Chapter 2
Alena
I left the English room after an hour, which consisted of me waiting for the so called senior staff to arrive because she had to stop and chat and lost track of the time. More like she was having a flipping mothers meeting and sipping some Earl grey. I personally think she did it as a 'taste of your own medicine' treatment as I was in detention for punctuality, or lack of in my case.
So, my normal 30 minute detention then turned into an hour as I firstly had to wait for her, and then have my normal detention were she lectured me on how important punctuality was and how I would miss out on important stuff, which I was exactly doing at this moment. I was missing out on my tea. Well at least I got all my homework done, means that I just have to heat my tea up and...
My thoughts were interrupted as I ran straight into my German teacher, literally, Mrs Mosse dropped her tower of books, and what was left was a petite woman with iron grey hair which was always in a tight braid down to the small of her back, and she had strict dark eyes that never missed a thing and were constantly fixed on me and Billie. "Oh I'm sorry miss, let me help you pick them up" I gushed as I flung my backpack down near my feet.
"No it's quite alright Miss Akerly; I was meaning to find you about..."
"I never copied Richelle, it's just that we got the same results, and that we sit next each other but that doesn't mean..." my voice stopped at a standstill, as I saw the look of confusion that had encased her lined features, I silently cursed my big mouth and hoped she hadn't clicked on. "Is there something that you need to tell me? But first I just came to tell you that you were picked to go to the language trip to France" her lips pressed together in what you would have thought was supposed to be a smile, but it turned out to be more of a grimace. Although you never know with Mrs Mosse I don't think she has ever smiled in her life.
"Erm...I don't been to be rude or anything Miss, but I haven't got a clue what you are on about" It was my turn for the confusion to etch itself on my face. France? When was this organised? And since when would Miss let me go to France? It wasn't a secret of my lack of interest in the subject, or come to think of it Billie's, the only one who actually paid attention was Dee, well when she is in. Miss sensed my puzzlement.
"Oh Alena, do you actually listen to anything I say" Erm no I actually don't. "We discussed the possibility of taking a trip to Paris last year, we took the names of the students who wished to go and said that we would get back to them, you are able to go" I suddenly remembered the trip that was organised in the summer of year 10, its now the summer of year 11. Well, as they say slow and steady wins the race.
"Oh, I remember now miss, so how come I was picked?" I was surprised that I was allowed to go as German and I weren't exactly best buds.
"Names were picked out of the hat, and yours were picked out along with Billie's several from our class and about 6 from Miss Hardy's class" Joy and excitement was flooding through me as Billie was going and probably Arabelle. I saw Miss's face which was filled with the complete opposite emotions of mine. I recalled that she said that never in a million years would me and Billie me allowed to France together. Oh how time flies.
"So, when is the trip?" giddiness was possessing every thought, I was going abroad, I had never been out the country, well, except for Wales but that doesn't count as it is full of sheep and farmers and hey, if I wanted a power shower daily, I would buy one, instead of going to Wales.
"It is in a month, you will need to collect a slip off me on Monday" she hesitated, obviously thinking carefully of what she was about to say. "Unless, of course it has already been delivered to your place of residence then you would need to fill it out and bring it to me on Monday, and I'm giving you some friendly advice, if you dare try to embarrass me or this school you will be out of Paris and on the plane quicker than you could say the alphabet in German" and with that she flounced off with her new reconstruction of her book tower, leaving me staring at her retreating back thinking that it a) that was more like a threat then advice and I would hate to be her friend, imagine her constructive criticism, she would crumble your self confidence and b) it would take me an awful long time to say the alphabet in German as I couldn't even remember the order of the English alphabet let alone the German one! Mrs Mosse then stopped at the end of the corridor and gave me one last gibe.
