Max and Anne great me in the kitchen at a set breakfast table.
"Hey gurl" Anne exclaims, her face stretched into the exact same grin as Max's.
My eyes wander over our crammed kitchen table: brad rolls and toast in a basket, marmalade, all sorts of jam & cheese inluding cream cheese, salami, spreadable sausages, bologna sausage, an unopened 1kg jar of nutella take in a lot of space as well as milk and those straws with flavour in them, a fluid that looks like freshly squeezed orange juice with a can of apple juice beside it.
"Uhhhhm, what the hell is going on here?"
"Not hell, just me" I hear a familiar voice behind me, it's my father.
I turn around to hug him "H-hey, what are you doing here? I didn't expect you... Not that I'm unhappy to see you, just surprised" I add as I see his fake pouty face
"I couldn't let my babygirl get back to Uni without a proper breakfast, could I? Maybe you remember that I always fixed a nice breakfast on your first days." he reminds me with a wink
"Well thankyou, but technically this isn't my first day" I tease him while sitting down with the three of them.
"Oh nevermind, Imissed your real first day at NYU and also I noticed that you are eating way to unhealthy and imbalanced here. You need vitamins to concentrate and regain your strength! Last but not least I would like to express my support for your decision to stay"
After his little speech we are all silent.
"Wow, I don't even know what to say except 'thankyou' and 'I love you'"
"I do, you're awesome Mr Klett!" Max says through a mouthful of food he stuffed into his mouth within seconds.
"Oh please, call me Heinrich, you too Anne"
Max smiles and nodds still chewing, but Anne shakes her head laughing "I think I'll pass - There's no way I can pronounce that"
We all join her and happily munch our breakfast.
outfit - just in case you forgot ;)
Later we all walk downstairs to my father's car together. He offered to give us a ride and we gladly accepted, even though Max's first class isn't until noon.
My fear of cars and traffic has subsided due to my father's safe driving and also time heals all wounds I guess. If you asked me, time could speed up the progress of hair growth though. Mine is not even long enough to primp it into a frisky short hair style, I still look like I just got out of chemotherapy. I sigh and pull my beanie deeper into my face as we arrive on University grounds. Max and Anne hop out of the back whereas I unbuckle myself slowly and hug my father from the passenger seat.
"Hab dich lieb, Papi" I mumble into his jacket.
"Ich dich auch, Sophiechen" He kisses the top of my head.
I exit the car and go to Anne's side who has been patiently waiting for me. She tugs my arm under hers and pulls me along.
"There's nothing you need to worry about, we repeated every bloody detail of the material with ya"
"I know, but I'm still nervous. I don't even know why exactly."
We pass a cloud of sweet perfume and a load voice holds us up "Hey there! Sophie right? And you are Alice?"
"Anne" she growls correcting
"Oh yes of course, excuse my bad memory. I really shoul remember your name after we spend a whole night partying with One Direction" She practically shouts the last words making me remember her name: Lindsay.
"Of course I heard what happened to you Sophia and I couldn't feel worse about it, but I'm so happy to see you're back on track! Now you and Niall could double-date with Harry and I and maybe Anne and Marc could tag along too"
"Max and I aren't a couple" Anne informs her "And I didn't know you and Harry were"
"Oh well you know, things have been kinda slow with us since the accident, he was just so worries about his friends I guess. But now that everything has worked out, I'm sure we'll be great" She responds with an obviously faked smile.
Anne and I look at her in silence, not knowing what to say. She uses our quietness to babble on "So whatcha guys think wanna grab some dinner with our boys friday night? You can bring your 'not-boyfriend'" She winks at Anne.
Before any of us can reply, she claps her hand together loudly and uses her nearly-shout voice again "Great! Don't worry my daddy has the best connections, I'll reserve for six at the bar in 'Masa' at 8. Oh and Harry has my number so tell him to text me if any other bandmates want to come and take their girlfriends out. I gotta go now, see you on Friday" She blows us a kiss, waves and turns around heading towards a large group standing at a staircase.
"Did she just blow us a kiss?" I ask confused
"She just forced us into a triple-date and I'm not even dating the guy" Anne states sourly
"So what? Bring someone else then"
"Mh, maybe..."
We finally turn our heads away from Lindsay's parting figure and follow our original path again.
"I think I like this bitch even less now, but you know what I noticed? She said something about things slowing down with Harry after your accident. Well that was just one day after they first met, which means have always been slow for them - HA!" Anne rejoices triumphantly
"Since when do you enjoy other people's misery, or lack of a growing relationship in particular?"
"Since I met this girl! There's something off with her, she's a particularly evil and calculating cunt"
"What? Anne, you cannot just assume that! You hardly ever talked to her."
"Oh she's easy to see through, at least for me. I guess she's not trying to hide her true self from me and I'm not as naïve as you are."
"I'm not naïve!" I pout
"Remember that one time this guy sold you fake tickets to the Fashion Week?" Anne mocks me dryly.
"I was new here and really wanted to be there at least once in my life!"
"And what excuse do you have for typing a whole essay for Max who claimed he had tendinitis when he was just lazy?!"
"He faked that?"

---

The courses pass by slowly and although I don't feel left behind I am majorly bored and have problems concentrating. Half an hour before I can finally go home, I receive a text from Niall: 'Hey babe, wanna come over when you're done with Uni?'
'Sure, but I've never been to your hotel before...'
'Just come to the 4 seasons & ask for Brian Callaghan's suite ;)'
'I'll be there in 1h'
"Is what I am talking about so boring Miss?"
I look up and the professor is standing right in front of me glaring down.
"Now, if you'd be so kind as to remove your headpiece...?"
Slowly I slide my beanie of, revealing my awful hair. Something like pity flickers in Professor Marks' eyes but he quickly bucks up and returns to the front stiffly. Anne takes the hand I still have the beanie in and squeezes it. She's the only thing that stops the tears from escaping my eyes. I feel like everybody is staring at me with disgust and whispers about my looks. I try to listen to the lecture, but this whole day has taken its toll on my ability to concentrate and now my low self-esteem adds to it.
Finally, Professor Marks releases us and I pull my beanie back on immediately. I storm out of the room and Anne has problems keeping up with me.
"Hey, where are you running so fast?" She breathes behind me
I stop and say "Niall asked me to come over, do you mind?"
"No, of course not! I think it's a great idea, he will make you feel better - He always does" She says with a smirky wink, hugs me and walks of.

Notes

A bit of an emotional chapter, but prepare for the next one ;)

xoxo