The First Meeting

Graduated from high school and wanted to get a degree badly, Sherrie was determined to work as a part time student in the university which her sister was one too served as working student staff. Offered the same opportunity when her sister Cecile graduated, she never had a second time to think and agreed immediately getting approval from her parents, wishing she could graduate there too as her sister did. Excite surges through her, tighten her grasped in her large trunk while silently astounded of the new environment; greeted her with the scent of old pine trees; following obediently to her eldest sister who showed her around when they arrived to the school. She decided to take same degree as Cecile's, confident that she could excel in engineering program as her parents and classmates used to root for her, a calculated success knowing how she could rock any math problems and pull off drafting plan skills. 

While waiting for Cecile in the long file of students in the Registrar office, she was crushed amidst the packs of rowdy boys who inserted in the line while picking on the girls behind her. Panic surges into her and tightly grasp her documents and praying that no one would notice her but someone tapped her shoulder lightly. She froze and hesitant to turn to that stranger. She mustered her bravery to look at him; an unknown freshman like her which is one of the noisy circles earlier, inserted in the line. He displayed his playful smile as if he was trying to win her spot on the line as if she will go over with the long line again. 

"Hi, would you mind if," he started but she interrupted in his mid-sentence.

"I'm sorry. I had no intention to give my spot for I waited 3 hours just to reach on the registrar office just like you," she started explaining but it was as almost whisper that he find her hard to understand.

"Pardon me?" he tried to clarify to what she was saying.

"I was trying to tell-," The line getting more crowd that they starting to push in front of them that both of them were much more closer 5 inches apart.

They could hear each other's breathing as if they were racing against the flocks of the crowd pushing against them. Sherrie could hear her rapid heart beating that she needed to dock her head; not to meet someone's eyes, it is definitely rude, unknowingly her neatly brushed curly hair entangled to the stranger's buttons that they notice that it was stuck when the crowd was manageable already.

Sherrie trying to pull the strand of her hair that it ended the guy behind her to be pulled as well. 

" I'm sorry," she hysterically muttered as she was forcefully pulled the strand of her hair and grabbing his polo away from her. The crowd stirred up by the commotion that all eyes were on them. It looked like Sherrie attacked him and assaulted him.

"Violent woman, how could she do that to him. He looked uncomfortable." cry one of the crowd.

"Someone must stop that madwoman!" 

"Poor guy, he looked so kind but was ended bullied before he could even enter the university."

The crowd come along and watch them as Sherrie struggled pulling her hair; unaware that she choke the guy from grabbing his polo. 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Sherrie almost cried discovering she could not remove her hair entangled in the guy's shirt. Her trembling hands shook too much that the guy even notice.

"Okay, relax for a bit. Let me help you." he offered as he gently brushing off her hands of his polo, starting to unbutton his polo to remove the strand of her hair. Discovering it had some progress; he finally removed them and gently tugged it to her earlobes. 

Sherrie couldn't straighten herself up that she still lowered her head in embarrassment. She just covers her face so that the guy behind her could not even discover a trace of her.

"Excuse me," he tried to get her attention to ease the tension. 

"I forget to clarify earlier our conversation, I was going ask if what program you belong. I saw drafting plan in your documents."

"I'm Robert Arancon by the way. It's nice to see…"

She walks towards the counter knowing it was her turn. She couldn't even handle any minute to even respond to him or she will collapse and die out of humiliation. After receiving the papers and done with the last enrolment process; she ran away from the crowd while covering her face as she pull the hem of her long skirts and fled away with her embarrassment.

A loud succeeding chuckles from Robert Arancon emanates behind him; looking puzzled and look a little bit traumatic from the events earlier.

"It was not your fault buddy," this time, it was from his 2nd in civil engineering cousin console him and gave him a tap in his shoulders. "It was that white negrita's fault."

"Don't call her that, it was just an accident she meant no-."

"Don't tell me you like that kinky-haired weirdo, Berto?" it was a fellow freshman comment from him behind and roughly messed his hair.

"Shut up Ignacio!" Robert just rolled his eyes and clucked his tongue while the rest of his gang end up laughing to his misfortune.