Are we friends or are we more?

Chapter 22

It's now the 6th of January and Harper has been living with us for a total of nearly 6 days, to be fair it is more like 5. No matter how many times I said that to Joe last night while Harper was in the shower it did not make him less annoyed. Let's just say Joe is not amused that it's nearly been a week and Harper still hasn't left the apartment yet. It's just really awkward, every time I bring up her leaving she always says some thing like, "Oh right sure, it's cool. I'll just find someone else who can let me stay with them for a while." And when she says that I just feel so bad that I have to let her stay. I've spent a lot of time with Harper this week which is never good because all she ever wants to do is go out and party. Anyway, today is not about Harper, today is the next step in my life, today I start drama school. I'm a little nervous, of course I am. How do I know if the people there are going to like me? When I left the apartment this morning Joe got up with me and gave me some words of encouragement to get my confidence going. His words helped at first but then they started to make me feel worse so I decide to walk to school today instead of getting the tube. Fresh air always helps to clean my mind, even if I am in the middle of a giant city. 

I open up the double glass doors into the giant reception lobby. I'd forgotten how big it was in here since I came for my audition in the summer. There a people everywhere. Everyone is walking about and doing something. I roll down the sleeve on my cardigan feeling a bit self conscious. I feel out of place here like I don't belong. Don't be stupid Autumn, you can do it, I tell myself as I walk up to the main desk. A women is sat at the main desk typing away at her computer. She has brown hair and chocolaty eyes. He eyebrows are slightly scrunched as she types as if she's concentrating hard.  "Um." I say, the women stops typing and looks up at me. A big smile spreads across her face as she sees me.

"Can I help you?" She ask.

"Yeah." I say as I rummage around in my bag looking for the paper forms I had to fill in. "I'm Autumn Rouge. Today is my first day and I was wondering if you could help me out." I say as I find the papers and get them out my bag.

"Oh yes! Of course, you must be the scholarship girl!" She says smiling at me. A few heads turn my way at the word 'scholarship'. I nod my head quickly my cheeks flushing slightly pink because I'm a little embarrassed. "Nice to meet you Autumn. I'm Clair, if you ever have any trouble be sure to come to me for help." Clair opens a draw in her desk and takes out a file. "Autumn, Autumn, Autumn." She mutters under her breath as she flicks through it. "Aha!" She says stopping on a page and taking it out the file. "Here you are, your timetable." She says handing me the paper. "Do you have your papers?" She asks.

"Yes." I say smiling as I hand the forms.

"Okay great." She says as she quickly scans the form. "Okay, so your first lesson is singing with Miss Bobby." She says looking up and scanning the reception.I look too it's a little more empty now, most people have scurried of to there lessons. "Ah, Chris!" Clair calls and a guy stood looking at a notice board on the wall turns around. 

"Yup?" He says walking up to us and the desk.

"This is Autumn, the new scholarship student. Her first lesson is in S4 with Miss Bobby and since you have nothing better to do then stand around making my reception look untidy I would like you to show her where to go please." She says to Chris. Chris smiles slightly before turning, looking me up and down once and shrugging.

"Sure." He says turning and walking off in the other direction. I scuttle along trying to keep up with him. I'm not sure what I make of this Chris guy yet. "I'm Chris in case you didn't guess." He says turning up some stairs, I follow.  "Why Autumn?" He asks.

"I'm sorry what?" I frown a little confused at the question.

"Why are you called Autumn. Where you born in Autumn?" He says.

"No, I was born in Summer." I say embarrassed. I've always hated my name especially because I was born in August. 

"Seriously?" He asks a little unsure as we stop outside a door with s4 on the front.

"Yeah." I nod, "My parents are a bit odd." I say shrugging.

Chris thinks about it before shrugging. "Well here you are, Miss Bobby singing. Have a good day." And with that he turns in the opposite direction and turns back down the stairs. 

I turn to the door, take a big breath and enter the room. Here goes nothing. 

"How was it?" Joe asks excited almost as soon as I step in the door. 

"It was amazing!" I squeal dropping my bag on the floor. A massive smile breaks across my face. Everyone today has been so nice to me and I can't wait to get back tomorrow. "There was this girl there called Emma who was actually also there when I went to my interview at Hamleys." I say.

"So you knew her?" Joe asks as I walk through and sit down on the couch in the living room. 

"Kind of, she recognized me." I say fiddling with the leaf on my bracelet, I've got into the habit of doing that. 

"Cool." Joe says. "So, what you doing tonight?" 

"Not much." I shrug. I had kind of planned on getting to bed early, waking up early this morning was really hard. 

"Do you want to come to Alfie and Zoe's mini apartment warming thing?" Joe asks. I smile, that does sound good, I wouldn't mind seeing the gang. I had forgotten that they moved in today. "Marcus will be there with his girlfriend, you'll like her. She's really nice."

I nod, about to agree to it when Harper walks out my room. She has her hair tied up on top of her head, it looks slightly wet, she must of had a shower. "Hey Autumn!" She smiles, she wears my clothes because she didn't have any with her on New Year's Day. I don't mind though, she needs all the help she can get. "How was it? Fancy going to get a coffee? You can tell me all about it." I open my mouth to reply. I don't really want a coffee. I'd rather go and catch up with the guys. I look between the two feeling very awkward I don't know how to tell Harper I don't want to go. 

"She can't, she's about to come out with me to Zoe's." Joe says it for me, he sounds almost smug a if I choose him over her.

Harper shrugs "Thats cool, I'll just come too."