passing by [yue]

She could say she adjusted to the bustle of New York fairly well for somebody who came from a small town in Canada. But she'd be lying terribly. Too scared to set foot outside campus, she was running low on supplies. She couldn't drink coffee - it was disgusting to her - and coffee shop pastries all the time. She'd get fat. Plus there was no nutritionist value. Biting her lip, Drew Winchester stood on the street corner, holding an empty bag in her hands as she stared across campus. The usual traffic confused the twenty-one year old. The more she stared at the happy couples, the laughing friends... the more she felt alone. She wasn't one to feel alone often. She was a seclusive creature at best, very happy in her own company, but living in New York, you often felt how alone and insignificant you truly are. She longed to be among the crowds, not watching them pass. But there was nothing to be done about that. Not right now. She tilted her head toward the exit of campus, her goal. It seemed so far away. OK, she could do this. Baby steps. Drew moved forward, manoeuvring around the people as they came and went until she was half way. Then she stopped. Maaaaybe she shouldn't go out for groceries today. It was getting dark. Er, no it wasn't. It was a clear, sunny day. She was just making excuses.

She had a free period and she was making excuses.

She'd been running on empty for some time now. It was not a question of money, but of mingled laziness and procrastination. Oh, and anxiety. Gotta remember that. Drew breathed in deep, remembering her years taking classes to stop her from being stressed. She didn't notice the thing around her neck, slowly calming her down as she breathed. Pretty soon she felt all right again. It had just been a small panic attack. Nothing she couldn't handle. "OK, I can do this..." she thought out loud. She was pretty sure everybody else was too occupied with their own lives to pay attention to the crazy girl that was talking to herself. At least she hoped so. Drew began to walk forward again until her pace was a mid-run. Yeah, she'd do this. Finally stepping off campus. It was a bright and sunny day. Nothing could ruin this mood!