Change

3. Hope

3. Hope

The next day, I ignore everyone, again. I smile at Eleanor if I see her, but I see that she has already gained some friends. I do not care what people think now; at break and lunch I sit in the classroom, eating and reading. It is exactly seven days since I boarded the ship. I feel so far away from home, yet so close to it. We are probably a few billion miles away from Earth, but it is such a long distance for such a short amount of time.

In the afternoon, I decide not to waste my time and I skip dinner, to go swimming. This floor, the entertainment floor, is one that I have not been to yet. There are not many people about; everyone is busy eating dinner. I am not really in the mood to eat. I know I shall be hungry, after swimming, but I want some time to myself.

The changing rooms are very small, with only fifteen cubicles. I quickly change into my swimming costume. I am glad to see that the swimming pool is empty. There is no one there apart from a female lifeguard sitting in an office eating dinner, and watching the pool from a big window in the wall.

I ignore her and slide into the water. I swim for a few laps to warm up, and then I grab some bricks from the shelf on the side of the pool and throw them into the pool, in the deep end. This is what I love about swimming; the diving. I slide back into the water and kick my way underwater to pick the bricks up again.

I do not have to think here because all I have to do is dive and feel the water pushing against my face. This is the happiest I have been since coming onto this ship. It is peaceful, silent and empty. I see legs appearing at the other side of the swimming pool. I am not alone anymore. My fun is at an end. I grab all the bricks for a last time and leave the water.

There is a teenager who has just slid into the water and is starting a lap. He looks about nineteen or twenty. I have not seen him before, but I have been avoiding everyone, so I am not very likely to have seen him around.  He has black hair and tanned skin. When he lifts up his face from the water, for air, he looks at me. His eyes are dark and I cannot tell what he might be thinking. I shower and dry myself, changing into normal clothes.

It is eight thirty now, so I was swimming for quite a while. Back in the apartment, I almost wish that I have homework to do. Otherwise, there is nothing much to do in my room, apart from to read and to sleep. I sourly miss the internet. Also, I am only allowed to save my stationery for school; I cannot write a diary entry or draw.

I decide to keep track of my height. I draw a faint line on the wall, where my head reaches. I know that height changes throughout the day, so it will be interesting to see what exactly the difference is. I had always wanted to do this, but I never had enough time. Now I have nothing but time.

For the rest of the evening, I read. I have quite a few of books so hopefully I shall not get sick of them. Also, maybe there will be books available to buy in a few years.

I have never hated school much, as it was an excuse to be out of my home, but I hate it now. Nobody likes me, at all. Natasha has turned each person against me, and Eleanor does not need to even smile at me anymore; she has her own friends. Never have I felt more alone.

Today, Wednesday, is the third of a long, hard, school day. The schoolwork is easy-too easy. And I have an argumentative nature, which I have been trying to control for the last few days. I have an argument with Miss Haynes, and she also hates me, now. She refuses to believe that Natasha could ever possibly be an unkind person. And Natasha has the rest of the class supporting her. I want to shrivel even more. I think I shall not go to school tomorrow.

Other than that, a scientist came in, in the afternoon, to teach us physics. That was quite interesting, actually. Physics is not my strong point but I find it very interesting.