The exchange

Everything was a blur; I couldn't remember a thing from that night, except my friend calling out my name, over and over again.

I was staring into space when mum walked in to my room. "Lucy, what are you doing? You're running late and you haven't even got dressed?? Hurry up!" I stood up; mum walked out and shut the door behind her. I pulled my hair into a tight bun on top of my head; I wasn't happy with it so I yanked it out and loosely tied it, letting stray bits of my unnaturally, long red hair hang down. I got changed in to my uniform that hung limply on my body and went downstairs to find- to my surprise- breakfast laid out on the table. I took a bight of my toast and sipped on my tea. I take a deep breath, finish the last bit of my toast and swing my bag over my shoulder while getting up to leave for school. "Luce! Don't worry about walking to school, I will drive you." Mum yelled out from her bedroom. As much as I prefer walking over mum driving me I accepted because it was wet and miserable outside. I knew that the only reason she was acting like this was because she didn't want me to be sick when I left for my exchange program in the UK.

After arriving late at school, missing first two periods, I found myself doing the usual of walking around with my group of friends; Alex, Beth, Ally, Rachel, Sam and Hope. We girls roam the school with extreme pride and we're treated like queens. "Okay, okay. So when you're over there you have to ask the first cute boy you meet for his number!" Sam killed the silence as we walked in to the bathroom. Everyone giggles. "Sammy, it's an all girls school, there's not going to be a heck of a lot of boys there."  I point out. "I think what Sam was trying to say is that when you're out and about you just have to keep your eyes open." Rachel makes an obvious point. I sigh and we walk out of the bathrooms.

Now, back in class, I'm starting to worry. I'm leaving in two days and I don't think I'm ready. "LUCY!?" I am snapped out of my day dream. "Sorry. What?" My teacher was furious. "No that's it, outside now!" I was shocked, I had never been sent out of class, and I had no idea why this had just happened. I got up and just walked out slamming the door behind me. My teacher soon followed and appeared in front of me. His thinning, greasy grey hair sickened me. He told me I was being disrespectful and needed to grow up especially because I was leaving for another country soon. I was over the 'get yourself together otherwise the people in England will think of you...' talk so I zoned out until he asked, "Is that clear?" I nodded my head and he led me back into class. Everyone was staring.

Home, not for long but here I am, home. My house is the most glamorous on the street and I hate it, I'm not trying to sound ungrateful, because I know I'm lucky that my family is so fortunate to have all this but I hate the fact that because I live in a big fancy house my life was perfect. It's not.

After this long, cold day I was looking forward to getting into some comfy clothes and just relaxing in my room. I knew it would be warm because I left the window and door closed, but during the day mum had opened the window and my whole room had a chilling atmosphere. I pulled it shut with such force that is caused the window below me fall shut. I wish mum kept out of my room, it wasn't that I had a cold room it was more the fact that I asked her to stay out during the day and just let me have my space my way. I heard the front door slam shut and the fridge door open, my younger brother was home from dads. I walk downstairs to see if he had anything to say. "Hey Jack, did dad ask about me this time?" He glanced up and took a sip from the large family bottle of cola. "The normal, you know how you are and when you were going to visit him next. I just told him that you were really busy at the moment, I didn't mention you leaving on Friday." I pat my brother on the back like a dog, "good boy. That's why I love you" He shoved me, reached in to the pantry, grabbed a packet of crisps and wondered into the lounge. "Fuck you Luce!" the echo of his yell was quickly replaced by the loud TV. I went back up to my room, turned on the heater, reached for my laptop and pulled up a new email to Jessica, the girl who's family I was staying with when I got over to London.