University Day:

I have always loved Fridays. That meant Lyle and I visited Kat in Berlin University after school. I rode the autobus with Lyle in excitement. I could barely keep still. I loved to visit the university. It always had something new to offer us. One time, BU had an art exhibition going on for the spring. The campus had many German Impressionist paintings on display in the halls. They looked weird to me, but Lyle and I just couldn’t take our eyes off of it. I turned to Lyle.

“So what do you think they’ll have today?” I asked.

He shook his head at me, smiling. “Dunno. We’ll just have to see.” I held onto his arm to try and contain myself. He only patted me on the head. We watched the outside rushing by us. It was then I noticed that we were the only kids on the bus. I looked up at Lyle.

“Lyle?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re the only kids on this bus.”

“I know.”

“Since when?”

“Many years now, Claudia. You know that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah.” I stared out the window again. I began to think about Milo again. I didn’t know why. He’s such a weird kid. All he does is stare at the highway during our break day after day. He barely talks to anybody. Well, only me. I don’t even know why I talk to him myself. I guess it’s because he’s an odd duck just like me. I do have to admit, Milo is kind of cute, in an odd way.

“What’s on your mind, Claud?” someone asked me. I quickly looked up at Lyle. I shrugged at him.

“Nothing much,” I said. I paused for a moment. “Actually, I want to ask you something,” I asked.

“What?”

“Does Milo Cash have any friends?”

“Who?”

“The kid that’s always looking out at the road. Does he have any friends?”

“I don’t think so. Why?”

I shrugged at him. “Dunno. Thought I’d ask.”

“You’re strange.”

“So you say.” We looked down the window once again at the rushing scenery. The ride from our school to BU takes close to an hour and thirty minutes. The bus pulled up at the shelter in front of the university.

“Next stop, Berlin University shelter!” the German woman computer’s voice announced as the doors opened wide. The people all flooded off of the bus. I held onto Lyle’s arm in a death grip as we left the bus. I’m small enough to get lost or stepped on. I learned to hang onto Lyle on the first day we came to BU. When the crowd broke up, we looked around the campus. Oh, you would never believe the sites. Green always battles against the grey modern decorations in this place. The building here almost always block out the sun. The glass in them makes me feel like a camera is always watching our every move. I shuddered as Lyle and I walked across the campus.

“So, do you want to have dinner first or go see Kat and then eat?” Lyle asked me. I looked up at him with a puzzled face.

“Hm?” I asked.

“Do you want to eat first or see Kat?”

“Kat!”

Lyle smiled and shook his head. “Why am I not surprised?” I giggled at him. We continued our walk across the campus. Everyone practically knows us here. We’re like mini celebrities across campus.

“Hello Lyle and Claudia!” Wendy, the art teacher greeted us as we walked through the library. I grinned and waved at her.

“Hi Wendy!” I cheered. Lyle waved at her.

“Hey kids!” Aldo the cashier greeted us as we passed into the bookstore.

“Hey!” I said. Lyle waved at him.

“Hi there,” Burke, the janitor, said as we walked into the Student Union building.

“Hello Mr. Burke!” I said as I smiled and waved.

“Hey,” Lyle said as he waved. This keeps up until we reach the Eostre English Building. This was where Kat worked. This place is half-empty in the afternoons. Most of the students are in class, so we have to be very quiet when walking through the halls. Lyle and I walked to the only lift in the whole building. (I hate taking the stairs. Lyle used to try and push into taking them, but I won out in the end.) Lyle turned to me as we waited.

“Her room is one floor up, you know?” he asked.

“Yeah, I know,” I said.

“We could just take the stairs.”

“Yeah… no.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t wanna!”

“Lazy!”

I hit him on the arm as the lift doors opened wide.

“Ow,” Lyle whimpered.

“Pansy,” I whispered. “I didn’t hit you that hard.”

“Meany!” We boarded the lift and I pressed three. The ride only took about a few seconds. The smell of pines smacked us in the face when the doors opened. Helga still must be cleaning the hall. I backed up behind Lyle.

“My eyes are burning!” I whispered. I looked up when I heard snickering over my head. Lyle was smirking at me.

“I can’t believe it!” he said. “Claudia, the famous tomboy can’t take the smell of cleaner? Shocker there!” I frowned at him.

“Shut up!” I barked. He only laughed at me. I frowned as we walked down the pine tree-scented hall. I tried to hold my breath as I looked around. Most of the students were still in class. They wouldn’t get out until 4:50. I looked up at the black clock that stood out against the pale white walls. Ten more minutes until classes let out. The university is different from our school. First, the halls aren’t as colorful as our school. They are just a lifeless white. I almost feel sad walking down these halls every Friday. But yet, the ads on the bulletin boards make up for it.

Every week, I see something for a band that’s playing on campus or a class that is being offered for the next semester. Some of them I don’t even know what they mean; I just pretend to read them anyway. Lyle had to grab my hand and drag me along.

“Come on,” he said. “You can read those later.”

“But…” I stammered out.

“Come on!”

I pouted as he dragged me along the hall. We came to Kat’s classroom at the very end of the hallway. Lyle and I peeked into the crack. Kat was wrapping up with her class. My eyes were fixed on her. Kat just looked like she could be a prime minister of Germany. She had gotten the best teacher award for three years straight. Now, I can see why. Lyle and I stood in the hallway and listened to her give a lecture on the Romantics in England.

“She sounds great, huh?” Lyle asked.

“Yeah…” I said in a dreamy voice. I could just listen to her talk on and on all day. And that still wouldn’t be enough.

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