The Exchange

Chapter 10

My ring-tone wakes me up the next day at seven o'clock sharp.  Way too early. 

Groaning, I leave the warmth of my new bed and turne off the annoying tune of my alarm.  It takes me about three minutes to make the bed but the struggle is in finding something to wear.  This is England.  Leggings and a graphic t-shirt under a blouse aren't going to cut it with the fashion styles they have here.  Europe is always a season ahead of us.  

With my limited wardrobe that can fit in a suitcase I don't have spend too long choosing something.  I come up with a navy A-line skirt over black leggings with a lavendar three-quarter sleeve top.  It is simple and cute but is it cute enough?  This is my first impression on all these people and I want to make a good one!  

Unlike I usually do at home, I leave my hair down and clip back the top part.  On my neck I wear a long bronze necklace with a white peacock at the end of it.  I check myself out in the mirror over my dresser.  What kind of impression is this going to make?  It better be a good one but time will tell.

I apply minimum make-up to my face since I'm not that into make-up anyways.  I wipe some powder over my face and quickly apply a neutral blush that I found in my travel make-up kit.  I look what preppy would be like at home but I have no idea how this is going to look to my classmates.

I take a deep breath in the mirror.  Shoulders back, chin up, stomach in.  I repeat it over and over again on my way to the kitchen.  

"Good-morning."  Louis greets me all cheerily.  I'm startled by his unfamiliar voice until I remember where I am; and who he is. 

"Morning."  I reply in my groggy morning voice.  I pull two slices of bread out of the sleeve and pop them in the toaster.  

"You ready?"  Louis asks.  I refused to turn around and look at him for fear of sounding scared.  

"Yeah."  My voice is the opposite of scared.  After a deep breath, the wobbly, uncertain voice burries itself somewhere inside me for another time and I sound confident and ready.  That's how I want to be.  

"You look cute for someone who's getting a uniform."  Louis says looking over my outfit from top to bottom.  I have to wear a uniform too?  Where has the school sent me?  

"I have to wear a uniform?"  I spin around profounded. 

"Uh, yeah."  He says as if he can't believe I didn't know.  No one told me this.  

"Great."  I say turning back to my toast to butter it.  Just great.

Harry and Louis insist on walking me to school on my first day which I am so grateful for.  I can barley get myself through an airport, how can I register myself for school?  

We leave the house around ten to eight and make the short walk across the soccer field, or how Harry pointed out football.  They wear baseball hats and big glasses to  try and disguise themselves but look like losers.  I guess the disguise workes though.  

We arrive at the white building in less than two minutes.  The school is only one story but is spread out.  The asphalt at the back end of the school is fenced in but there is a gate which leads to the open field in the back.  It actually looks decent and I find myself liking it just a little.  Not much, but a little.  

Harry holds open the front door as I walk in.  There is no general commons area to eat lunch or be social but there is a skylight just past the main entrance and a few chairs and benches in the corners.  The main office is located on the right.  Harry, Louis and I walk in that direction in a straight line.  Shoulders back, chin up, stomach in.  This is just the beginning.