September.

The sun rose on the second of September, it met the sky with its hues of oranges, reds and yellows. Jane's slumber didn't break until a matter of hours after, when her alarm clock roared into action; 7.30 am. With an agitated roll and a groan deep in her throat, Jane stretched across her bed to press the snooze button, only to remember that today was the day. The first day of College. 

The last five years of school had flown by, and though her happy memories with her friends were in her head and heart, Jane knew that they'd been merely uneventful. She'd spent the last two years obsessing over boys who didn't obsess back with her friend Jessie, and now she was starting College without her. Her decision to go to a different college weighed heavy on her mind, though sociable in character she was also anxious at who she'd meet, after five years of meeting Jessie off of the bus she wasn't sure how she'd feel venturing to a new environment alone. The two had been inseparable ever since they'd met on that daunting first day of year seven, all those years ago. High School had been tough for the two of them, but they got through it together. 

Slowly clambering out of bed, bare feet to fluffy rug, arms stretched high above her head, back feigning release, she felt those nerves hit the pit of her stomach. What if she didn't make any friends? What if Jessie made friends who would replace her? What if, what if, what if. She decided to push these thoughts aside and get ready for her day, after all, first impressions count, right? 

She'd prepared an outfit before bed last night, and it lay strewn across her corner chair, once dressed she 'admired' herself in the mirror, high-waist black jeans, plain black top, plain black converse, all black everything... she couldn't go wrong, surely? She brushed her auburn hair back into a pony tail and cleaned her wide framed glasses, placing them on her face, she sighed before removing them and putting them in their case and back into her bag. Applying mascara heavily and a light coating of gloss to her lips, she smiled; much better. Her mother would kill her if she knew she wasn't wearing her glasses, but alas, she was at work already, and Jane felt that they'd held her back in confidence over the last five years. She didn't want them to do that anymore.   

After brushing her teeth and grabbing her pack-up from the fridge, she set off on her new adventure. Locking the door with a swift turn of the key, she took a deep breath; soon she'd be at College, clueless and alone. Not for long, she hoped, as she descended down the street. 

The sky was grey, and lifeless, it stood the promise perhaps of rain, dark clouds in the distance accompanied that promise. Jane wished she'd brought a jacket as the reached the college gates and light drops of drizzle fell atop her head. At least she'd made it here without getting drenched. Squeezing past flurries of people, screaming excitedly with their friends, kicking a ball across the field, talking about their holiday antics, she felt a sink in the pit of her stomach; she missed Jessie. She wondered what her morning had been like so far, after all, she'd gone to the same college as Niamh and Lauren, and Lauren was even in most of her classes, so she wouldn't have to worry about being alone. Surveying the timetable in her hands, she noted her first lesson, she only had to endure two hours on a Monday, it almost felt pointless. 

Fifteen minutes later she wandered into her first class, five minutes late. Having walked aimlessly and in circles, she'd finally, with a face burning crimson, admitted she was lost to a group of lads on bikes, who were loitering outside what she could only presume to be the sports hall. "I'll be your knight in shining armour" one of them leered, the others laughed as he told her the directions; when she set off she saw him in the corner of her eye making thrusting motions towards her, his friends falling apart at his humour. 

"Miss Atkins, I presume?" Started Mrs Jones, Jane presumed... "So sorry I'm late" Jane's voice broke as her cheeks burned a brighter red than before. "I got lost" Mrs Jones smiled, and gestured to a seat for Jane to sit. "Easily done on your first day, just don't make it a habit." Mrs Jones continued where she'd left off, introducing herself and the English Language class, writing key points and dates on the smart board. Jane jotted these down at the front of her planner, aware that a few of the girls in her class had been watching her, and whispering.

As the two hour class concluded, Jane tidied her stuff away and collected her assignment sheet from Mrs Jones' desk as instructed, she began to read it as she left the classroom, not looking where she was going she walked straight into another student. It was one of the girls who'd been watching her. "So sorry" Jane muttered, picking up the girls bag and the papers that had fallen to the floor, handing it back she noticed the girl didn't seem overly concerned that she'd just been tackled. "I'm Leanne" the girl started. Jane confirmed her name and the girl, Leanne, smiled. She had broad shoulders and medium length blonde hair, the sort of blonde that was almost white but natural, it was straight and ended just above her shoulders. She had a white top on that had the illusion of paint splattered all over it and bright blue jeans, her thighs touched one another as she stood, her shoes like Jane's were converse, but white, Jane wondered how she'd kept them so clean, perhaps they were new.

"When is your next lesson?" Asked Leanne, Jane noticed that the girl Leanne had been whispering with was waiting for her across the hall, playing on her phone. "That's it for today" Jane replied. "Same here" confirmed Leanne "So we're heading to the Peckish Pony to share some starters and have a drink" by 'we' Jane assumed she meant the other girl. "would you like to join us?" she finished. "If your friend wouldn't mind" smiled Jane, and that nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach had finally subsided. 

Jane said Hi to Leanne's friend, Kate, she was tall, almost 6 ft and had long brunette hair down to her waist. She wore leggings and a blue off the shoulder top, Jane thought to herself immediately that she must be a dancer. Kate didn't talk much, and on the way to the Peckish Pony she had her headphones on nodding her head along to music instead of talking. Jane thought this to be rude but didn't question it, instead she spent the short journey talking to Leanne. 

"So, what lessons are you taking?"asked Leanne, as they crossed the road, she could see the Peckish Pony getting nearer in the distance. "English Language and Music" replied Jane. "English Language, History and Psychology" Confirmed Leanne, "today is the only day I aren't here full-time"  Jane nodded, that sounded like a lot of work. "What about Kate" asked Jane, Leanne nudged Kate, somewhat affectionately Jane noted. Kate removed her headphones and looked at Leanne, their eye-contact intense, Jane swallowed as Leanne repeated Jane's question. "English Language, Music and Chemistry" Kate offered, and placed her headphones back on. 

They arrived at the peckish pony at 11.45 am, it was sparse and there were plenty of places to sit. Kate and Leanne walked in sync to a booth in the far corner, it had a TV mounted on the wall that was playing Cbeebies, it also had two people already sat at it. Katy smiled, for the first time, thought Jane, as she took off her headphones and sat next to the girl. She was curvy with lots of cleavage on show, almost overflowing thought Jane. She had thick spidery mascara and red lipstick, her hair was black with ombre blonde. Her and Kate spoke to each other in hushed tones giggling, turned towards each other affectionately. Jane couldn't help but notice that Leanne looked jealous as she sat at the other side of Katy. That left one seat available for Jane, next to the boy. 

Leanne introduced Jane as "Jane from our English Lit class" and Jane learned that the girl was called Nadine and the boy was called Thomas "Just call me Tom" he said. His accent was well-spoken, it didn't sound like he was from around here, she noticed, the more he spoke, that he had a slight lisp. He had a very sharp face, high cheekbones and bright blue eyes, his eyebrows were rather bushy, but they suited his face, his hair black and neatly styled, he had an effortless charm and style. They all ordered a starter each and shared with one another, at first Jane felt a bit behind, as she didn't know some of the people they were talking about, but they filled her in. 

By the time they left three hours later, she felt as though she'd known them forever, even Kate who she'd been reluctant about at first. She learned that Nadine was doing childcare and health and social care, that her dream was to be a nursery nurse and that both she and Tom were in the year above them at College, so therefore their final year. Tom was studying Psychology and Sociology and had a big interest in politics and economics, some of the things he said made Jane think he may be the smartest person she's ever met. 

As it turned out, Leanne lived just a street away from Jane, so they disbanded from the group together and walked home, Jane agreed to meet her in the morning to walk to College as their first lesson was together. By the time Jane got home she was beaming. 

Jane walked through the door and the smell of Sheppard's pie hit her nose straight away. "I'm making your favourite" her mum called from the kitchen, she put her glasses on, dropped her back in the hall and slipped off her shoes, entering the kitchen with a smile. "I take it you've had a good day?" her mum beamed back, "Yes actually" smiled Jane. "I have." 

New Friendships 

When Jane had finished her Sheppard's pie and finished filling her mum in on her day, she'd had a bath and got settled on her bed, laptop open in-front of her. She'd been shocked to find that her news-feed was filled with "1st day of college bitcheesss" pictures from Jessie, with Niamh, Lauren and a few girls Jane recognised but didn't know. At first it felt like a hit, until she saw that she had a new friend request from Leanne, within minutes of accepting Leanne popped up and they spoke for most of the night, mostly about the assignment which Jane had already started, but still, it was something. By the time she'd gone to log off and get ready for bed, she'd had requests from Nadine, Thomas and even Kate. Clicking accept from all, she logged off with a smile. 

Setting her alarm, and turning out the light, she sent a text before her slumber. 

When she woke up in the morning, her message said seen, but she'd had no response. She chose to shrug it off, she knew how forgetful Jessie could be, plus she was meant to be seeing her this Saturday anyway. She got ready for her day just as quick as yesterday, shoving on jeans and a T-shirt, she found herself thinking of Tom as she did her hair, hmm, that's new. A crush maybe? she didn't have time to think about it now, grabbing her bag she left the house to meet Leanne. 

"Morning" Leanne called from across the street as Jane crossed to meet her. "First full day for me" she sighed and Jane giggled, this morning she had double English language again with Leanne and Kate, then double Music, again with Kate but then she could go home. Leanne and Kate would be here until the end of the day. "I might take advantage of the library for this English assignment in the last hour of today, so I could meet you to walk home if you'd like" Leanne smiled, "I'd like that." 

Jane sat near her new friends for English, Kate was chattier that yesterday and Jane learned that she was actually quite outgoing and did in-fact take a dance class. In between their lessons they sat in the college common room, which was large in scale but had old sofas that were threadbare and had sponge sticking out of the fabric, it had a small kitchen and a few tables dotted about. Clearly it didn't get used that much, excluding the four of them, there were as little as ten other students. "Everyone walks to Tesco's" Tom confirmed, noticing Jane eyeing the other students "By the time they come back, break is over" Nadine nodded "Sometimes we do that, if we can be arsed" they all laughed as Nadine finished showing Kate and Leanne something on her phone. Jane found herself in a conversation with Tom, he was so talkative that you didn't even have to speak if you didn't want to, he'd flow the conversation for you.  Jane found herself lost in him as he spoke, before she knew it, it was time for her music class. 

Jane and Kate walked together to Music, the first time they'd been alone together, and it was more than slightly awkward. But Jane could tell Kate was trying and she liked that, she asked Kate why she'd picked music and she'd said it was because she liked to sing, this was the same reason as Jane and before they knew it they were sat near each other in class, chatting away. 

They were early, so they had time to speak, and they watched as students entered the room and picked their seats. That's when he walked in. She recognised him instantly, he'd added her on Facebook a few weeks ago during the holidays and had liked some of her profile pictures. Her heart had fluttered as she'd returned the favour. He hadn't noticed her as he'd come in but that didn't stop her blushing. Would he recognise her? after-all her profile pictures were far more photogenic than she was in person.