You Play the Field - I Play the Strings ✔️

Chapter 3

I had stepped into Physics feeling confident about myself. I strived in Highschool. Finishing Calculus online so I wouldn't have to pay for a math class.

Not many bothered to show up early, but I knew better. Show up early and you get to pick your seat. Still these classes are huge. Another reason I didn't want to be here.

Taking a deep breath I hug all of my supplies before walking all the way to the other side from the door. I don't bother going down any stairs and stay at the top taking the corner in the back. Easy escape if I need to. I won't have to walk in front of anybody and I'm less likely to be pointed out.

It's a big class. I only need to be noticed by her. I set my stuff down and then decide to descend the stairs. A few other students start to trickle in and I almost think of retreating back into my safe corner. You can do this. First college class. You gotta live through all the scary experiences. I think they were talking about parties not talking to professors.

Mrs. Stonewall is the opposite of her name look wise. She's petite her hair a golden blonde and her skin blemish free, it practically glows. She's got these honey eyes and she practically looks like she's in her 20's.

I get to the bottom step and walk over to her getting noticed when I'm almost there. "Hello" She starts what I assume will be an awkward introduction. I clumsily stick out my hand and she shakes it with a smile.

"Hi Ms. Stonewall. I'm Callum Antrait, and I just wanted to properly introduce myself" I tell her, wanting the in so I could get help study-wise.

"Well it is nice to meet you Callum. I'm glad to see at least one smiling face in this class of groans, get a lot of those" she jokes and I quietly laugh at it. Brownie points for the win Callum!

"Well I genuinely like science so I am quite excited for it. Anyway that was all I wanted, I'll leave you too it now" she smiles in response nodding her head as I retreat back to my seat. Halfway up the steps I let out the breathe I was holding and my pace quickens as I find my place at my seat.

Aimlessly I scroll through my phone until our professor begins to speak into a microphone pinned to her shirt. The volume of her voice quickly shushes the buzz of chattering students.

"Okay everybody we've got a big class this year. Paper says 248. That being said I don't bother with attendance because I give out enough assignments and if you fail for skipping too much that's your fault. As most of you should know I'm Ms. Stonewall" she seems a lot more stern when she speaks as a professor and at the moment I'm glad I got a little bit of an insider on her.

By the end of the class I was very fucking glad I got the inside on her. Or I'd be actually petrified of her. Still instead of scrambling out of there like most I waited till a majority of students left before picking up and calmly leaving from the top door.

The schedules are crazy difficult compared to high school. For example I've only got certain classes certain days. Then the times. I didn't do really good at scheduling so I've got huge breaks in between classes. Well some days. Other days they're all in the morning back to back which is fine because I'll get it over with and done.

I walk towards my dorm building ready to just relax a bit until my next class. With my stuff hugged to my body in an attempt to shield myself. I try to run everything through my head, like how it's all going. I wouldn't say bad. I'm doing better now. Maybe I was overreacting before.

"Here comes fatty" I tense up at the name not even sure if it was aimed at me, but keep my eyes down. "Not bothering to respond?" Another adds and I finally look up to see the same black haired man from a week ago.

"Walking off some of that extra weight?" The brunette next to him asks leaning over to get in my face. He's got a gap in the middle of his teeth that usually I would find adorable but he always pushes his tongue through it right in my face and it kinda grosses me out.

"Hey freshies stop blocking the fucking walkway" the third one goes flying forward and I step aside surprised to see Conner standing there with his hand raised.

"My ass! Conner!" He shouts and the god of a man just fucking smiles. "Move- or take your talking somewhere else. It's quite annoying having to walk around you. Really it shouldn't be that hard to understand, a walkway is for walking" he shrugs continuing to walk by.

"Hi Conner" I give him a tiny wave before bringing my supplies back to my body. "Cally. Really? You're going to be extra annoying if you associate with these guys" he shakes his head but turns to walk away.

"See you at practice!" The tallest of the three yells also the one on the ground. He's got squinted deep brown eyes and shaggy black hair that falls over his pale face. He also gets nothing in response. "You're Connor's roommate!?" Once again they're in my face. I huff shoving through them. "How much do you wanna bet he's going to try and jump his bones, he's got him all alone?" One asks and I cringe.

"He'd probably crush our star player!" They all are laughing, shouting, jus any sort of insult they can. All I can feel is the way my heart beats faster. I get it I'm chubby. The whole fucking world knows. It shouldn't be a bad thing. It's just a bad thing on me. I'm the fucking problem.

I try to walk a bit faster and sigh in relief when I'm able to kick our dorm door shut and set my things down collapsing on my bed. It's hot and just fuckung muggy. Why is it so muggy in Oregon. A little less than two months and I'll be able to wear as many layers as I want without almost passing out due to a heatstroke.

Maybe I can workout or something. Do it with Conner? I really don't like working out in front of people though. Not at all. The anxiety of eyes being on me. The fat kid. It's horrible. I doubt Conner would want to deal with me more than he already does.

I rub at my face before looking back at my school supplies. I guess I can get the assignment started now. Yeah, getting ahead always makes me feel good.

From what I got about this physic class is that it will be one long assignment over the whole class. Each day we learn something supposedly new for a different segment of the assignment. All of it you can learn in the reading though so it really shouldn't take long. She doesn't mark attendance either so I could practically skip the class. As long as I understand.

I hadn't realized how long I had been doing the assignment I just know that I started at Conner and I's shared desk, but I was now sprawled out in my bed. Books and papers surrounding me and I was almost done with a good chunk of it when the door opens.

"Jesus Christ- it's the first day. Why do you look like you're cramming for an exam?" He doesn't even bother with a greeting.

"Hi to you too" I huff looking up in time to see him rolling his eyes.

"I didn't know what to do, so why not get ahead" he groans at my comment before sitting on his bed, just tossing his 'not' man purse to the side. He has a satchel. I'm so making fun of him for it.

"Of course I'm roomed with a brainiac" he huffs. This time I roll my eyes.

"Of course I'm roomed with a jock" I snap back.

"Hey what's wrong with liking sports?!" I sit up setting my work to the side and putting my sock covered feet on the floor.

"What's wrong with being smart? Or liking smart things I guess?" I ask. He looks up, pursing his lips and then shrugs before looking back at me.

"You've got me there" I smile at my win and he see this hurrying to chuck an eraser from the nightstand next to his bed at me. I don't even try to catch it. Instead a startled yelp escapes my lips and I attempt to get it out of my hair, ultimately failing. The pink sticks out immensely with my black hair and Conner stands with a laugh.

He continues to laugh at my dumb look before taking his phone out, stopping in front of me. I can't tell where this is going as he lifts the phone above me me. I look up at him and quickly wrap my arms around my stomach, trying to tighten the muscles in my face to give me more of a jawline as he took a picture. When he deems it good enough he puts his phone away and plucks the eraser from my hair. I snatch it from him and stand trying to shove it in his hair, failing miserably.

"Nice try, maybe next time"

"What was the picture for!?"

"Me"