Silverstone: Perfection is Not Enough

Chapter 11

"Jess! Jess!"

I turn on my back and smile. I'm in a field, and Arrow is letting me ride him easily, just trotting steadily. We pick up canter, racing in the warm sunlight...

"Jessica Brooke!"

I sit bolt upright and gape at Rose, who's glaring down at me, looking mildly amused.

"Sorry, but I had to wake you up! We have ten minutes to get dressed and be downstairs!"

That gets me moving. I rush over to the wardrobe, and yank all the needed clothes out. I brush my fingers over the polo top gently, before picking out the blazer, tie, and a shirt along with a skirt.

Somehow, we manage to be ready just in time, and sprint downstairs with our school bags, to meet Lucy, who's standing in the living room and holding four little notebooks.

"You girls seem to have a habit of being late." 

"Sorry," I gasp, trying to get my breath back. 

"Anyway, here are your timetables, and they're also your homework planners. Now go!" She urges, and we rush out the door. 

—~—

Fourty minutes later, I'm in my first class of the year: English. It's actually quite fun; I'm in Tabitha's class, and we're creating characters to fit within a fictional plot.

"What about secret tattoos that she can't remember how she got?" Tabitha wonders, biting the end of her pen.

"That sounds pretty cool," I look over at the board, and read the factors of the plot. They are: 

Mystery

Teenage

Fantasy

"She's a teenager, so that fits, and the tattoos would add mystery. What about for fantasy?"

"Ooo, ooo," Tabitha squeals, "What about, she has a tattoo of angel wings on her back, and they can turn into real wings?"

"That's an amazing idea," I add it to the description. "How about an animal?"

The lesson soon goes by, and we leave the classroom. As Lucy said, it's just the year eights and nines who have school lessons in the mornings, but that's still a good two hundred and fourty pupils, or thereabouts.

"Over there!" Tabitha points to where a waving Rose and Bertie stand. We weave our way through the crowds, and finally meet up with them.

"Well, this map says that the canteen is over there," Rose points to a building just across the courtyard. "And we can eat there."

After waiting in a line for about five minutes, we get in, and Bertie brings out several bags of skittles.

"I knew I made the right decision in talking to you," I say as I much on sweets. Bertie looks at me with a fake-hurt expression. 

"Aww, Jess, it wasn't because of my natural charm?"

"Anyway, guys, how were your first lessons?" Rose asks. Bertie elbows her.

"Well, I was in yours, in case you didn't notice. We spent the lesson chatting?"

Rose rolls her eyes. "You guys?"

"We had English together," Tabitha informs her. "It was really fun." 

When we're done, the bell goes, and it turns out that I have drama with Rose, so we go into the Arts block, after reasoning that it has to be in this one, and luckily find the right room. As we line up, two familiar faces join us.