It was the most quick paced Wednesday that Trina had ever witnessed. Everyone around her was bustling to class, from class while simultaneously texting or calling, smoking, or listening to his/her mp3 player. People were beginning to blur, but Trina felt like she was moving in slow motion. It was Wednesday for crying out loud.

She went through her new routine of the year, and found that for the first time she had it down. It took her two weeks to finally figure out her work and school schedule, and now she even found time to factor in a morning workout. It was a good day.

After a hot shower, she quickly dressed and looked over some Spanish before bouncing out the door and across campus to her first class. Half an hour in, and Trina began nodding off. (Looks like I’m going to need that soda after all.)

The weather outside threatened to bite Trina’s fingers off as she rushed across campus with her fellow peers. Feeding time. She walked into Jimmy John’s and was shoved left, right, and finally stage center in a matter of seconds.
“Um, uh… the number 6 please with…”
“NUMBER 6!”
“Right, with chips and a drink”

Food in hand she seized the last available seat, but it happened to be a good one. Right in front of the window. Trina slowly munched on her sandwich as everyone and everything around her buzzed. Yet this was normal for her peers. They weren’t moving fast at all. They weren’t doing too many things or buying too much stuff at all. Not in this world. Trina almost felt ashamed that she was taking time to digest.

A tall, average build student took the seat next to her. He quickly began situating his bag, sandwich and newspaper. Trina had made up her mind to make conversation with the stranger, because chances are he was a unique and beautiful snowflake, contrary to fight club mantra, and had something interesting to offer to Trina’s already contemplative day. However, by the time she was ready to speak, the strange boy was already buried in his paper, scooting his seat softly further from Trina to avoid any type of human interaction that could possibly be offered by such close quarters. That one small movement, casual and precise, only made Trina think even more. (We are all intelligent, young college students that can’t seem to find time for anyone except our own selfish pursuits. What if I was the one to save this kid today? What if he was the one to save me? Always on the other end of a constant stream of whatever music or that ever consistent voice on the other line. The fingers itching for the next text of, “God it’s cold” or “I almost fell asleep in class today”.)

Trina finished the rest of her food, and gathered up everything she had. As she was getting up, she turned and looked at the strange boy. The stranger that needn’t be.

“Hello, my name is Trina. Don’t worry, I have a boyfriend so I’m not hitting on you or anything. (As one would think in our gender roles, if you are male and I am female, then whoever initiates conversation is automatically interested. It’s survival of the fittest, baby, so let’s meet and mate.) I just wanted to say hi, and I hope you’re having a great day, because I know I am. “

She smiled. He raised his eyebrow. She then departed from the sandwich shop to continue her fast set day in her own slow motion way.

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