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「 Maevie 」
My name is on the list.
Shit.
I stay rooted to my spot, students ripping past to see the names of the five students on the list. My name is on the list.
I would cry if it was sociably acceptable to break down in the middle of a school hallway.
It should be.
The bell rings and the crowd of people moves away from the stupid piece of paper with my name on it towards the assembly hall. This is such bullshit.
I move with the crowd, my head filling with ways to get out of it. But its pointless. Everyone knows that you can't get out of it. Some dumb rule that the schools made when they decided to do this switch thing twenty or so years back. You can't get out of it. Seriously how dumb is that? Even worse it's a surprise to the students – well clearly it's supposed to be a surprise – and the schools organise everything behind your backs. To make the transition 'as smooth as possible', as I said, bullshit.
I follow the crowd into the hall and take a seat next to Annika on the left side with the rest of Brighton State. The right hand side? Goldridge Prep sits, their noses upturned as if the idea of being here is the same as sitting on a pile of steaming shit. "You saw then?" she asks, a grimace on her face.
I nod. "Yep, and I'm currently mentally working out how much it would be for a flight to Argentina."
"Take me with you," Annika mutters clearly not too happy about being on the list either, she's glaring at a blond boy across the walkway, he's grinning at her two dimples appearing on both cheeks, next to him sits what I'd call death incarnate. Dark brown hair and facial features – from the little I could see at this distance and angle – that look to be carved from stone. His gaze is fixed on the wall his face a perfect mask of boredom as his friend eggs Anni on. As if sensing me looking at him, his eyes flick over to me doing a once over before seemingly deciding I'm not interesting enough and returning back to the wall. Well aren't you a little bundle of joy.
The crows quiets when the school principal, Mr Evans walks up onstage – we don't have assemblies often and when we do its usually for something big; for example what we're having an assembly for right now – The switch.
Five students, two months, two schools. Brighton State and Goldridge Prep. Goldridge Prep, as if the asshats weren't already pretentious enough they're school literally has the word 'gold' in its name.
Sighing I settle further into my seat zoning out the excited whispers of the students around me and the principal on stage as he drones on about the school values or whatever. I let my mind drift to my latest project and what colors I could add to make the paint pop more on canvas. Annika, beside me, only nudges me to focus when the headmaster of Goldridge walks on stage her tightly pulled blonde bun and crisp suit a stark contrast to Mr Evans's rumpled shirt and stained pants. They both ramble on together about the Switch and its history, a speech most of us have already heard multiple times – except for the freshman. They sit excitedly listening to the speech, probably daydreaming about if they're going to get picked when they're seniors.
The two of them turn towards the crowd. Bright smiles on their faces – probably unknowing of the fact that the precious envelope they're holding as if it's the answers to the universe, has already been leaked to half the student body.
"So without further ado, we present this year's selection for The Switch..."
── ⋆⋅⋅⋆ ──
"At least yours fits you," Annika says from her bed hours later, a Disney movie playing softly in the background. I'm standing in front of her in the Goldridge uniform critiquing the shit out of it. It had a deep blue plaid skirt, a white shirt, a navy and white tie for the girls (boys have a red and white tie), a blazer over top with the Goldridge crest on the right-hand side, and white (knee high or lower) socks with black shoes of your choice.
"I cannot believe, people wear this every day."
Anni jumps up off the bed and does a twirl in her slightly small uniform. "I'm gonna be showing half the school my ass if I drop a pencil," she sighs looking at us in the mirror. She's wearing the same uniform – albeit smaller and with knee high socks as opposed to my mid-calf ones – I look for the pop of purple in her outfit.
No matter what, she's always wearing something purple. Whether it's a bracelet, socks, a shirt or as she is right now a necklace. It's what makes her Annika. And I'm forever glad she's my Annika. No matter how grumpy she is to other people.
She had somehow already managed to start a feud with at least six students from Goldridge. Most of whom were standing on stage next to us and making snide comments towards us. And then the blond who was grinning at her across the walkway. He seemed to have gotten under her skin the most.
After the assembly we were given a package with uniforms, brochures, and sheets of information for us to I guess, study? We officially moved schools on Monday and according to the sheet with the basic info we were to meet at a large tree in the front yard of the school, in uniform for photos and then to head to the office for our inductions.
Sounds like a bunch of piffle if you ask me.
I sigh and flop down onto Annika's bed turning my attention to the movie playing. I have one night here, in Anni's bedroom, before I return to my reality. One night to be a teenage girl before I go back home. Two, before I go to Goldridge Prep, and my entire schedule gets fucked.
One night. Might as well make the most of it.
authors note
sdjhas i wrote this at 12am on a random wednesday so if this sucks... there's your answer anywayyyy
i have literally no clue where this is going plot wise so bare with me on this one :))
