Chapter 74 - Break The Ice

The dean of XXX University stood on top of the stage to make his opening remarks. The crowd inside the large hall were either nodding off or intently listening to his words. Prisana was one of the few who paid close attention to the dean's remarks.

She was always the studious kind of student, even during her time at the all girl's Christian academy she attended.

Prisana flipped open her notebook and took note of important insights that the dean spoke of.

"...There will be times that you will shed blood, sweat, and tears to your path but all will be worthwhile under XXX University's guidance. So tread on to your aspirations as you are the future of New Jersey's bright workforce! Thank you...Please, go on and follow your group leader to experience what XXX University has to offer."

After the dean finished, the audience along with Prisana erupted to an a round of applause. New students steadily went to swarm the dean. Prisana looked around and for the first time, she wasn't sickened by the atmosphere. The atmosphere was not the elite and full of fake smiles. It was a bright and lively vibe among genuine people from all walks of life.

Prisana walked over to the meeting area Theodore instructed all students to meet at. She flipped over her notes earnestly.

"Pfft."

She turned to the sound of laughter to find Theodore leaning over her with amusement.

"I don't think I've ever seen any student take notes so vigrously during an opening speech. It's quite refreshing... and cute."

Prisana blinked at him a few times.

"Did you just call me...cute?"

"Relax, I'm not trying to hit on you. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Er, it's a terrible habit of mine. I tend to just blurt things out...Anyway, even if I found it okay, you should be careful though as others might find it disturbing to their concentration and might try to start some trouble."

"Hah. Believe me, I was afraid someone in the crowd was going to break my pencil apart."

"That would be battery and assault. I'd tackle them down and take them to our local campus police."

This earned a small laugh from Prisana, "You're like some kind of vigilante."

"I tend to stick my nose into business where it doesn't belong more often than not...Alex! Over here," Theodore called out to one of the students in group 10 and turned to Prisana. "Stay put. I'm going to look for the rest of the kids. Ugh. Why can't everyone be as diligent as you and make my life easy?"

Theodore rushed off to look for the other students as Prisana stayed put like he asked. The girl named Alex walked over and stood with Prisana. Alex was a girl that definitely stood out from the crowd. Her clothing expression indicated punk rock with hues of black and purple stripes. There were multiple piercings on her ear, lips, and nose.

She was the first one to flash Prisana a bright smile, "I was late earlier so I didn't get to introduce myself to anyone. Hi, I'm Alex."

"Hello I'm Prisana. And, why were you late if you don't mind me asking?"

"I was cussing some bald jerk in the parking lot for stealing my parking spot when I was turning in first. Long story short, I got the parking spot because some kind soul witnessed the whole ordeal. But I fucking swear—mmph?"

Theodore walked into the conversation and covered her mouth, "Watch your language, oh young one."

"Okay dad," Alex responded while rolling her eyes and Prisana couldn't help but laugh at their interaction.

"Dad?" he repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. "Do I really look that old to you guys?"

Someone else from group 10 added, "You treat us like your kids yet aren't you a senior still in school?"

"That's right kids. I still have a long way to go before I can be called 'daddy' although, my ex-girlfriend used to call me that in bed."

Everyone laughed at his disturbing comment with the exception of Prisana. She looked around. Prisana was the only one who didn't get the joke. The elites never made such kind of jokes and even then, her so called friends were people chosen by her father who only talked about knitting and the like.

"Gross," Alex commented.

Some other girl raised her hand, "You said ex. Does that mean you're single?"

Only the girls in the group dared to giggle. All but Alex and Prisana who weren't remotely interested in his relationship status.

Theodore chuckled wholeheartedly and shook his head, "I'm married to my career. Let's just put it at that. Okay listen up, since you kids will be seeing a lot of each other in the upcoming school year, we always do an ice breaker to make everyone better aqcainted with one other. Follow me."

All the students walked behind Theodore as he led them into what looked like a classroom. There were rows of desks lined next to each other and a large whiteboard facing the front of the class. He instructed everyone to pick a desk and face one another in a circle. And so, Prisana chose a desk and aligned it with the person next to her which happened to be Alex.

"I think ice breakers are so stupid," Alex whispered to Prisana.

Theodore walked by and karate chopped her head. As he did this, a toilet paper roll fell onto Alex's desk. Prisana had to do a double take as it really was a toilet paper roll sitting on her desk.

"Alex seems enthusiastic about this so she'll start first. Take the amount of toilet paper that you would normally use in the bathroom and then give it to the next person."

Someone asked, "...Like shitting or peeing? Or, Both?"

People all giggled or directed more jokes with one another.

"Whichever one you want," he stated, imploring Alex to start.

She furiously rolled a large amount into her hand and handed it to Prisana, "There."

Prisana looked at the roll and the curious gazes that were directed to her. She carefully considered how much she would use and Theodore chuckled at her distress.

"You don't need to think so hard about it."

She finished taking her roll and once everyone finished, Theodore announced, "Okay young ones. Tell us about yourselves as you rip away each strip of toilet paper. It can be something deep. Something not so deep. Your interests. Favorite color. Anything!"

Prisana looked to Alex's large roll of toilet paper folded at her desk. She began to rip off each strip of toilet paper.

"This group leader is damn nosy. I like black. I like purple. I like dark colors. I hate annoying people..."

The list went on and on until Alex picked away at the last strip of toilet paper. Prisana gulped as now it was her turn. She shakily lurched for her strips.

Something deep...

Something not so deep...

It was confusing so she went for the deep and beautiful truths about herself. These people might not care about her life but if she were going to tell a story about herself then she didn't want to feed people the ugly lies as her forsaken father had done so to her.

She took a deep breath.

Each strip of toilet paper shed like beautiful truths at her fingertips.

"...I used to be a rich daddy's girl. We didn't end on such good terms but I feel as if the weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I've experienced the classic, 'my lover cheated on me'. That person he cheated with was my sister and best friend. Instead of revenge, I think I've found it in me to move on and strive forth to greater things. And then, I met the love of my life and we're happily married..." she smiled happily while looking to the ring. "Hah, I realize we all don't know each other well for me to be saying these things but even so, I'm grateful to be here in this room with such beautiful people unlike those fake elites I once knew."

When she looked up, she found everyone staring at her in complete silence. She then felt like cowering away as how she gave out too much of her life story to complete strangers. But then, they did the unexpected and clapped for her. The sound filled her ears with delight.

Alex had her mouth open agape as she kept on clapping, "Man, that was deep. It made mine sound like shit."

"Language..." Theodore walked over to pat Prisana on the shoulder with a smile. "Sometimes, all you need is a stranger's ear. Thank you for telling us your story. If anyone has problems they're dealing with, we can all talk about it now too, as long as time allows before I have to take you along the entire campus."

A few others came out with their life story resulting in different hardships and the life they wanted to live from here on out. There was a feeling that burned inside Prisana. A feeling of acceptance. Like, she was starting to belong.

With her beast, and at this university that took her words with great deal of compassion.