3 Chapter 3: In Her Defense

Sabrina’s POV

I dreamt about green eyes and coffee-stained suits last night. I couldn’t get Atlas’s face out of my mind no matter how hard I tried to distract myself from his beautiful features and luscious hair.

When I got home last night, my roommate, Dylan, was shocked to hear about my day. He kept saying I should quit and apply for jobs in the retail industry like him. His job pays better, but it isn’t as entertaining as working in a café.

Dylan wasn’t at all surprised when I told him about Atlas. He told me I was a fool for fawning over a man that I’ll never see again. I know realistically he’s out of my league and probably taken, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate his beauty.

Today is my day off; the first one in six days. I have a mountain of homework and lectures to catch up on that I’m dreading. Being a full-time worker and student don’t go hand in hand.

Some days I think about quitting college and working at the café for the rest of my life. It’s days like yesterday where I remind myself that education is the most important thing in my life because it’s going to brighten the path ahead of me.

I get dressed into a pair of skinny jeans and a long-sleeved crop top. The weather here in New York city is either warm or cold, there is no in-between. It’s coming into winter, so I need to dress for the occasion in a denim jacket with a faux fur lining.

I’m out the door with a hot coffee in my hand and a bagel hanging from my teeth. Public transport is a nightmare, so I must leave almost an hour before my class starts. The trains are always packed, and people have no problem ramming into you.

Time flies by as I listen to a true crime podcast and think of ideas for my major creative writing class. Coming up with ideas for a story has always been the funniest aspect of writing. The writing process isn’t too bad but fleshing out characters and storylines is where the real fun begins.

The trip from Brooklyn to Barnard College is only a thirty-five-minute ride on the subway, so it isn’t long until the train comes to a screeching holt at my stop. I grab my side bag and jump out of my seat, pushing past warm bodies. I scurry out of the subway, the story of a missing girl ringing in my ears.

I have a habit of being late to class because I walk too slow, so I’ve had to learn to speed walk if I want to get to campus on time. As I rush past the massive crowds, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. When I pull it out, I see a text from Daisy.

That’s weird, Daisy never texts me.

I do my best to keep an eye on where I’m walking so I don’t bump into anyone. Getting yelled out right now would be the worst.

When I open the text message, the only thing in the green bubble is: “Dan is not happy.”

Sh*t.

That stupid woman went straight to management after the incident yesterday. It didn’t even concern her, when you break it down. Atlas was the one who should’ve been complaining, but he could clearly see it was an accident and brushed it off with a laugh.

A laugh so beautiful it should be a jingle.

I reply with: “I’m sure it’s nothing.” I hit send and keep moving.

Campus comes into view and I’m completely out of breath at this point. The travel from my apartment should’ve deterred me from applying to live there but finding somewhere to live that’s close to the main city center is a struggle, so I can’t be picky.

My legs move me as fast as they can across the campus to the arts building. Along the way I pass groups of students studying on the freshly cut lawns and a group of musicians practicing songs under the biggest tree on campus.

College life is so fun and exciting.

When I walk into the classroom, I’m thankfully not the last person here. I take my usual seat in the back corner and watch the rest of the students file in. I haven’t made any close friends in my degree. I’m too shy of a person to be able to walk up to someone and start chatting.

I need people to approach me because the fear of being rejected by someone is terrifying to me.

Once everyone is seated, the lecturer, Cassie, begins the lesson. She spends majority of the class talking about plot structure and creating an intriguing climax and crisis. I don’t take too many notes because I already know most of this stuff from reading hundreds of books during my childhood.

I lean my cheek on the palm of my hand, my elbow resting on the small table in front of me. My eyes begin to flutter close as she talks about climaxes in classical novels.

I wonder what Atlas is doing. I’m sure he’s sitting behind a big desk with his name on a plaque in front of him, reading through files and ordering people around. My stomach flutters at the thought.

“Miss Sky.”

My heart jumps out of my chest at the mention of my name. No one ever calls upon me, which is why I like sitting in the back of the room.

I clear my throat, “Yes?”

Cassie has her hip popped out; her arms folded with a look that could kill. She mustn’t be happy about me falling asleep in her class.

“Since you are falling asleep in my class,” She begins, looking around the room, “Why don’t you tell everyone what your major writing piece will be about.”

“I- um,” I stammer, feeling multiple eyes burning into my skin, “It’s only a rough idea.”

Cassie smiles, folding her arms across her chest, “That’s fine. Let’s hear it.”

My throat begins to tighten as I look around the room. Having this many people focus their attention on me is my worst nightmare. I stay hidden in the shadows for a reason.

Trying to explain a plot idea I have is going to be hard when I haven’t thought of the final one yet. Do I tell her the truth and live with the awkwardness for the rest of my life? Or do I just pick a random idea and roll with that?

“It’s about…” I trail off, the nerves getting the best of me, “It’s about a CEO.”

Everyone’s eyes are on me, clearly waiting for me to expand.

I shift in my seat, “And he meets a pretty young woman who becomes his secretary. They form a relationship, but they encounter multiple instances that will affect their relationship. To save themselves, they need to save each other.”

Cassie nods slowly, rubbing at her chin. The anticipation is killing me.

“It sounds good,” She finally comments, “I look forward to reading it. Now, class, let’s get back on track.”

A sigh of relief leaves my lips as I slump back into my seat. My heart is pumping in my chest and my hands are clammy. That was so scary; I’m never falling asleep in class ever again.

I need to commit to this story now. It’s a good idea but finding the inspiration will be a challenge. Using real life scenarios is what I base my stories off, but I live a boring life, so this isn’t going to be easy.