Hurricane Harriet

chapter two •the beach

I spent most of Sunday wandering around Totafu, getting a feel for it.  I looked around for the supermarkets and the little markets where everyone is shouting to try and sell their products - strawberries and such.  I found a few clothes shops and a beachside shop, one with all of the surfing equipment and everything.

But today is Monday and I am currently swimming back to shore to go to school.  See, you might think it's weird, that I sleep wherever and wear water shoes and don't change clothes that often but that's what happens when you're homeless, when you're constantly moving from village to village to town to town.  When you don't have a family or any friends, when you're a hurricane in human form.

I arrive to Pine Hill early and walk towards the reception who tell me all about the school, give me my schedule, locker key etc.  The lady takes me on a tour of the school so I have a sort-of idea as to where everything is.

Half an hour later I walk into English.  The teacher, a small, brown haired lady, greets me and tells me to take a seat.

I take one on the middle row, coincidentally behind that boy from Saturday.  I genuinely didn't mean for that to happen.

'Would you like to introduce yourself?' The teacher asks me, dragging a class load of eyes towards me.

'Erm, sure, hi, I'm Harriet, I'm sixteen and I like running.'  I say out loud, not really looking around, mostly my eyes stay on that boy.

'Hi Harriet, I'm Miss Pringle.' The teacher turns back to the board.

I end up having to share a textbook with a girl on my left who was originally turned around and taking to the people behind her.  She said her name is Nala, beautiful name, if you ask me, and she said she'd show me around (student version) during break time.

Nala introduces me to all of her friends and takes me around school, telling me about drama and who is in relationships with who, who doesn't like who, all of that kind of thing.

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Lunch rolls around and I've spent the whole day with Nala. And, I haven't slipped up! Yet. I remind myself that I need to stop being so negative but I suppose that can be hard, in my situation.

After lunch is geography and as Nala isn't in this class I end up sitting on a table meant for two people, with two other girls. There are plenty of other spaces but they said that I had to sit next to them. They are two of Nala's friends, Gavi (short for Gavina) and Medina. I can't help but notice everyone's exotic names, it makes mine sound even more boring.

In geography we learn about coasts, nothing that I don't already know. But it soon finishes and I have to go to chapel. Apparently here, everyone goes to either church or chapel at least once a week.

When we get out I walk with my new friends-for-now (I've really got to stop being so negative) towards the exit of the school. 

'Everyone goes to the beach after school, you wanna come?' Gavi asks me as we walk through the gate.

'Yeah, definitely!' I reply happily, I want to try and control myself around these people, Totafu is the nicest place I've been to and I'd love to stay here.

We walk with the rest of the people in my year towards the beach I stayed at last night.  There's at least 60 of us and everyone seems to know us, as we pass markets, everyone waves to each other and greets us.  The community in this town really is nice.

As we get close people start to run towards the sand, taking tshirts and shoes off, boys running in their swimming trunks and girls revealing their bikinis or swimming costumes under their school clothes.  Luckily I always wear a bikini under my clothes.

I join in and pull my top up over my head and shake it over my hair, I unbutton and pull off my shorts and take off my shoes, running after the rest of my year group.

When I reach the sea, I dive under and resurface with my friends, laughing and splashing water about.

I catch the eye of a few people, boys and girls, but that's probably just because I'm new and they're probably sizing me up.  I focus back on my friends.

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Hallo!
What did you think of this chapter?
Please, please like/vote/comment - it would mean so much

What do you want to see next chapter?
Do you want to get to know Harriet's friends before she meets new people?
Let me know!

•m xxx