The Hidden Pocket {ruel van dijk}

chapter three.

I stand outside of my apartment building, taking a deep breath of air before I start my walk to school. I realize that its warm out, maybe too warm to be wearing the sweater top of the uniform instead of just the long sleeve shirt. The sun is out, unlike yesterday. I must have forgotten that the seasons in Australia are switched from those in California. I want to go back inside to change, but then I look at the time on my phone and note that I do not have enough time to do so. So I pull my hair back into a ponytail and start walking.

After walking a few blocks, I start getting tired. Carrying my cello on my back and my school bag in my hand is a burden surely. I should ask my parents about buying me a car or hiring me a driver. At this pace, I'll be built in a month.

After about ten more minutes I turn another corner and see the school; a towering brick and stone building standing in the middle of green grass and trees. Students bustle in and out of the building, some run to the other side of campus while others peacefully sit on the grass. A group of woodwinds sit underneath a tree nearby and carry out a melodic hum. Another group of students are working on a large mural on an open patch of grass.

I follow a paved path up to the main entrance. A large stone sign has the name of the school engraved at the top of the doorway. I step inside. The inside of the school is even busier. The entryway opens up into a large hall, almost like an indoor courtyard. Surrounding the courtyard and stacking upwards are doors all labeled, doors of which I assume are classrooms. This looks like a college more than it does a high school.

It's overwhelming to put it simply; the students, the uniforms, the buildings, the sophistication of it all. I hadn't realized it before but my hands are starting to get very sweaty; I need to find the admissions office.

I walk around for a few minutes, quite lost. Apparently I look it too. Multiple kids give me odd looks, I'm out of place. I finically give up and decide that I need to ask someone for directions.

A group of boys stand nearby, they're all oddly attractive. Who knew? Maybe this school has a modeling program. I start walking towards them when I notice a girl sitting alone at a table nearby. She has scripts strewn out on her table, obviously deep in concentration. I opt for asking her for help instead of the models.

I slowly approach her and tap her softly on the shoulder.

She turns around quickly, clearly startled. Her thick eyebrows raise in surprise.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you." I squeak.

She takes a deep breath and smiles with her hand over her heart, as if trying to slow down her heart beat from the scare.

"No worries, I'm just super jumpy today, I've had five cups of coffee already." She says frantically.

"It's my first day here and I was wondering if you could show me to the admissions office? I'm kinda lost and I need to get my schedule." I say.

"Of course! I'll take you there right now, just let me get my things." She jumps up and starts gathering her papers, binding them together in a neat stack before she shoves them into her backpack. "It's just this way." she says and starts walking towards the west.

Just as we pass the models, one of them sticks his hand out and high fives her.

"I'll see you later, Jude." He says as we walk away.

"I love your name." I say to her, she smiles when she hears me say this.

"Oh my gosh thank you so much! I've always thought that it was a boys name so I've always hated it a lot. What's your name?" She asks sweetly.