Tasha ate her last piece of bacon quickly. "Bye, Mum! Love you!"
"Love you too, my Princess! Call me when you get to your dorm!" Ariana called after her, already going to the hall where the bags were.
The drive to Evergreen University wasn't long, but it felt like forever. The streets had quiet houses and busy roads with cars and people jogging. Tasha watched it all pass by, her stomach doing little flips. She was finally here. No more mum's rules. Well, almost.
"You really don't want me to drop you right inside?" Ariana asked again, pulling up to the big, fancy gate of Evergreen University. It had tall stone pillars and the school's oak tree symbol. Students walked in, laughing, talking, carrying bags, looking excited.
"No, Mum, please," Tasha said, unbuckling her seatbelt. "This is perfect. I'll walk in with everyone else." She didn't want to be the girl whose mum drove her right to her dorm room, especially on the first day. She wanted to seem cool and independent.
Ariana sighed, but she smiled. "Alright, my grown-up girl. Here's your spending money for the week. Call me if you need anything. And remember to be careful, okay?" She gave Tasha some cash.
"Yes, Mum, I will," Tasha promised, putting the money in her small backpack. She gave her mum a quick, tight hug. "Thanks for everything. You're the best."
"Go on now, before I change my mind and carry you to your room myself!" Ariana teased, pretending to get out of the car.
Tasha laughed, grabbing her backpack. "Bye!" She got out quickly, waving as Ariana's car drove away, joining other cars dropping off students. She took a deep breath, fixing her backpack straps. The air was full of excitement, the sound of many young voices, and music from deeper inside campus.
"Alright, Evergreen University," she whispered to herself. "Here I come."
She started walking through the gate, blending in with other students. Her eyes looked around. The green grass stretched out, with tall, shady oak trees. New glass buildings stood next to older, brick ones covered in ivy. She felt a surge of freedom and a tiny bit of nervousness. This was it. Her new life.
Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Sabrina.
Sabrina: YO! Where are you? I'm already at the dorm! Room 3B! Hurry up, I'm dying to show you everything!
Tasha grinned. Good old Sabrina, always fast. At least she wouldn't be totally alone.
She looked for signs, trying to find the dorms. The campus was much bigger than she thought. Just as she was about to get her phone for a map, someone bumped into her hard from behind.
"Watch it!" a deep, annoyed voice snapped.
Tasha stumbled forward, almost falling. Her heart jumped. She spun around, ready to yell back. A tall, strong guy with sharp features and an angry frown stood there. He wasn't even looking at her; his eyes were already past her, clearly in a hurry.
He glanced back at her for a second, his eyes showing he was impatient. "You blocking the way or what?" he muttered, then pushed past her without another word, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
Tasha stared after him, her mouth open. Rude! She hadn't even been on campus for five minutes, and she'd already met the most annoying person at Evergreen University.