Shannon’s POV

“You’re going to be fine pumpkin,” my mum said, her hands tight on the steering wheel while constantly looking at me.

“I promise okay?”

“I know mum, I’m just really… nervous,” I said while biting my lips. “I mean what if the people here don’t like me? Or what if they’re snobby or rude?”

Mum laughed softly.

“Then you remind yourself that you earned your place there. You worked hard for this scholarship. Nobody gave it to you.”

I looked down at my hands.

“I know.”

“You studied for months, Shannon. You deserve to be there just like everyone else.”

I smiled a little.

“Thanks mum.”

“You’re going to be fine pumpkin.”

I looked through the window.

Hawton College was getting closer.

The huge gates came into view, and the name Hawton College was written across them in large gold letters. Behind the gates were massive buildings, perfectly cut lawns and more expensive cars than I had probably seen in one place before.

I stared at them.

“Wow.”

Mum glanced at me.

“Impressive, right?”

“Very.”

A black car passed us and stopped near the entrance. Someone stepped out while another person opened the door for them.

I looked away.

I suddenly felt very aware of our car.

It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t anything like the cars around us.

I looked at Mum.

“What if I don’t fit in?”

“You don’t have to fit in with everyone.”

“But everyone here probably has money.”

“And?”

I shrugged.

“And I don’t.”

Mum smiled.

“Money doesn’t decide how far you’ll go.”

I smiled back.

She was always saying things like that.

My parents had worked hard for everything we had. They didn’t have the money these families had, but they had always done their best for us.

That was another reason I couldn’t mess this up.

This scholarship meant a lot to me.

It meant I had a chance.

A real chance to get the education I had always wanted without putting more pressure on my family.

The car stopped near the entrance.

Mum turned off the engine.

For a moment, I just sat there.

“You ready?” she asked.

I took a deep breath.

“I think so.”

“You think so?”

I laughed.

“Okay. Yes.”

She smiled.

“That’s my girl.”

I reached for the door but stopped.

“Mum?”

“Yes?”

“What if I hate it?”

“Give it time.”

“And if I still hate it?”

“Then you come home and complain to me.”

I laughed.

“Deal.”

She reached over and squeezed my hand.

“You’re going to do great.”

I nodded.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, pumpkin.”

I got out of the car and closed the door.

Mum waved before driving away.

I stood there for a few seconds watching her car disappear.

Then I turned around and looked at Hawton College.

“Okay, Shannon.”

I adjusted my bag.

“You earned this.”

I walked through the gates.

The moment I stepped inside, I immediately felt like I was in another world.

Students were everywhere.

Some were standing in groups talking, others were walking toward different buildings, and a few were sitting on the grass.

Everyone seemed to know where they were going.

I pulled out my schedule.

Room 204.

Simple enough.

Except I had absolutely no idea where it was.

I started walking.

After a few minutes, I looked around.

“Okay… maybe not.”

I checked my schedule again.

I turned down another hallway.

Wrong.

I turned around.

Still wrong.

I sighed.

“Great first day.”

I looked down at my schedule while walking and didn’t notice someone coming from the opposite direction.

Until I bumped into them.

My books fell out of my hands.

“Oh my God.”

I quickly bent down to pick them up.

“Can you watch where you’re going?”

I froze.

I looked up.

A tall guy was standing in front of me.

He had short dark brown hair, dark green eyes and an expression that made it very clear he wasn’t happy.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

He looked at the books on the floor.

“These chicks are always so fucking clumsy.”

I slowly stood up.

“Excuse me?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“I said you’re clumsy.”

“I heard you.”

“Then why are you asking?”

I stared at him.

“Because you’re being rude.”

He gave me a small smile.

“Relax. It was a joke.”

“Well, it wasn’t funny.”

“Most people would have laughed.”

“Well, I’m not most people.”

He looked at me for a second.

Then his eyes moved to the schedule in my hand.

“You’re lost.”

I immediately frowned.

“I’m not lost.”

He looked around the hallway.

“Then why are you standing here looking at your schedule like it personally betrayed you?”

I looked at my schedule.

“I’m looking for Room 204.”

He pointed behind me.

“Other way.”

I looked in the direction he pointed.

“Oh.”

He smiled.

“Exactly.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You could have just said that.”

“I did.”

“After calling me clumsy.”

“You were clumsy.”

I shook my head.

“Whatever.”

I started walking away.

“Shannon.”

I stopped.

I turned around.

“How do you know my name?”

He pointed at my schedule.

I looked down.

My name was written clearly across the top.

“Oh.”

He laughed.

“Right.”

I felt embarrassed for a second.

“Thanks for the directions.”

“No problem.”

I walked away before he could say anything else.

I finally found Room 204 and walked inside.

Most of the students were already seated.

I chose a seat near the window and put my bag down.

I took out my notebook and looked around the classroom.

Everyone seemed comfortable.

Like they had been here forever.

I was still trying to figure everything out.

A few minutes later, the teacher walked in and everyone became quiet.

I tried to focus on the lesson.

But then I heard someone whisper from behind me.

“That’s Ethan Whitmore.”

I looked toward the door.

The guy from the hallway was standing outside with a few other students.

Ethan Whitmore.

So that was his name.

I looked back at my notebook.

I didn’t know why, but something told me I was going to hear that name a lot.

And I had only been at Hawton for one day.