《I shall Never》


 One||Hey, youre Lia, right?

    Walking through the gates of The University of Southern California, I had one thing on my mind.


    -Graduate.


    Kinda weird for a freshman to have graduation on her mind at the first day of school, isn''t it?


    Well, weird is my middle name.


    Liana Weird Warren.


    -But call me Lia.


    I looked around me,at the place I must have already memorized, from the countless hours I spent, looking at brochures and websites.


    Alot of parents were around the perimeter, along with their freshman wards.


    I was alone, however.


    I attended the brief, but enlightening orientation, taking as much notes as possible,before heading to the main office, to get my map proper.


    I was asked to wait at the reception, while they processed it, and I did, along with a bunch of other students.


    "Hey. " A fellow short brunette greeted, with a super cute smile.


    I pursed my lips, admiring her USC hoodie, and leggings.


    "You''re Liana, right? " She asked me, stretching her hand out.


    "Err, yeah. But I go by Lia. " I answered, taking it.


    "I''m Charlotte. Welcome to USC. "


    I nodded, before asking her how she knew my name.


    "Oh! I kinda heard you say it to the woman over there." She grinned,a small,busted grin.


    "Oh! Yeah, "I smiled back.


    " Here for what? "The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "My map. I really don''t wanna get lost here." I replied, with a little smile of my own.


    "Freshmen! Am I right? " She chided me.


    We waited together, and I finally got my turn. Then we walked out, and into the halls.


    "So Lia, what dorm are you in? "


    "I''m off campus. My parents didn''t want me sharing a room. "


    "Or getting a bad roommate? "


    I smiled, she knew me already.


    "Yes, exactly that. "


    "I fought my parents to let me stay on campus. I want the full college experience." She told me.


    We walked a little further, before she stopped.


    "I really won''t force you, but could you wait here? I need to use the restroom. "


    I nodded.


    As she went into the smaller hall to our left, I looked around me.


    The building seemed old, but elegant, in a strange, yet sweet way.


    Looking at the grey walls above me, I walked forward. I would have been bothered by anyone looking at me like I was a doofus, but I didn''t care. There weren''t many people in the hallway anyway.


    I planned not to stop, walking forward, my head perched up, until I hit a wall.


    "Ouch! " I whined, stepping back.


    As I did when I was younger, I turned to face the wall, and probably say a word to it, before I noticed the nice shoes on the ground, grey trousers, sticking out of it, leading up to a body, drenched in a navy blue USC sweatshirt, leading up to the most carved jaw I''d ever seen, and the cutest lips a guy could possibly have.


    I didn''t have much time, however, to admire the lips,because in a split second, they were merged to mine, in a warm, soft, secure kind of way.


    The kiss lasted a good five seconds, before he pulled away. I didn''t kiss back, but I didn''t move either. I was rooted.


    He smirked at me, before going around me, in the same direction Charlotte went.


    A few minutes passed, and i was still standing there.I only moved when I heard a curse, with a voice that sounded like Charlotte''s.


    In hurried over to her side.


    "Hey, are you okay? "I asked, crouching beside her.


    "Yeah. He bumped into me, that fucking bastard! " She yelled, as if he could hear her, as she picked up her sheets of paper.


    "Sorry. " I flinched at her choice of words.


    "It''s okay... I only curse when I''m angry. "


    I nodded, not okay with it, but ignoring it anyway.


    We talked the rest of the way, until it was time for me to go home.


    I pulled out a piece of three-holed-paper from my journal.


    Lia''s To-not-do List


    1) Go to a party


    2)say a swear word.


    3)skip assignment.


    4)play hookie


    5)expose anything personal


    6)KISS A STRANGER


    My eyes stopped there.


    I gulped, crossing out that number.


    I folded the paper back, and placed it in my journal.


    I was so dead.

 Two||But yourself is boring!

    The next morning, a call woke me up before my alarm.


    I jolted awake, slapping the area beside me, where my alarm clock was supposed to be.


    Then I remembered.


    I wasn''t at home anymore, I was in my own apartment, on the little side of the area, that held the prestigious USC.


    My apartment wasn''t big, It was huge -for me, anyway.


    My mother had claimed it, with the excuse of her and the family''s visits to me, saying they''d need a place to stay. I knew though, that she picked this one, because she thought I''d be comfortable in it.


    -which I am by the way.


    It was a three bedroom, (ridiculous, right?), with a bathroom and kitchen and living room, and...


    You know what a house is!


    This one however, had been decorated with so many homey features. Several flowers and framed pictures of my family and me, decorated the shiny, wooden shelf.


    My family.


    The annoying combination of two goofballs-turned-parents, which led to the production of a 24 year old, male version of them, and two, 18 year old, identical females.


    The females, however, had two different personalities.  One, being the bubbly, ''talk to everyone'' kind of person, currently on a backpack trip through Europe,


    And the other, being the cool headed one, who did everything she had to, with a little extra effort, and was currently in her college residence, staring at a phone, wondering why her twin decided to call her at an ungodly hour.


    -Guess which one I am. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I finally slid the green call icon to the center, placed the phone on speaker, and threw it on my bed.


    "Hey Laur! " I deadpanned.


    "Lia! Oh my gosh! Why didn''t you tell me you left already? "


    "Maybe cause your phone was turned off the entire time? " I suggested.


    "Hmm... Maybe. But you have to tell me! How''s college life? You''re in college now! Oh my gosh! Is it awesome? Am I gonna regret choosing to take a year off? Are you ready to let loose and go wild? Did you take my to do list? " She trailed off.


    FINALLY!


    "Well, Laur, let me speak now. College life hasn''t started yet. Two, yes, I''m in college now. Three, I don''t know yet. Four, yes, you''re gonna regret it. Five, no, I''m sticking to being myself -"


    "But yourself is boring! " I heard her whine, but I ignored her, and continued.


    "Lastly, yes. I did take your to do list, but I changed it into a to-not-do list. "


    I heard her long, overdramatic gasp.


    "You did what?! "


    "You heard me! " I laughed, struggling to get my shirt off.


    "Well, fine! It''s not like you''ll actually go through college and not do anything on my list. "


    I wanted to retort, but I remembered the incident from the previous day.


    "Lia? Water? You there? "


    "Yes, Fire, I''m here." I chuckled at the names we gave each other, based on our personalities.


    "I said there''s no way that-"


    "Yes, Laur, I heard you. " I smiled at her, even though she couldn''t see me.


    "So why the silence? " She asked.


    I physically covered my temples, trying to break the twin, mind reading connection, because I knew what was coming.


    Three


    Two


    One.


    "Did you already do something?! Man I knew college changed people, I didn''t know it happened that fast! "


    "No, Lauren, nothing happened, geesh! " I lied, hoping she didn''t catch on.


    "Oh! Well, soon it''ll happen, I swear it! You''re gonna-"


    "So how''s Noah? " I cut her off, changing the subject to one of her favorites.


    Jokes on you Laur, I know you too!


    "Noah? Oh! You know... "


    "Lauren, stop twirling your hair, and answer my question about your twenty six year old boyfriend. " I giggled, loving the fact that I was now the one messing with her.


    "Okay, first, he''s twenty two! And second, he''s not my boyfriend!"


    "But you like him. "


    "No I don''t!"


    "Yes, you do! "


    "Gah! So what? Adam will kill us both! "


    "He won''t! "


    "He almost killed James! " she said.


    "Because James was forcing you to make out with him... Like kiss-rape. "


    "So? What makes this one different? "


    "Just tell our brother that you and his friend actually do like each other. I''m sure Adam will approve. He wants your happiness, doesn''t he? "


    "I guess."


    "So you''ll do it? "


    "Yes. "


    "No, you won''t. "


    "You know me too well! "


    "You''ll think about it? "


    "Yeah, sure sis. " She finally agreed, and I smiled, feeling hers too.


    "Thanks, " she said.


    "Hey, that''s why I''m the smart one. "


    "You''re the boring one! "


    "I''m the careful one! "I countered.


    "The annoying one! "


    "No, you''re the annoying one! "


    "I''m the interesting one! "She whined like a child.


    "The crazy one! "


    "No, the- crazy isn''t so bad! " She grinned, and I felt it.


    "Whatever you say. "


    "Hey, okay. I gotta go now, byeee! "  She sang. "Wish you luck! "


    "You too. Love you! "


    "Everyone does! " She answered, and I shook my head, stepping into the bathroom.

 Three||You dont have friends?

    I pulled on a channel top, on black jeans, topped with a USC hoodie I''d bought before.


    Ponytailed my chocolate coloured hair, sprayed on a load of Lauren''s bubblegum perfume, and I was done.


    As you might have guessed, I''m a sneakers kind of girl, so I put on a pair of white converses and I was done with clothes.


    I applied make up. My usual, cool, light makeup, and I was done!


    I rushed downstairs, my phone in my hand, along with my bag. I paused at the last stair, realizing one of my life''s problems.


    I had to cook.


    Believe it or not, when I was twelve, we moved because I burnt the kitchen up, and my mother decided she didn''t want it anymore.


    Lauren did the cooking most times. Me, I passed the bread at dinner and ended it like that.


    I knew how to make omelettes though. Probably the only thing I ever cooked well. No excess salt, No excess oil, No char, No persistent ink taste; Just a plain, beautiful omelette.


    I walked into school, not ready for anything drama related. I knew how these things worked, and I was certainly not ready for anything to jeopardise my sanity.


    "There you are! " Charlotte caught up to me, as soon as I stepped foot into my first class, urban literature.


    "Hey Charlotte, " I greeted, well on my way to finding a seat for myself.


    I valued my new found friendship, but I wasn''t about to make it something that ruled me.


    "Lia? Did you hear? "


    "Hear what? "


    She laughed. "You''re just like my sister. "


    Luckily, she didn''t push conversation further, and our professor stepped into the hall. It was crowded, probably with the highest number of students I''d ever seen. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    He was a middle aged man, with brown, gelled hair. He wore a black suit, making him look even older than his age. He wore glasses, like most professors, and had this ''no joke'' aura.


    He introduced himself as professor Donald Buchanan, and introduced us to our class, and essentials, handing out our plan for the semester.


    I looked at the people around with, trying to get acquainted. In truth, I was trying to spot out the jerk from yesterday, who kissed me without my consent.


    I focused on the teacher half the time, and the other half, trying to find him.


    Maybe he didn''t take literature?


    Our book of focus was catcher in the rye.


    A book I''d read a hundred and one times.


    On occasion, Lauren bought me books, not for anything but to thank me for covering for her, while she snuck out at night.


    I had to call her as soon as I got home.


    It was time for a break, and I found myself out of campus, trying to find a good place to call an escape. It could be a shack for all I cared,I needed food.


    "Lia!" I heard my name.


    Apart from me, noone else knew my name but Charlotte, and I wondered how she was everywhere.


    "How did you-"


    "You walked out so fast. Were you avoiding me? " She asked, hurt flashing in her eyes.


    "No, I just really am not a people person. I do what I have to, and only that. "


    "So, you don''t have friends? "


    "Don''t you? "


    "Not really. "


    I nodded, handing out money to the vendor.


    We took a seat outside, and I enjoyed my meal, loving the yummy, creamy taste of the roll.


    "What classes do you have next? "


    "Well, world history later in the day, and religion as soon as I''m done here. "


    "Hmm. I take religion, but not history. It stresses me out. "


    "I happen to enjoy writing essays and reading long, ridiculous stories. "


    She looked round us, a smile on her face.


    It dimmed however, when her eyes landed on something.


    "I''m gonna go now. "


    "Go to where? I thought you wanted to hang out? "


    "No. I have work to do, I''ll see you around. "


    "O.. Kay. "


    The reason she left soon became clear to me, because the footsteps I heard stopped right in front of me.


    "I take it you''re not here to find out if we could split my roll? "


    "Hello there! Ayesha, right?"


    I rolled my eyes. I''d seen that one before.


    Boys used the trick alot back in high school. Call her a wrong name on purpose, and She''ll correct you, leaving you with her actual name.


    I wasn''t falling for that.


    "Yeah. Ayesha."


    "Well, I''m Stephen. "


    "Stephen and Ayesha... " He grinned a very silly grin.


    "Might as well be the currys huh? "


    "You''re an idiot. " I cut to the chase.


    He laughed.


    "Why did you kiss me yesterday? "


    "Can''t a guy kiss a girl anymore? "


    "Not if he doesn''t know her! " I retorted.


    "I''ll be leaving now. " he said leaving me with an angry face.