Walking into the lecture hall, I play with the hem on my sleeve, nervous about the start of college life. This is what I've worked for, what I've been aiming for. To actually be here, starting my degree has rendered me speechless, my eyes taking in the modern fixtures, the white walls. It's not Stanford, but I'm happy.

I make my way up the stairs, sliding into a seat a few rows back, not wanting to be right at the front, in the direct aim of the lecturer. I carefully place my bag down, digging out my first notebook of college and opening it to a blank page.

I am conscious of the seats around me filling up and keep my head down, my blonde hair creating a curtain, protecting me from the unknown. I've grown it out throughout the last year and it now rests roughly halfway down my back, creating a far more protective wall from the world. I've grown to love it, Elle constantly complimenting it, advising that it looks more and more like Mom's gorgeous long blonde locks every day.

"Hi I'm Polly!" I'm startled by the hand thrust on top of my notebook. Looking up at the petite, fair haired girl who is grinning at me I cautiously smile, taking her hand in mine.

"Savannah."

"Oh ma god!" She exclaims loudly and I raise my eyebrow at her reaction. "That's so funny." She squeals, "I'm from Savannah." She explains, "In Georgia."

"Wow..."

"Well now I know you 'nd I are gonna be great friends." She nods enthusiastically, her tight curls bobbing along, "I never thought I'd be this lucky to find someone I liked already."

"Uh..."

"Thanks for sitting wi' me girl!" She exclaims and I nod, no words leaving my mouth. I'm fairly certain I was sat here before her. "I'm so excited to finally start learning again. I took a year out, 'nd now I gotta come back my Daddy says, I can't just travel round the world forever." She rambles as I watch her, speechless. "Apparently if I don't do nothing wi' my life he'll cut me off!" She finishes, wide eyed.

"I see." I let out, as she smiles.

"Oo look, is that the lecturer?" She points towards the front as the middle aged man walks in the door. "He's tall." She notes and I look back towards the front, wondering how I attract these people. I mean Zara is pretty normal if I'm honest, she was always pretty grounded, concentrated on her studies. Becky was less normal - more wild than crazy, constantly leading me down dangerous roads and daring me to take part in her ridiculous ideas. And Georgia, I mean she was the craziest of them all, a screw definitely loose in her brain. There's no other explanation for what she did to me. Absolute bitch.

The lecturer sets his bag down before calling for attention. Thankfully, Polly quietens down, turning to the front and pulling a tape recorder out of her bag before sitting back with a coffee. I immediately begin scrawling on my pages; the lecturer's name, the assessments for the first term, the topics we are going to cover. I'm intrigued by the different books that are on the reading list, smiling wide as I notice that it is not just the classics. Surprisingly I enjoy the first lecture, and I find myself drawn into the lecturer's ramblings from the second he starts to the minute he calls for it to end.

My eyes widen as the students jump up, grabbing their bags and shuffling out of the lecture theater as fast as they can. I stuff my notepad away, following Polly down the stairs to the exit. As the students from my lecture are leaving, new students begin to bustle in for the next one. Catching the familiar flash of pink as she enters, I smile and wave, desperate to make amends and not leave a bad impression during my first week.

"Laura!" I exclaim. She grins, stopping and pulling me off to the side quickly, her pink hair piled up on top of her head, her eyes lined with black eyeliner. I notice Polly watching us, her expression intrigued.

"Hey girl. Are you finally going to come to tonight's party?" Laura grins, crossing her arms under her chest.

"I don't know..."

"Y'all haven't been to a party yet?" Polly exclaims, cutting in as she steps in.

"No. She hasn't." Laura replies for me, shooting me a disapproving look. Seriously? What is it with college and the pressure of going to parties? Eventually I'll go to them, I promise I don't mind a good party. Right now, it's still raw, only two weeks ago I was at Dean's house party with Zara and Becky, celebrating that we would be going off to college.

As expected Dean had risen in the ranks, taking the role of football captain immediately. He was less well liked than Brett, but then, at our school that wasn't hard. He was kinder, always involving everyone in his house parties, but never paying much attention to Ashley. It drove her insane and she ended up attempting to serial date the entire football team in an attempt to keep herself at the top of the ranks.

"Come on, we gotta go!" Polly squeals, grabbing hold of my arms. Staring into her excitable eyes as Laura smirks at me I feel myself begin to waver. Maybe no harm will come from a stiff drink, in fact it'll probably distract me. I need to immerse myself in this college life that I signed myself up for. Parties are what I've become accustomed too, constantly dragged out to them by my friends back home, a different one every couple of weeks. It's what I know, it's familiar to me, maybe it'll make me feel better, more at home. Either way, surely alcohol will make me feel better?

"Okay, fine." I give in and Polly beams as Laura nods. "I have my roommate Elena..."

"Bring her along!" Polly cuts me off, waving her hand in front of me. "The more, the merrier!"

Please forgive me Elena. I don't even know if the poor girl wants to go to a party!

*~*~*

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure." Elena reassures me for the fifteenth time. "I'm actually quite excited. You?"

"Nervous." I admit, smiling at her as we walk down the street. "It was one thing going to these at high school, but everyone knew each other there."

"It's probably better to go somewhere no-one knows you." She shrugs, "You can get drunk and do embarrassing stuff without caring."

"You make a valid point." I agree as we glance up at the three storey house, music blaring out, students piled out into the garden. The street is filled with people, the entire road dominated by college houses. Elena glances around, her eyes filled with awe as I lead her to the front door of the house.

"Wow." She breathes out, "This is better than I thought it would be. It's chaos!" She finishes as we glance around at the room, a keg taking up the entire living room as people drink from it, the crowd hollering for them to keep going.

"Yeah, it is." I agree, grabbing hold of her hand and pulling her towards the next room. "There's so many people here."

"I love it!" Elena announces and I shoot her a smile.

"Here!" Polly calls out, waving at us from the other side of the room and I beam at her, grabbing hold of Elena's hand and dragging her through the crowd. Stopping in front of her I grin, her platinum curls pinned up on her head, a set of glasses perched on her nose.

"Thanks." I smile at her. "This is Elena." I gesture beside me.

"So this is y'all first time at a college party?" Polly asks, staring at us over the rim of her spectacles.

"Yeah... we stayed in the last four nights." Elena explains.

"Well good news is, it's just like high school ones were." Polly grins.

"Great." I reply sarcastically. I'm not sure whether that makes me feel better or worse.

"I think I'm going to need beer." Elena exclaims.

"Me too." I nod.

"Alright, well help yourselves whenever y'all want." Polly gestures behind her at the row of drinks.

"Thanks Polly." I smile and she nods before taking a step away.

"I'll see y'all later."

"She's from Savannah?" Elena asks as we gaze after the retreating figure, Polly disappearing into the depths of the crowd.

"Yeah."

"I've never heard anyone from Savannah talk like that." She raises her eyebrows and I laugh.

"I don't think she was born there."

"Me neither!"

"She's here because her Dad told her she had to do something with her life. I'm not sure she actually cares about the studying." I explain, reaching behind us to the drinks and grabbing two cups. "Here!"

"Thanks." Elena grins before glancing back round the room. "This is a nice house."

"It sure is."

"Did you go to many parties at high school?"

"I did in my junior year." I nod, "After that I felt like I was kind of done with them."

"Made some embarrassing decisions at them?" She asks and I grimace.

"Something like that."

"I never went." She announces and I raise my eyebrows.

"You didn't?"

"I wanted to wait, really appreciate them at college."

"You should have said! We could have gone the first night." I exclaim, the sudden guilt clawing at my chest. This girl has never experienced a house party before and I can imagine that if I had never met Becky I would be exactly the same.

"It's okay." Elena assures, smiling. "I didn't mind. It's more important getting to know my new roommate."

"I appreciate it." I smile and she beams.

"Cheers." She says, lifting her cup up towards me.

"Cheers." I grin, clinking my plastic cup with hers before we both take big gulps, wrinkling our faces up as the familiar burn of alcohol hits our throats.

"Alright, what now?" Elena asks, grinning.

"What now?"

"What else happens at these parties?" She clarifies, glancing round.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Elena slouches down, looking glum.

"Let's get you some more drink." I laugh. "Then we'll dance."

"Now that sounds more promising!" Elena grins as she grabs hold of my arm, dragging me back towards the drinks table as I chuckle.

*~*~*

Three hours pass by quickly and before I know it Elena and I are dancing with Polly in the middle of the living room, surrounded by college students as we laugh. Polly is an eccentric dancer, not caring who watches her as she throws her little body around, her tie-dye dress flowing down to her knees, two drinks in her hands at all times.

She has no cares in the world, she's here for the good time, and to be honest, I don't blame her. Her life has no rules, she doesn't care what society thinks of her. I wish I could be like that, forget everyone else and just do whatever the hell I want, whenever I want.

I'm a control freak and I know it, my life structured around rules and societal norms. Maybe I should try living like Polly, embrace her mindset. At least for the first year of college.

I giggle as Polly hands me her drink, tilting my head back and pouring the remainder of the cup into my mouth. Elena cheers me on before clapping me on the back as Polly screams my name. Slightly embarrassed I lower my head as Polly grabs hold of me, wrapping her arm around my shoulder as a new song begins.

The alcohol is flowing through my veins and I'm loving it. I feel so relaxed, so happy, and I'm not even paying attention to any of the strangers at this party. Elena was right, it is so much better being here with no-one you know. Singing along to the song I grab onto Elena, wrapping my arm around her shoulder so that we are a line of three drunken girls who just don't give a damn.

I never thought that I would be able to get here, I never thought it would be possible. Through all of my struggles I made it to college. Christlington University, California. Only two hours away from Elle.

I did it.

Suddenly I hear the unmistakable familiar laughter that haunted my junior year of high school. I halt immediately, my face draining of colour as I tighten my grip on the empty cup in my hand and letting go of the girls.

I must be mistaken, it's been so long since I heard that sound, I'm sure a lot of people laugh exactly the same way, at exactly the same pitch in California. My heart jumps into my throat, my breathing becoming more erratic as I look down at the cup in my hand. Damn drink, making me hear things.

This is why I shouldn't drink, it's why I should have never come to a party. Alcohol is a drug, it makes you hear things, it brings out the...

My thoughts are cut off at the sound of the laugh once more, my eyes widening in realisation. I'm not imagining things.

"Savannah?" Elena stops dancing, her eyes fixed on my frozen form. I ignore her, my heart in my mouth as I slowly turn around towards the sound, my heart beating fast I stop at the sight of his brunette hair. I can tell from the back that it really is him, his tall, muscular figure ingrained into my mind forever. How... how is he here?

"Brett." I unintentionally breathe out.

He turns at the sound of his name, stopping suddenly as his eyes rest on mine.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••