Your Never Fading Smile

Chapter 1

"Quick! Can an ambulance!" I was on the floor, my hands and legs shaking uncontrollably. "Mom... I'm scared...." My twin brother's cries echoing from the other side of the room. "Oliver! Don't look!" My mother desperately trying to hide me from my brother's sight. "But brother is..."

That was my first seizure.

"So Liam has epilepsy? Poor thing..." "Sadly there's not a cure. But the doctor's said if he takes his anti-epileptic medications, Liam's seizures will be much less common." I heard my mother talking with my aunt as I was sitting on my wheelchair not so far behind. "Brother..." "It's ok Oliver. I'm fine now." I reassured my twin little brother giving him a smile. Our small world had suddenly changed by the age of six.

~~~

Twelve years passed and my condition had stayed the same. Now I take my medicine two times a day and got used to this way of living, since it's not a choice, but my reality. I have faced the fact that I have epilepsy and tried my best since then to take a very good care of my health. As of my twin brother... He is the one that changed the most. The lovely and optimistic brother I once knew, now doesn't even wants to see me.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" I turned to look at my mother just before leaving the house. I was going to the University of Arts to study photography, since I wanted to go to the profession I always wanted. I wouldn't let my neurological condition stop me from chasing my dreams.

"Don't worry mom, I'll be fine." "You say that but I know you are scared." She scolded me with a worried look. "Of course I would be scared. But... I want to try to live a normal life." I smiled at her and she gave me a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Please take care Liam." "I will."

~~~

I said that I would be alright but... This place is huge! I walked past the entrance of the main building and stared in awe. Not too long after that, my hands started to sightly tremble in anxiety. I tried to breathe slowly in order to calm myself down. This place is really big and it will be quite difficult to find the principal's office. It's ok Liam... Calm down...

"Are you new here? Do you need any help?" "Ah!" Suddenly someone got a grip of my right shoulder and that caused me to visibly flinch. I turned around to see a guy looking at me with a polite smile but soon it faded into a worried expression. He was very tall as his shoulder length black hair matched his ocean blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to scare you. You just seemed to be in trouble and I wanted to check if everything's fine." He explained giving another polite smile. "It's fine! I was the one who was not paying enough attention." I gave a small nervous laugh while rubbing the back of my head. "The truth is, I am indeed lost. I have no idea which way I should go for the principal's office." I breathed my worries to the stranger who seemed to be a student of this university based on the casual outfit along with a school bag.

"No worries. I'll accompany you there." He insisted and I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you! I really appreciate it!" "Haha, don't mention it. Let's go." With that, I started to follow him all the way inside the main building, with our destination being the principal's office.

Inside the building were many people who would look at me strangely. Why are they looking at me like that? I'm not doing anything weird, am I? It would be better if I attracted as much little attention as I could. "Don't pay attention to it." "Huh?" I heard the guy who was currently helping me, to whisper at me. "Why are they glaring at me so much? Am I not supposed to walk from this hall or something?" I asked him in a whispering tone but he chose to not answer me but only a minute later.

"It's nothing to worry about. I am assuring you, it's not because of you so relax." Not because of me? I gave a small glance towards him and tried my best to understand what he was talking about. Is he a delinquent or something?! No calm down. He wouldn't be helping me if he was a delinquent. He is right. Let's just ignore all the stares.

"Alright, here you are." We stopped at the principal's office door and I smiled in satisfaction. "Finally, we are here. Thanks for your help. If not for you, I would had been long lost." "It wasn't a problem. Now if you excuse me, I'll be taking my leave. Take care." He waved at me, now walking off.

I knocked on the door and it answered it a rough and tired voice. "You may come in." I opened slowly the door and I was greeted by the most tired person I had ever seen. "Your name and chosen course?" He asked suddenly making me once again nervous. "My name is Liam Walker and photography is the course of my choice." "I see..." Mumbled the man getting up from his sit and walked towards a locker, taking out a silver key.

"This is the key for your dorm. Once you get out of this building, the next one at the left is the dorms. Your room as you can see from the number on the key is 26. Have you gotten your schedule?" "I... Eh.... Y-yes! I know my schedule for the lessons!" At that point, I had gotten very anxious as the principal would talk in a very high speed, something I wouldn't expect at all. I couldn't quite keep up with what he was saying.

"You have epilepsy right?" He asked me once we were done with the last parts of my matriculation. "That's right." "If there is any problem, please tell us immediately. We value the health of our students and will make sure you'll graduate safely as a successful part of our human society." "Thank you Sir. I appreciate it."

With everything done, I walked outside of the building and looked at my left. There, was a building half large as the main one. The people from earlier no longer glaring at me. I let out a sigh and walked towards the dorms. It took me a while to find my room but when I did, I was surprised to see that the door was already open. I checked the number on my key and that was indeed my room.

Suddenly the door opened revealing a boy with brown Korean perm hair and rectangle glasses as his expression held a very, very bored look. "Don't tell me you are my roommate..." "I guess I am..." I gave him a nervous smile showing off the number on my key. He let out a sigh and let me in. "Once the lessons start, make sure you won't bother me by all means necessary. I hate being interrupted while studying." Oh boy... "Eh... Sure." "The name's Spencer Evans by the way. I'm a first year in the digital design department." He mentioned with a somewhat more relaxed expression. "I'm Liam Walker. I'm also a first year and go to the photography department. Let's get along from now on." "... Let's."

I exited the building for a small stroll in the yard. I needed to get as much familiar as I could with the school buildings. Thanks to Spencer, I was able to memorize the departments quite easily. I wonder how Spencer was able to walk so casually around. It seemed as if he already knew everything about the university.

I walked around the yard, watching the students chatting in groups, with a smile on their faces, laughing like there's no school tomorrow... "I'm jealous." I wonder if I'll be able to make friends with someone this year...

Who knows what the future might hold.