Eighteen, chapter 1 [ENG]

What comes to your mind when you remembering your days as an eighteen-year-old figure?

Compilation of happy days as a new college student?
Your first experience taking part-time jobs?
Or maybe..first time being legal to watch porn explicit stuff?

Of course, it's various. Each of us was born to experience different adventures as a human.
It's a new start into adulthood world, yet we're supposed to become more mature. Opening our mind and dive into more deep knowledge about life.

And here's a story about a little girl discovering how her eighteen-year-old days would be.

---

EIGHTEEN

a short story written by @ramyeonsachetan

dedicated to her own 365 days of being eighteen.

Rated T for dialogues

Slice of life, Hurt/Comfort, may contain slight romance.

---

February 2018.

Mind-blowing classes, countless exams, and projects is a daily consumption for senior-year high school students.

The national exam is right in front of them.

Today, the entire class were not paying any attention to the teacher. Some of them were sleeping while others scrolling throughout their phones. 

Yes, another tiring day for them. Everything explained today doesn't make much sense. It's another kind of lullaby for them.

Finally, the end of the day comes. Everyone felt relieved and packed their stuff happily.

"Oh, it's over."

A brunette-haired girl just woke up from her nap. She unplugs her earphones that currently plays some of the lo-fi instrumentals, adjust her glasses and started to pack her social studies books.

"Geez it's almost 4! time for my course, I'll text you later, bye Al!"

"What an early schedule you have Lia, mine's on 6."

"At least I can go home earlier, hahaha."

The girl smiled as she listens to her friends talking about subject courses. All of her classmates seem to take those courses, that will help them to study for the final exams. 

The national states university's annual enrollment is the biggest war for the senior years. Everyone doing their best effort, including taking additional courses. Some of those courses even guarantee their students to pass the national enrollment.

However, her parents can't afford any additional course due to personal problems. She must survive on her own.

Taking a deep breath, she walks away from the school building, heading to the bus stop.

---

She gets down the bus and went to a small convenience store near the city mayor's office. After ordering a cup of hot chocolate and a toast, she put down her bag and take out her notes and writing stuff. She connects her phone to the store's wi-fi.

After taking a sip of her chocolate, she plugs her earphone and grinned.

"Let's begin today's course, shall we?"

---

She takes notes for the subject she learns today and started to do some exercise. Yes, she's studying by herself. She already bought herself a big exercise book for the national enrollment test. 

She knows that this the only way to face it and aiming her goal to enroll in a great art and design studies at a famous national university at Bandung. She was regularly a science major student, but she took a big risk by choosing social major as the national enrollment main subject.

"Aya, Art & Design Studies-Bandung Institute of Technology 2019"

Yeah, her name is Aya. That what's written in the side of her big exercise book.

She believed that everything done with a big effort will never be meaningless. She will achieve her dreams even if she didn't know what will happens in some steps ahead.

Aya stayed there until noon and went home.

---

Several days passed, and she went to the convenience store again. She paid for her beverage and head to the place that she usually uses for studying...

Only to find out that there's someone taking that place.

A boy around her age, with the onyx eye with messy hair and glasses.

This store is usually empty at these hours because it isn't a lunch break neither heading home times.

It felt kinda unusual for her that there's another person sitting nearby. But she decided to continue the studying routine anyway.

"Um, pardon me, did I disturb you by sitting here?"

"Ah, it's not a big deal." said the boy.

She took a seat beside him, let out her big book and began studying.

---

"Ah... so you will take the art and design studies, Aya? Interesting." The boy suddenly breaks the silence.

"Eh, how did- u even- know that- and my name?!" Aya answered in a shook.

"It's written there." He pointed out the handwriting on the side of that book.

"I see..."

"May I know why you wanted that major?"

...This guy must be an insane stranger.

***

--CHAPTER 1 END--

Hello! first time writing in English so let me know if there's any grammar mistake(s). Thank you ><!