Across the Ocean

November 2029 - Windenburg, Germany
Windenburg University - Lily Gates-Watson is 19

Life at Windenburg University is a new beginning for Lily.

The large old manor in which she lives with other students has beautiful views all around it.

She can’t complain about the school itself, but in this new experience at life on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, thousands of miles from everything she’s ever known,

Lily does feel lonely at times.

She doesn’t know what to expect this semester, but she hopes this new beginning can lead her into a life she’ll always cherish.

***

Lily is sitting alone in the kitchen area of the dorm when she hears two of her dormmates talking about where to go that weekend to get away from studies for a short time.

“I’ve heard of a place,” Lily says, hoping they won’t get mad that she overheard them. “Supposedly it has some good music.”

One of the girls, Alana, smiles wide. “Really? Let’s go then! This Saturday, meet us downstairs at eight?”

Lily grins. “I’ll be there!” Being so far away in a new world doesn’t seem so lonely anymore.

***

“This is the place to be!” Lana says as they enter the nightclub in town.

 

“I love this song!” Lily says. She races to the dance floor, making some moves. “Come on, lets dance!”

And so Lana and Alana join her on the dance floor. They launch into the dance that accompanies this song in the music video.

Other people in the club watch as the girls shake their bodies in the dance, keeping up with the beats of the song. They cheer at the end when Lily and her friends stand in that finished pose, out of breath but grinning wide.

Lily’s first visit to a nightclub is one of the best memories she’ll hold onto during these college years.

 

 "Hey," a guy at the club greets her. "You did a great job on the dance floor."

"Thanks," Lily says, still out of breath.

He steps closer, smiling wider. "How about a dance with me?"

Lily smiles, but shakes her head. "I have a boyfriend. Back home in the United States."

 

 "But he's not here," the guy tells her. "One dance won't hurt."

 

 But Lily can't get Ethan out of her mind and doesn't want to give him anything to be jealous over. So she turns the guy down again and grabs her two new friends for another dance.

***

Lily is soon good friends Alana and Lana. They talk about their night at the club and how they stayed up late dancing and having a few drinks together. It’s one of the most fun nights Lily has ever had.

And she loves planning more nights on the town with her new friends.

A guy who also lives in the dorm sits down with them listening carefully. When Alana gets up from the table to head to class, the guy gets a big grin and says, “I’m all in for joining in with you on your next night out!”

Lana gives him a haughty look and says, “What part of girls’ night do you not understand?” She looks at Lily and says, “He’s hot for Alana that’s why he wants to come. But she’s not interested. How many times do I have to tell you?”

He frowns, but doesn’t say anything as he gets up and moves to another table.

***

Lily tells Alana about the boy in their dorm wanting to come with them that night and that Lana told her he secretly has a crush.

“Oh, I know who you’re talking about!” Alana says, her cheeks turning red. “Lana is right, I don’t really want to go out with him.”

“He seems nice,” Lily says. “You could give him one date.”

“He’s not my type,” Alana says. “You could go out with him if you think he’s so nice.”

“I have a boyfriend back home,” Lily reminds her.

“Hey,” Lana says as she comes over to them. “You two get up and dance with me!”

Lily drips the subject of Alana and the boy in the dorm and jumps up, grinning wide as she dances with Lana. This first semester of college really is a lot of fun!

***

Lily’s last few days of her first semester at Windenburg University fly by so fast and she enjoys every moment of it.

 

She's getting more relaxed here so far from home, and she enjoys talking with her dormmates in between classes.

“I’m excited to come back home for a little while,” Lily tells Ethan when they get a chance to talk. “But I’m also excited to come back next semester!”

“You don’t miss me?” Ethan asks. “I miss being around you every day.”

“I do miss you,” Lily assures him. “I can’t wait to see you again.”

—————

Lily had a good first semester! I said in a previous post that she’s technically enrolled at Britechester, but I got mixed up and actually she’s a student at Foxbury like Ethan is. But the storyline has them in different countries so they don’t get to see each other around campus!

This is the beginning of my fun in exploring Windenburg (which I have set in Germany in my world).

Yes, the girls Lily became friends with are Lana and Alana! Not my doing. Lily can now call them her “two -ana friends,” lol.

Outtakes:

One of the guys in the dorm dresses like this all on his own.

A cook at the dorm passed out after staying all night before switching places with another cook.

This girl feels the need to practice her violin while her roommate is sleeping.

Look who saw Lily dancing at the club and is embarrassed to see her shaking her butt.

I’m not using it as part of the storyline of course, Lily is in Germany and Adam is in the United States. But it made me laugh when I saw him over there hiding his face.