Jade
"If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one." - Dolly Parton
What an ass!! Some nerve he has! I growl, earning me a few more curious glances. I'm snapped out of my inner thoughts when a barista yells my name. I turn, ready to be chastised, but all I see is the same girl that made my first coffee smiling at me.
"Natalia? I have your Americano," she repeats patiently and lifts one eyebrow as she stares at me. She hands me a fresh cup of coffee and says "Try not to pay any mind to Leo, he just thinks he's entitled because he's rich." She rolls her eyes and smiles. Dramatically, she looks from side to side as if to see if anyone is listening and leans in to whisper towards me. "If you just ignore him, he goes away. I don't think he understands what it's like to not be the center of attention so it should make him uncomfortable enough to back off." We both laugh out loud and earn us a couple annoyed glances again.
Who is this angel? I think I love her. Almost like she read my mind, she extends her hand for a shake and exclaims "my name's Faith. It's nice to meet you."
I smile and shake her hand, "It's nice to meet you too. How do you know that jerk?"
"Who doesn't know him? Every girl at the University is in love with him. Frankly, I don't see why; he's such a douche." She rolls her eyes again and giggles. "He and Matteo are also regulars here."
"The University," I ask? "Are you talking about UC Santa Barbara?"
"Yup, home of the Gauchos," she proudly exclaims. "It's my sophomore year."
"Oh wow that's awesome. I actually..." My ringtone cuts me off mid sentence and I look down at the caller ID. What a coincidence. It's the Admissions office of UC Santa Barbara calling. Apologetically, I excuse myself and thank her again for the coffee. I walk outside and round the side of the building for some privacy to answer the call. "Hello, this is Jade Storm."
"Hello, Jade. This is Shannon calling from the Admissions office. Is this a good time? I have some great news for you. Usually, we don't allow applications this late in the semester. However, we had a spot open up last minute, and because of your impressive grades and SAT scores, we would like to offer the spot to you."
I open and close my mouth a few times in utter shock like a gaping fish. "Wow, I don't know what to say. It would be a dream come true to attend this semester! Thank you so much! What would you need from me?"
"How about you swing by the Admissions office and we can talk more details. There's a few things that need to be done if we're going to make this work on such short notice."
I can't believe this is happening! I was already planning to attend the city college and apply for a transfer in a few years, but this is so much better! When I submitted my application in an email to the head of Admissions, I didn't even know if the email I found online was accurate. I sent a long message explaining my situation and begging to have my application accepted for consideration. I had 99% expected it to go unread, but the fact that it was read and accepted is absolutely incredible. I hail down a taxi and excitedly tell the driver to take me to the university.
Maybe some dreams do come true.
* * *
I pay the driver for my ride when he drops me off in front of the school. A twinge of worry festers in the back of my mind when I feel that the roll of cash I brought is significantly thinner than it was yesterday. I definitely need to find a job as soon as possible if I want to survive long enough to attend my first class.
I look up and all of my worries are momentarily forgotten when I'm distracted by the sight before me. The massive campus is littered with students. Some are sitting and chatting while others are busy unpacking their belongings from the line of cars in the front. I quickly scan the modern buildings for the Admissions office. However, what I find to the left is much more intriguing. Below the cliffs that the school is perched on and as far into the distance as I can see is a vast, blue ocean. A few surfers glide on the waves below and small clusters of people lay scattered along the beach. For once, the screeching seagulls don't bother me. I'm snapped out of my daze when someone carrying a couple boxes stacked precariously high bumps into me and a pillow flops out of the top box. I carefully place the pillow back on top of the pile and excuse myself to continue searching. Oh, there it is!
Walking into the building and up to the front desk, I start, "hello, I got a call from Shannon earlier to come by and discuss my acceptance. Is she available now?"
The elderly receptionist spares me a quick glance and moves to pick up the ringing phone. "Hi, please hold a moment." She punches a few buttons and waits for the other end to pick up. "Shannon, there's a.. What's your name, dear?"
"Jade Storm."
".. a Jade Storm here to see you." After a few hums of agreement, she hangs up and instructs me to head through the hall to her right and into the first door on the left.
I knock my knuckles against the door trim twice and a woman who I presume is Shannon looks up, her glasses resting on the tip of her nose.
"Jade, come on in," she exclaims cheerily. "Welcome to UCSB. Did you find your way here okay?"
"Good morning, and yes, I did. Thank you," I answer. "I'm very happy to have gotten your call."
"And we're happy to have you here. Your SAT scores and 4.07 GPA are quite impressive," she states as she looks down at the paperwork on her desk. " And I've got to say, we never accept students that missed the deadline to apply. However, I understand that your situation is a bit tricky. To have experienced such a year and still done so well in your academics is most impressive! We expect great things from you!"
"Thank you, I really appreciate the opportunity. What's needed from me to get me enrolled?"
"Great question," she answers. "I just wanted to take a moment to meet and congratulate you. Maggie can assist you with the paperwork at the front desk. Head back on over to her and she can get you started."
I wait patiently for Maggie the receptionist to finish on the phone before walking up and explaining what I need. She quickly starts typing and pulling out various paperwork from the filing cabinets behind her.
"Here you go, fill these out, dear, and sign each page," she says as she hands me a packet and a folder full of various information. "Now, will you be needing housing? I can check if we have any dorms available. The meal plans are included with housing, but we do sell a limited number of plans separately. We also sell parking passes among other school supplies in the student store," she pauses momentarily to look up at me expectantly.
"Oh, yes! I'll need housing if there's any available. Please check for me."
A few hurried keystrokes later, she starts again. "Okay, looks like you're in luck. We have one spot in a double room available in the San Nicolas Residence Hall. Gorgeous location. You'll have a female roommate, but she'll be arriving in a few weeks. Now, each floor has a study lounge and a kitchenette, along with bathrooms and private showers. Included with the meal plan, we also offer high-speed internet access, regular housekeeping, and laundry rooms. In case you have any emergencies, we also have 24-hour on-call maintenance and emergency staff. All of the hall rooms come fully furnished with a: bed, desk, chair, dresser, mirror, and curtains. Here is a brochure with more information along with a fee schedule for the housing package. The San Nicholas has a basketball and volleyball court, and the building right next door has a fitness room. Unfortunately, it's not the most affordable building we have, hope that's okay. There may be some off campus apartments still available but those are usually more pricey since you'll have to buy a meal plan separately. Just in case you're interested, here's a brochure. Read up on it."
She takes a quick break to sip some water and continues on. "Now, moving on the finances. You'll need to make the first installment for the administration fees today, and the rest can be made through the portal once you choose your classes. Those should be picked as soon as possible before they all fill up. Here you go." She hands me a few more papers on how to create a portal login and how to enroll in classes. "Now, are we paying with card or check today?" She looks up at me expectantly.
"Do you take cash," I croak out, overwhelmed by all of this.
By the time I'm done, I walk out of the building, my head spinning with all of the information that was thrown at me. I take my phone out and jot a few notes down so I don't forget anything important. I juggle the stack of papers and folders I was given until I find the campus map. Locating the residence hall, I start towards that direction.
The building overlooks a beautiful lagoon and I'm awestruck at the site of it. I eye a small patch of grass near the water. As soon as I drop off my backpack in my dorm, I come back over to the soft grass to read my book and relax for a while.