Wrong Potion

“THIS IS the day that I’ve been waiting for years!” Shen jumped out of bed and stood in front of her full-length mirror. She squealed as she saw herself in the mirror. “Look at that beautiful face. Am I not admirable?”

She winked at herself and jumped continuously in excitement. Today is the day that Shenaida Shin has been waiting for since she entered college. She couldn’t believe that she really waited three years before doing this! Shen caught her heart and feel in her palm the heartbeat that’s been rhythmically beating for her one and only.

“I can’t wait to see him at school!” She opened her cabinet and looked for a fabulous dress to wear on the first day of the first semester of her fourth year in college. “Should I choose revealing one? Or, the cute one?”

Students at Perfect University were allowed to wear the clothes they wanted on the first day of every semester. It’s for them to flaunt their perfection and proof why they’re admitted to a fabulous school like Perfect University. Shen was still choosing what to wear when her Mommy Lodih knocked on her door.

“Are you awake? Breakfast is ready!” she shouted from behind the door. “Shenaida?!”

Shen groaned in irritation. She hated it whenever she’s called on her full name. “I’m up, Mommy!” she shouted back with furrowed brows. “And, I told you to stop calling me Shenaida!”

She heard her mom laughed. “I’m your mother, and I have all the right to call in whatever name I want, you chicken shit!”

Shen ignored her mother and resumed choosing today’s outfit. “I want to be the most beautiful student in the University,” she said and stopped when her eyes caught the bright pink dress on the corner of her cabinet. “Oh, my gosh.” She carefully took out the dress. “Flashy perfection…”

Just before the bell rang inside their university, Shen stepped inside the school ground. There are still a lot of students walking around as if the bell didn’t alarm them. But for Shen, that bell meant something for her, so she has to run towards the stairs and be in her first class as soon as possible.

“I thought you’re not coming today,” Roha, her best friend, greeted her when they met at the school canteen. “And, nice dress, huh? It makes you standout in the crowd like a cotton candy.”

“Whatever,” she said, patting her skirt. “What makes you think that I will skip classes? It’s not in my vocabulary,” she said and ordered her favorite banana loaf. “I entered college because I wanted to see the love of my life every day.”

Roha laughed. “I can’t believe you, Shen Shin. Did Aunt Lodih knew about the real reason why you pursue studying in college?”

“Why would I tell my mother about it?” she asked with an arched brow. “I’m not that stupid to tell my mother that I just went to college to see my crush.”

“I thought your feelings for Sir Yohan have changed as years gone by,” Roha said with a shake of her head. “I guess I was wrong.”

Shen squealed upon hearing her first love’s name. “I can’t even contain my giddiness whenever I hear his name,” she said, still smiling broadly. “Is this the face that could easily forget her crush, huh?”

Roha rolled her eyes ceilingwards. “You’re really insane, Shen. So what’s your plan now that we’re in our last year in this school?”

“What else could that be?” She grinned like a schoolgirl who was about to make something mischief. “I will tell him how I really feel.”

Roha gasped. “You can’t be serious, Shen. Do you want to get expelled on your last year? That’s strictly out of the rules.”

Shen narrowed her eyes at her friend. “Do you really think I cared about the rules?” she asked, and took a bite on her loaf. “I didn’t beg my mom to enroll me in this expensive school just to fail in my plans, Roha.”

Shen Shin has a big crush on Yohan Valdemar since she was in high school. She met Yohan on his visit to their school to recruit potential students for the Perfect University. From the first time that Shen lay her eyes on him, her heart has fallen deeply. And, since then, the man never left her mind.

“If you have plans on confessing your feelings to him from the first day that you entered college, why did you have to wait three years before doing it?” Roha asked. “It came from you that you don’t care about the rules, so why it took you long to confess?”

Shen caught her chest. “I have to earn hundred kilos of confidence.” She glared at her friend. “Do you think it’s easy as Arithmetic to confess your feelings to someone that you’ve learned to treat as your own world?”

Roha frowned at her. “I wish you all the best,” she said and tapped her shoulders. “Oh, by the way, have you heard about the new student?”

“Nope, and I’m not interested,” she said and raised from her seat. “Come on, let’s go to the library and find my Mr. Right.”

“I heard the new student is hot and gorgeous,” Roha said as they walked towards the library. “They say he’s a transferee from Bloom University.”

Shen stopped on her feet, but not because of what Roha told her but because she saw Yohan standing in the library doorway. “Look, it seems that he’s waiting for me.”

Roha snorted. “Sir Yohan always stayed in the library during lunch hour.”

“Well, this is the day that will change his routine,” she said and raised her hand to waved at their Philosophy professor. “Sir Yohan!”

The handsome thirty-year-old Philosophy professor looked in their direction. A smile automatically appeared on his lips as soon as he saw her. “Miss Shin,” he greeted and waved back at her. “How are your classes?”

Shen’s heart started to beat fast. She looked at Roha and grinned at her. “Did you hear that, Roha? He asked about my classes today.”

Roha frowned at her. “He always asks that question to every student that greeted him.”

But Shen ignored her. She ran towards Yohan and halted just a few feet away from him. “Sir Yohan, I want to talk to you in private.”

The man knotted his forehead. “About what, Miss Shin?”

“It’s about the meaning of my life,” she said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Really?” he asked, looking a bit confused about what she said. “Okay, where do you want to talk to me?”

Shen looked at the vacant bench beside the library. There’s a low tree that stood beside the bench, giving enough shadow for those who will sit on it. “There,” she said, pointing at the bench. “I want this moment to be memorable.”

“What do you want to tell me, Miss Shin?” Yohan asked her as soon as they reached the bench.

Shen cleared her throat. “Sir Yohan…” She stepped closer to him. “I love you.”

The professor paused. Based on his expression, he was shocked and didn’t expect her confession. “Miss Shin—”

“I love you, Sir Yohan,” Shen cut off. “I’m in love with you for three years. Actually, it’s our third anniversary today.”

“Miss Shin, I’m sorry. But this is against the rules,” Yohan told her sternly. “I will let you pass this time, but if you do this again, I have no choice but to kick you out of Perfect University.”

***