Taking a deep breath, I ring the doorbell to my grandmother's house, -my new house. There is the sound of a lock shifting before the door opens, revealing her smiling face. She quickly envelops me in an awkward hug, seeing as I'm carrying a duffle bag, before saying, "Sweetie, you're here!"
Once I am passed the threshold, I make my way into the living room, place my bag on the rug, and plop down onto the living room couch. Closing my eyes I contemplate just going to sleep here, or staying up to settle into my room. But then my grandmother clears her throat, gesturing for me to follow her.
Sighing, I stand and follow her down a small hallway to the last room on the left. She opens the door, exposing me to my new quarters.
Walking into my room, I smile at her before saying, "Thanks, it's lovely Grandma! I'm beat from all the traveling though, so I think I'm just going to go to sleep."
"Okay, remember you start school tomorrow. You have your uniform right?" She asks.
"Yes, it's in my bag. Goodnight, Grandma." Yawning for emphases, I walk toward my new bed.
"Goodnight, I love you." I hear her say before closing my door.
'Love you, too.' I think, sitting on the bed, and looking out the window.
My thoughts then wander to how I had come to stay here. It's all because of that book... The one I wrote under the name Audrey Smith. Somehow it became well known; then Briston Academy, a school for the rich and famous, became interested in me. Obviously for privacy reasons no one besides the headmaster and a few school board officials know that I am the author of the infamous: 'Blow The Stoplights Green'.
'Thirteen year old Lily Prescott attending Briston Private Academy on a scholarship.' That was the talk of the town back home. It was actually a bit of a relief to be away from all of the attention. I didn't plan on going here either. I was perfectly content with starting eighth grade at Clover Public Middle School, but my mother thought that Briston would look better on a collage application.
Thinking back it seems like I had almost no choice in the matter.
Resting my head on my pillow, I close my eyes and try to sleep. Though I know that more of my night will be spent feeling hollow than sleeping. Tomorrow I will smile and be 'Lily Prescott, the new girl' but for tonight I will be Audrey, the girl who writes about fantasy to avoid reality.
