Primed: A Kayla Madison Story

Primed Part 17

 EIGHT: SCHOOL PRIME AND THE REAL MCCOY

The next morning, I examined the selection of clothes and realized some of the garment bags had a "Coronado High" crest on it. Even without telephones, word must have traveled quickly to Pierre and his staff that I would need school outfits this week. No need for social media here with Chez Selene nearby. Their store must be gossip central on Coronado Prime.

Inside the bag I found a long, navy blue skirt and a long-sleeved white blouse.

The skirt was A-line with a silky lining and decorative threads along the hem that blended with the fabric until it hit certain angles and then it sparkled. The white sweetheart blouse had the same stitching in white. Accessories were also included, each with the school crest on them: A choker necklace, a thick leather belt, a hair ribbon, and gray ankle boots with small black buttons and loops for closures. I wasn't sure what to do with the long matching silk scarf so I shoved it into my school bag. In addition, there were four more bags with the Coronado high logo, so I would not have to wear the same uniform each day.

Michael picked me up in what he told me was his own coach. It was not as fancy as Jake's but was well-maintained and polished. It could comfortably seat four to six people on the two bench seats facing forward. If Jake's was the equivalent of a luxurious sports-car, I suppose this one would be the equivalent of a nice but practical four-door sedan, like my mom's Camry. "I shall meet you in front of the school after dismissal unless you get a ride home from Jake. With your apparent luck, he will probably give you your own designer carriage to take home."

"You're trying to be funny again." I glanced over at him.

Michael didn't say anything, but his dimples gave him away as he helped me down and directed me to the front office before taking his leave.

The school was expecting me. I was given my schedule and directed to class. It was strange to have classrooms connected by hallways as opposed to the open style of my school. I could walk from the office, past the library, and to classrooms without leaving the interior corridors. I guessed on my world, schools in cooler climates had this arrangement, but it was a new experience for me growing up where so many classrooms opened directly to the outdoors.

In the center of the school building was a courtyard doubling as a short-cut to the far side of the building. I saw many students chatting with each other in the middle of it, all in similar uniforms as mine or the male equivalent. I did notice many of the other uniforms lacked the delicate stitching around the hems and edges compared to mine. It was strange to be among the best dressed on this world. If only my friends back home could see me now. I pulled out my phone and snuck a couple of selfies and then snapped a few of the people in the courtyard.

There were not as many students here. Of the ones that were here, I didn't recognize all of them. Not that I knew everyone back home—I didn't, but I still recognized a lot of faces. I spotted this world's Alyssa not too far away and waved before I could stop my reflex. She was in a high-quality uniform like mine, but her blond hair was in a much more elegant style—half-up, half-spiraled curled and perfectly "coiffed. She had even figured out a way to weave in the matching scarf.

Alyssa scowled at me then turned abruptly and started talking to a person I didn't recognize.

I guess Michael wasn't joking about differences between the people in the two worlds. I couldn't imagine my Alyssa snubbing anyone.

A couple of my morning classes, French and Language Arts, seemed similar enough to those back home. However, the other two did cause me some stress. History was just plain confusing. Considering I was more of a science/math person instead of a history person, I was not a fan of the course under normal situations but here, there was a completely different history. I was really confused when the teacher talked about John Kennedy's expansion of the regional council's authority during his forty years as the High Council's Chairman, Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership on immigration policies and rights for all citizens during his reign of thirty-five years on the High Council, and how John Lennon was a well-known musician from the esteemed classical music group, The Beatles, and was key in expanding school music programs until he retired in his sixties. I wondered if Bon Jovi was on this world since it was the only music mom and I could listen to in the car together without annoying each other.