The Chosen Path

One year later:

As Jake's cab pulled up to the University, his stomach began to get butterflies. This was the first time he had ever been nervous about anything, well, besides his dreams.

Even the thought of breaking a wild horse didn't make him as nervous as this did. He attributed it to this being his first time away from home and his first plane ride, which he thought he handled rather well.

Jake had tried to maintain his excitement from the airport to the campus, as he watched the palm trees pass him by from the back seat of the cab.

The sky was a perfect blue with only a few puffy white clouds scattered around. The sun shone bright and he had to put on his new Ray Ban sunglasses.

*

The cab dropped him off at the address Jake gave him for the Registration Office.

Jake picked up his duffel bag and swung it over his shoulder. "Watch it!" a pretty blonde exclaimed as she passed him by.

It seemed like hundreds of people were scattered on the front lawn of the Registration Office. Jake saw a vast majority of them were pretty blondes. Good luck finding Aurora here, he thought.

He quickly scolded himself and wiped that thought out of his head. He wasn't going to think about her anymore. This was a new place and a new life for him. There was no reason to bring his old life to California. He was starting over.

Tables were lined up and organized alphabetically with letters printed and taped to them. Students were lining up in front of each letter in long lines. Jake figured that was where he needed to go, so he picked up the rest of his heavy bags and waddled to the line for the R's.

Jake stood in line for about 20 minutes, sweat running down his back from the hot sun, before it was his turn. A girl at the counter passed him a small bottle of water as she had done for those that had been in front of him.

"Thanks." Jake unscrewed the top and took a long thirsty drink.

"Name?" the girl replied with an annoyed tone.

He determined that she was irritated at having to sit outside all day in the oppressing heat.

"Jake Rourke," he answered and took another long drink water. He sighed in contentment as his hot, dry mouth was quenched.

Her brown eyes skimmed down the list. She pushed her long blonde bangs out of her way. Her face was starting to sunburn.

"Oh great, not another one," she muttered in disgust.

"What's wrong?" Jake peered down at the list to try and figure it out.

He pushed down his feelings of concern. He would find a way, whatever the problem was. This was his one chance to start a new life.

"The University overbooked. They always do, hoping that students will decide to go elsewhere or find off-campus housing."

Jake stepped back in shock. "What?! So, wait... are you telling me I don't have a room?!"

"Well, you do," the girl hesitated a moment, "but you're sharing a two-person room with three other guys," she cleared her throat, "The University will have the issue resolved as they find out how many students are actually here in a couple weeks. They will find other arrangements for the students inconvenienced if there aren't enough rooms," she said in a sing-song, I'm tired of repeating this all day long, voice. She smiled sympathetically at him. "Sorry."

"Great," Jake sighed. Not a great start to his new life.

"You're assigned to Room 204, Washington house. It's in President's Alley. That way," she pointed, handed him an envelope and a black and white photocopied map.