Page 5 of Broken Bonds

I startled awake the next morning, Aidan on my mind. I could still feel his warm hands on my face despite him having been gone for two years.

I kept reminding myself that it wasn’t a dream the whole time I was showering—that Aidan had truly existed. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his hopeful gaze the day he asked me to be his girlfriend. He’d said all the right words, and he had my heart in his hands with those puppy dog eyes he shot my way. I still couldn’t shake those eyes from my mind while I applied my makeup.

In my closet, the leather jacket he gave me for riding stared back at me, and pain flared through my chest. Quickly looking away from it, I changed into the white jeans and new red top Mom got me yesterday, and for once, I left without grabbing earrings.

I needed to get away from the memories that invaded my mind. He wouldn’t haunt me today. He wouldn’t control my first day of college.

I headed out of my room for breakfast. Mom was already slaving away at the stove, making eggs for everyone, while Dad was typing away at his computer, more than likely working already. Ryan was bounding down the stairs behind me and just about ran right into me in his haste.

“Watch it, dude!” I huffed, walking into the kitchen and heading straight for my favorite kitchen utility—the Keurig.

“Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” he sighed and took a seat next to Dad at the breakfast table.

“Morning, honey. Sleep well?” Mom asked, looking up from the eggs with a warm smile.

“Not really. Pretty nervous, I guess,” I lied while stirring my steaming cup of coffee. I wouldn’t make my parents worry by telling them I’d dreamed of Aidan. They would either hover over me like helicopter parents or send me to therapy—neither option was appealing.

“Don’t worry. There’s always someone in the same shoes as you, just waiting to make a new friend.”

I shrugged. “I hope so. I hate making new friends. I wish Em was going to the same college.” While I was taking my seat at the kitchen table, Mom started dishing the plates of food, and Ryan went to help her put the plates on the table.

“Everything happens for a reason, Celine. You and Emily are attached at the hip. It’s time to make a new friend.” My dad had stopped typing and was looking at me while he spoke.

“Calm down. Worst case, I’ll be your new best friend. I’ve got your back—always,” Ryan said as he ruffled my perfectly styled hair, earning a shove from me and a scowl.

“Thanks, Ry. I’ll remember that next time when I have to take the trash out and it’s pouring outside.”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” he muttered, scratching the back of his head while our parents laughed.

Fifteen minutes later, Ry and I were heading to class in his Ford. We figured going in two cars was a waste of time when we both finished at the same time today. And honestly, if I could save the gas in my car and just use his, I certainly wasn’t going to complain.

The closer we got to campus, the more my nerves increased, and I knew Ryan could tell. “Don’t worry. The professors are super chill here and so are the students. You’ll make a friend by the end of the day.” Ryan tried to give me a pep talk, but his efforts went to waste. My nerves were already shot after dreaming of Aidan. Today was already going to be too much just because of that.

“Thanks. I’ll see you later, okay?” I said, getting out of the truck after he parked.

He gave me an encouraging smile. “Knock em’ dead, Celine.” His pep talk might have failed, but he did make me laugh.

Walking into my first class, I took a seat in the middle row, all the way to the left of the room. People filed in quickly, and once the short lady with graying hair known as the professor walked in, she owned the room. She kept everyone’s attention for the entire fifty minutes, telling us stories about her experiences as a teacher.

I was excited to see that the class was only half-full, and when she called attendance, I counted only fifteen people in the class. The small class sizes were what brought me to this college. I couldn’t stand the thought of being in class with a hundred people like some of the other colleges in the area.

I had four classes all week. So, compared to high school where I took eight classes a day, this was surely going to be a walk in the park.

At eleven, I walked into my third class late. The room was already half-full, but the professor was out of sight, thankfully. I’d gotten lost, going back and forth between the three buildings before being directed to this one, where the art classes were held.

I wasn’t sure why creative writing was considered an art class when all the other students in the building were, in fact, art majors, some even wearing clothes covered in paint. I didn’t fit in, and I hated being in a place where I stood out.

At eleven-o-five, the professor still hadn’t walked in and neither had any more students. There were ten of us sitting in the small room, waiting anxiously for class to begin. A minute later, the door opened, and in walked the strangest man I had ever seen—and of course, Mr. Asshole followed him. They appeared to be in a heated discussion, which came to an abrupt halt when Ryan’s best friend saw me.

“Hey, Celine!” He waved at me from across the room, making every pair of eyes turn to my red face.Just my luck.

“Hey,” I muttered, biting back my nickname for him so I wouldn’t get in trouble by the professor. He laughed and shook his head, making his way to the empty seat on my right.

“Aren’t you just full of sunshine today?” he asked as he dropped his bag to the floor and rested his helmet on the empty table.

“Just for you,” I whispered, watching the professor cautiously, not wanting to get into trouble on my first day.

“Why are you in this class?” I chose to ignore him. Maybe if I pretended he didn’t exist, he’d take a hint. But no such luck. He just nudged my arm when I didn’t answer, and I quickly shot him a glare.