible”. She inspects my face until she is satisfied with what she sees.

"I think the ointment is really effective." I’m thankful for that ointment. Usually, I will just wait for my wounds or scratches to heal on their own.

“What ointment? Did you buy one? But you don’t usually buy ointment or even medicine.” I sigh. It is surprising that she knows many things about me even though I rarely talk about myself. She’s indeed a friend.

“I get one at the clinic." I don’t want to tell her where I really got it.

"Yes, they will give you ointment or any medicine as long as you are really in pain." She smiles at me while nodding her head, "That’s a good thing that you already recognize the purpose of the clinic."

"Because I only have one year to stay at this university. I guess I need to use all the services they can offer. "

"I think someone wants to talk to you." I followed where she was looking, and there I saw the most annoying man I ever met.

"Don’t mind him. I have nothing to do with him. " I continued to read the book that I was holding. I didn’t dare look at him again.

"Okay, but he’s still looking at you," she said.

"Just let him be." I said to her, and later on, he just leaves the library.

"Why didn't you talk to him? I’m pretty sure he’s going to tell you about the upcoming intramural event." She stopped what she was doing and chose to talk to me.

"Time flies very fast, it is already intramural." Being a busy person, I never monitor the day. I will just be surprised because it’s already the day of whatever event it is.

Time is always important to me. I always want to act and decide precisely to avoid problems, because I will never turn back time and change the past. I don’t care about what happened before. Everything from the past will always be left behind. I don’t need to reminisce and regret things that I’ve done. I just forget about it and move forward.

"Yes, and after that they will compete with other schools here in town, and if our team wins, they will have a chance to compete outside the town." She knows every story that is circulating at this university. She is always updated and never outdated.

"You’re truly a journalism student. You are always gathering information all around the university. " She crossed her arms on her chest and smiled brightly.

"Of course, and soon I will be a well-known journalist. You’ll wait for that. "

"Then you should finish preparing for your report and stop talking to me."

I feel a bit envious of her. She already has a plan for herself. She already knows what she wants and what she needs to do. As for me, I just wanted to finish my degree and nothing more. I still don’t have a plan for my future. I don’t even have a plan for my present. After college, I don’t know if I should find a job here in this town or I should go outside and find a job in other towns. I don’t know what to do. But I still have a few more months to think about it. For now, I will focus more on how I will survive this last year of college.

___
“Wait for me outside, okay? I will eat at the restaurant, so you better have a ride with me.” she winks at me.

“Okay, I will wait for you. Good luck." I wished her luck for her report, and then we parted our ways.

I still have three classes this afternoon, and the first one will start in a few minutes.

"Hey!" I turned around to see who called.

"What do you want? I have a class in a few." I looked at him annoyingly. I still remember what happened earlier. I should forget about it. Like what I’ve said, I should forget the past and move forward. Just leave it behind.

"I just want to say hi and see you tomorrow." He taps my shoulder and I move away.

"See you tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes, see you tomorrow. Let’s take Nana for a walk. I heard that Aunt Sarah will not come back and you should take her place instead." I squinted my eyes at him.

"Are you also a journalism student? You’re always updated also."

"No, I’m not, but when it comes to you, I will search the whole town just to find an update about you. I am willing and ready to be a journalist.”

"Where did you get that line? In a TV show again? You sounded more like a stalker than a journalist. Don’t bother me anymore." I glared at him before taking my steps to my classroom. I left him there standing. He’s smiling weirdly. I even want to punch him in the face, but never mind.

"See you later!" I ignore him and continue to walk.

I got into the class right on time. The professor is discussing topics about business that may help us, he said. I don’t know why I am in this program. I don’t have an idea of what course I should take. I am already in my fourth year and definitely my last year as a college student, but I’m still unsatisfied with my course. I chose BS Entrepreneurship as my course because I think if I can put up a business it will be a success.

"Miss Alexa, what is the first phase of strategic management?" asked our professor.

This is what I don’t want to do to this professor. He loves recitations. Luckily, I always make sure that I read his lessons ahead of time. He wants us to read in advance.

I stand up and answer his question, "The first phase is to set goals."

"That's right, the first phase is ‘Setting Goals or Objectives’..." he keeps on talking about the five phases of strategic management.

He keeps on calling someone to answer his questions. There are some of the girls who don’t know the answer, and when it happens, he keeps on throwing questions at them. A lot of students don’t like him to be their professor anymore, but they can’t do anything to kick him out.
___

“Come on Alexa, I want to eat a cheeseburger at the diner. I really love it." Ria pulled up to her car. She’s in a daydream with the cheeseburger.

"Hello, ladies." Someone said from behind.

Oh my gosh! Hi Travis, you want to talk with Alexa? Go on, I will go home already and she doesn’t have a ride to the diner." I looked at her in disbelief.

"I thought you were going to eat a cheeseburger and you would take me there at the diner." She just shrugs and ignores me.

"Sorry Alexa, but I can’t remember that I said those things. What I’ve said is I need to go home. Bye! " I tried to grab her, but she’s too fast. She ran fast to her car, started the engine, and darted off.

"What do you want this time? I told you to not bother me anymore.” I’m getting pissed again because of him.

"Sorry, but I never agreed that I would not bother you anymore. You better get used to my presence because I will bother you more. "