foreign lands

foreign visitors

Chapter three: foreign visitors

Amy could not believe her ears. She  blinked  repeatedly as  if that  would help  her clear  her  mind and  understand   what  was  coming  out  of  her  mother’s mouth.

“what  do  you  mean we’ll  have  some  people  live  in  our house  for  six  months? Are they relatives? Hell no, I’m not sharing my room with any of them.”

She  crossed  her  arms  over  her chest  and  stared   at  her  parents  with  a  stubborn  face.

Her  brother   Jason passed  next  to  her, “wipe  that  look  off your  face,  you  look constipated.” He  chuckled  at her  horrified   expression  and  sauntered   off  to the  kitchen; probably  to  feed  himself. There  was  only  one  way  to  keep  that  muscled  body  in  shape: eating  and  exercising  regularly.

“I think you should sit down honey.  We  have  a lot  to talk about,”  her  mother  said  as  she  pulled her  husband to   the  living   room. Amy  plopped  on  the  couch  opposite her  parents. What  was  there  to  talk  about? So  what  if  people  came? So  long  as  they  didn’t come  to her  room,  she  didn’t  mind.  That  was  her  sanctuary.

Her  stomach  churned. It  was  something  to  do with her.  Her  parents  were  so  worried  about  her  social  life  they  pushed  her  to  go for  every function  and social  gathering   that  came  up. The  worst   being the  debutante. She  shuddered  at  the  painful  memory. Please  don’t make  me  do something  I   don’t like, she  silently   begged.

Her  hand  automatically  grasped  the  end of  her  curly  brown  hair and  started  twisting  them  with  her fingers. It  was  a  nervous  habit  she  took  up to   stop   herself  from  biting  her  nails. Her   family  kept  telling her  it  was  unattractive.

“well?” she  asked her  parents  impatiently anxious  to know  what  was  going  on.

Her  father cleard  his  throat, “ your  principal;  called.”

Oh  my  God. he  told  them.  he  found  out. But  how? She  skived  the  whole  week  thinking  that  her absence wouldn’t  be detected. Well she  was  wrong. Principal  huoston  had  the downlow  on  everyone.

”ummm, daddy  I can  explain  that.its a  funny  story  actually…” she  chuckled  nervously   but  her  father  cut  her  off.

“how  could you  not  tell us  about  the  exchange  programme that  the school  offered?  When  were  you planning  on telling  us?”

“wha..oh. yeah   exchange.  School. Students.  Forgot…” she  bubbled on  obviously  relieved  that it  wasn’t  what  she  dreaded.  Atleast they  weren’t going to bite  her  head off.

“so  your   father  and  I signed  you  up   for  the participation,” her   mother  joined  in.

“ I’m  going  out   of  the  country?” she  asked  beaming. Finally,  they  did  something  she  loved.

“no  honey, we  are  having  students  from  other  continents  over”

“exactly  how  many?”  she  asked   hoping  that  they  were  goodlooking  guys  or  cool  chics  to  help  lift  her  school  status  from   being a looser. Atleast   the  guys  would  tak  care of  those  who   bully  her. “ are   they  English?” she   just  couldn’t   get enough  of  their  accent.