Sinclair

This was the third trimester of the year, three more months, ninety more days, and she's done.

No more late nights at the library. No more three jobs to keep her afloat. No more walking three miles a day whenever she missed the bus.

Just three more months and five more majors standing in her way. And this day was the first in the countdown.

Sinclair's head ducked, avoiding fellow unis converging on the spacious hallway. Everyone belonged in a group. Except her.

She couldn't stand them. And they sure as hell couldn't stand the poor girl at the campus.

Someone even pointed out she smelt funny. Funny? At least she smelled clean and not like an overdose potpourri. Yuck! The thought alone could trigger her allergies to strong smells.

She favored fresh flowers though. And when she had enough money to buy a nice cottage, she will surround herself with a beautiful garden.

Girls giggled when she passed by, pointing at her. She paid them no mind.

They find her amusing because she didn't smell like a million bucks? The petite and graceful girl mentally scoffs.

The rich kids mostly found it irritating because she got the opportunity to attend an influential and prestigious university.

She knew they were out of her league. Never one to shy from facts. Her clothes were bought from bargain sales and her bag was a hand-me-down. At least she was enjoying honest living.

The money she earned was clean. That made her proud.

And hey, she was riding on a full scholarship. It was a million euro chance and she had never regretted taking advantage of her blessings.

People bump at her on purpose, she braced herself, since she was small, she made it a mission not to be thrown to kingdom come and worst, fall on her arse. Her audience would surely cheer.

Why were the rich folks so freaking big? What do they eat? Bricks? The thought made her snort. Obviously. Most of them have bricks for brains.

Going directly to her locker to deposit her heavy books and backpack, she looked neither left nor right. All she wanted was to start her day.

Her lips twisted in a grimace at the schedule she was gripping in her hand. Her brain would be tested starting today.

Advanced Calculus.
Advanced Trigonometry.
Advance Special Care studies. -Well, that's a breather.-
World History.
Advanced Literature. Ah. Favorite.

Yup. And last but not least 5 to 7 pm for the library.

Not affording the expensive books, she had to make do with the cheap resources she could find. If manning libraries were her answer then who was she to complain?

With her old laptop under her armpit, she was off to her first subject of the day.

-Excited? No.-
***

Thank you to all the Buddhas in the world it was finally the last subject of the day. To add icing to her cake, it's literature. Hallelujah!

Well, she was not a Buddhist. Nor a Catholic. Though, she had nothing against religion. To each his own.

Arg! This mind of hers confused her at times. To think at the age of twenty-one she should no longer be at odds with herself. Her mind, body, and soul should be in harmony.

-Fat chance of that from happening. Concentrate, Sinclair!-

Tapping her dainty fingers on her outdated laptop during the interval, she was busy saving lectures she could remember.

She consciously adjusted her hearing aid. Damn! It was getting annoying. She will have to replace the earpiece soon. The static kept distracting her during lectures.

Girls were giggling to her far left and it caught her attention. Though flitting, it would still make her feel like she was their subject of amusement. For once, she promised to devote herself to Buddhism if they'll just leave her the fuck alone.

Leaning more toward their voice, she sighed in relief hearing their conversation.

"Have you heard the news?" Oh, their favorite subject. Gossip. Sometimes they put gossip girls to shame. And she loved that series. Pity.

"About what?" More giggling. So fucking annoying even to a deaf with a malfunctioning ancient aide.

"We have a new professor and he is gorgeous as fuck! Can't wait to have in-depth study sesh with him." Seriously, their folks were wasting money.

"Oh. I heard about that. My mum's bosom bows with his mother. He is a first-born of a Viscount. From a true English High society." Well, that's new.

"Yeah, I heard that, too. He came from UCLA. There was a scandal of some kind. You know."

"Pft. I won't mind the scandal at all if I can have him where I want him." God! Apparently, being a slut was universal. One didn't have to live in hovels where prostitution was rampant to be one.

"Shhh, the deaf girl can hear you."

"Really, she is deaf for a reason, Sandy."

-I hear you perfectly, bitches. Hmmph!-
Sinclair tapped her forefinger on her left ear a bit where she could still pick up sounds. But she had to concentrate to hear properly and she had to read lips. The right lobe was hopeless. It was damaged beyond repair. But she was saving for a new medical device soon.

She locked her jaw to dispel the memories assailing her all of a sudden. To think by now she would have gotten over her past somehow.

Learned a valuable lesson from it. She had lived with a strict principle.

-Love is pain. Never open your heart to anyone.-

-Stay alone. Solitude is a true companion.-

Those were her mantra. She had never dissuaded from it. Not even once.
Dispelling her gloomy mode, she gave her attention back to her work.

The silence inside the room made her look down towards the entrance. She was the only one sitting at the back of the class. All her life she had always tried her best to be a wallflower. Unnoticeable.

Frowning, she glanced at the silhouette filling the opened door. And her jaw dropped. She blinked.

God in all the heavens! Well, it's not too late to be a devoted Catholic.