Waiting in line for her first on campus meal, Miryana looked around at the other students. There were only freshman and a handful of upperclassmen volunteers there because it was freshman orientation week. There was a buzz of excitement in the air, and she wasn't the only one looking curiously at everything. <Ugh> In fact, who was that boy who was looking at her? She thought he looked familiar, but how… He certainly wasn't a dancer with that barrel chested frame. And she was pretty sure she'd remember that tousled lion's mane of brown hair. But his face, there was something familiar about it.
He walked to her. “Miryana? That's you, right? Miryana. It's me, Jac.”
The name clicked everything together. There was a boy she used to play with when she was just a child. He lived down the street from her. They'd danced together, she remembered he didn't have any rhythm. But they'd danced with all the joy and lack of self-consciousness of a child. He'd shown her his paintings. In fact, that was right. She still had a sketch of her dancing that he'd mailed her when he'd moved. It was tucked in the pages of a book she'd brought with her.
“Jac! I can't believe it's you! I can't believe you're here! What have you been doing lately? It's been years. Wow. How'd you recognize me?”
He chuckled. He had a nice voice, she thought. Smooth and deep. “I'm here on an Edwin scholarship. And I don't see how anyone could forget you.”
To hide her blush, she said, “an Edwin scholarship? Wow. There aren't many of those. You must have really been focusing on your art. I bet with your flair, they're even more amazi…” she trailed off, thinking about what she was saying. Edwin scholarships were for the most talented artists who didn't have flair. They were highly prized, but everyone there knew they were working with a handicap. Flair made everything so much more, in every way. “I mean, that's so great. Congratulations!”
If Jac had noticed her gaffe, he didn't make a point of it. “Thank you. I'm happy to be here. The campus is beautiful, isn't it?”
It was. There were massive trees shading the otherwise flat campus. But the trees provided a sense of comfort and closeness. The buildings were all designed by flaired architects and executed by flaired master craftsman. While there was a melange of styles, none was out of place. Instead they somehow made a harmonious grouping. The insides of the buildings were elaborately decorated, usually as part of a capstone project. Everywhere one went there was an intricate mural waiting to be examined, or a painting, or even a piece of textile art. There were frequent recesses for sculpture, but even then space was so highly coveted that only the best were on display. It was such a contrast to the stark minimalism of her parent's house and Miryana loved it. She'd spent the afternoon exploring.
“I can't even believe how lucky I am to be here,” she said.
“Me too.”
The line had moved while she was busy talking to Jac. “Sorry. I'll catch up to you in just a second. Save me a seat, will you?”
He nodded and surveyed the crowded dining hall for a pair of seats.