I don't even know if I am more nervous or excited. Today was my first day of college.

It's actually happening. Things are finally falling into place. It's only been two days since I have been in LA, and I am already happier, and that scares me more than anything.

"I am so nervous." Riley said as we walked out of the dorm.

It was currently nine in the morning. Riley and I had classes in half an hour, whereas Dani's class doesn't start until eleven.

"Tell me about it." I said, adjusting the bag on my shoulder.

"Do you wanna pick up some coffee?" Riley asked, gesturing to the coffee shop.

"Yeah. That sounds good."

Walking out of the coffee shop with our cups in our hands, we started making our way to the main building.

I was a biology major and Riley was an art major, so our lectures were in the opposite direction, but we had some documents to submit at the office which was in the main building.

"Yesterday was so much fun. It reminded me of when Ethan comes back home for holidays with Noah and Mason." Riley said as we were discussing yesterday's Ikea trip.

"It was really fun." I agreed, smiling at the memory.

We honestly had so much fun yesterday. Once we made our way up to the dorm, all of us ordered food and chilled for two hours straight. Everyone was so comfortable around each other, some more than others.

I am talking about Dani and Mason.

They were so cute together. I almost feel like a teenage girl fawning over my favorite fictional couple.

But they were actually so adorable together, sharing food and the blanket. It was amazing.

After we had the conversation, Ethan and I were back to how we were at the party. Slightly flirty.

Noah's presence was entertaining enough. We were constantly laughing, flirting, or taking jabs at each other.

"This is where we separate." Riley said pointing to her building on the left.

"I'll see you later." I smiled at her in an effort to comfort her.

"Yeah. We are meeting after Dani's classes, right?"

Dani's class gets over around one and she wants to audition for the cheer squad, so Riley and I were going for 'moral support' as she puts it.

"Yeah. We are." I nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you then." She smiled at me and turned around to walk to her class, leaving me alone in this huge hallway filled with all kinds of people.

Breathing out once to calm my nerves, I started walking towards my building. It was a beautiful grey building, very sleek with glass doors and windows.

My class was in hall 402B, which was on the fourth floor, a little farther away from the staircase. This also was my most important class of the year, anatomy.

Entering the hall, I realized how huge it was. There were rows of seats arranged in circular arcs with a podium in the class's front.

I wasn't one of those who sit in the front in fact; I am more of a backbencher. So, true to my nature, I took a seat in the second last row and started taking out my stationery for this class.

Looking around the hall once, I saw many students minding their own business, some scrolling through their phones, others talking to their friends, and that's when the realization set in that I am actually in college.

⤎❁⤏

Walking out of my last class for the day, I was pleasantly surprised at how good my first day was. Not long after I settled down in Anatomy, a girl named Nora sat down beside me. I am too awkward to start the conversation, so I was really glad when she started the conversation and took control of it. We even exchanged numbers to hang out, out of class one of these days.

In my second class for the day, I met this guy named Lucas. He was actually one of the guys on the basketball team. That's how the conversation started when he asked me if I was there at the party or not because he swears he saw someone very similar. I laughed so hard when he said that because of his shocked tone. It was hilarious.

Right now, I was walking towards the field where the cheerleading auditions were supposed to take place. I got a text from Dani thirty seconds ago, saying,

"Where the fuck are you? Get here ASAP!"

This was panic text. We were both cheerleaders in high school; she was the head cheerleader, so this really mattered to her. I did it for fun, so I had no intentions of continuing it further.

The Willow Creek field was enormous. I would die if I had to run around this field, it was that huge.

"You are finally here." Danis sighed in relief.

"Yeah, I am here," I said, plopping down on the bleachers.

"Why are you dressed like that?" I asked, looking at Riley. Dani and Riley were both dressed in yoga pants and a sports bra. Dani had an audition. So I get her, but Riley?

"She is forcing me to audition and I have never done cheer in my fucking life." Riley said, throwing her hands in the air, obviously irritated at Dani's stupidity.

"Why would you do that?" I said, turning to Dani with a confused face.

"Because I can. Now go!" Dani ordered, pulling me up from the bleachers.

"Where?" She had definitely lost a few screws.

"Go change. You have five minutes. My bag is in locker number 20. The lock is 4531." Dani said, already pushing me towards the locker rooms.

"Why the fuck do you even want us to do this?" I asked, now as irritated as Riley.

"It'll be fun. You can always pull out. Come on! I don't want to be the only one auditioning." Dani said with a pout and puppy eyes.

"You are the only one who wants to do it. This is so stupid." Riley yelled from the bleachers, trying to reason with her.

"Do this for me, please?" Dani said, clasping her hands.

"Okay, fine. Whatever." I agreed, not understanding the point of continuing this argument anymore.

I walked inside the locker room, begrudgingly. There were still some girls lingering in there, so I changed quickly into a pair of black yoga pants and a black sports bra that I found in Dani's locker.

"You had it all planned! These are my clothes. These aren't some backup clothes or anything." I accused Dani as I walked outside to see her and Riley discussing something.

"You would have said no if I had asked you." Dani said, shrugging as if this was the most logical thing in this world.

"She even registered our names." Riley supplied.

"Oh, great." I don't even know what to say.

"I don't wanna do cheer." I whined like a kid, flinging my arms around me.

"You don't wanna do it. I don't know how to fucking do it. I am gonna make a fool out of myself out there." Riley asked emphasizing the difference.

"Take one for me. I'll cook for a month straight." Dani offered.

"Okay cool." I agreed instantly.

"This is not really a big deal. It's just an audition." Riley shrugged, trying to play it off.

Food is important.

The audition started fifteen minutes later and Jessica, the head cheerleader, did the whole welcome speech.

"Hi, guys. Welcome to cheer auditions, 2021. We'll have sixteen members on this team as every year. This year we have six spots open and fifty people auditioning, so this will not be easy. We already have a list of registered names so we'll call your names one by one and then, you'll come here and perform your routine. I think I have made it as clear as it gets. So, let's begin."

As she finished her speech, we all went to sit by the sides to clear up the performing area and stay out of the way.

"First up, we have Victoria Graham. All the best." She called out the name from her list and went back to sit behind the table with three other girls.

Riley and I tried to ignore everyone as the other girls performed. It was her tactic so that she doesn't run off in the opposite direction even before she could perform.

I still glanced at the girls once in a while, and I think it's safe to say the pressure was real. I am glad Riley was busy scrolling through her Instagram, otherwise, she surely would be sitting in the dorm right now.

"Okay, next we have Danielle Ainsley. All the best. Start whenever you are ready." Jessica smiled.

Thanking us for our best wishes, Dani made her way to the center. She took a deep breath and performed a routine that we knew by heart. It was one of her favorite routines that we mastered in high school. She was very graceful and agile as always. Finishing her routine with a little bow, she nailed it. Riley and I hollered and cheered her on as she finished. I glanced at Jessica and the other girls, who looked pretty impressed. My best friend is definitely getting one of those six spots.

"You were so good out there." I hugged her with a huge smile on my face, genuinely happy for her.

"Thank you so much." She smiled back graciously.

"You killed it, girl." Riley complimented her and pulled her in for a hug.

"Next up it's Riley Knight. All the best."

"All the best. Don't worry about anyone else. Do your thing." I said turning to her to assure her and hugged her.

"You'll do good. All the best." Dani smiled at her, squeezing her shoulder.

Riley silently nodded and made her way to the center, I could see her taking deep breaths to calm herself down.

She did a basic routine, but it was pretty neat for a beginner. To my utter surprise, she was better than some other girls who were auditioning.

"I thought you didn't cheer." Dani said instantly pulling Riley in for a hug when she came near us.

"Exactly, that was good." I hugged her when Dani pulled back.

"I did for a few months in my junior year, but then I realized it wasn't really my thing." She shrugged with a sheepish smile on her face.

"Okay, Iris Reed, you are up next. All the best. Take your time." Jessica announced.

"Wish me luck." I said rubbing my arms.

"You are going to kill it."

"You don't need it, you'll slay." My lovely best friends said hyping me up.

As I reached the center, I looked around the field to distract myself from Jessica's piercing eyes, but my gaze stumbled upon a group of guys sitting on the bleacher looking right back at me.

One guy in specific.

Ethan Knight.

Our eyes connected, and he smiled at me confidently, as if wishing me luck.

I was about to do a very basic routine, but now, I suddenly have this urge to impress a certain brown-eyed guy.

⤎❁⤏

Hey people! Here is your update! Chapter-7 of "Overcoming" is here! The story is picking up and I can't wait to show you guys where it leads.

Also, I realized that I don't have an updating schedule anymore. It's like I am updating every other day which according to me is a good thing but I wanna know if you feel the same way, so let me know in the comments if you enjoy these frequent irregular updates or do you want me to stick to like one chapter a week?

I would love for you to take a moment and click on that tiny star button if you enjoyed this chapter!