Alexandria Laughlin Marshall (TO)

Dinner

   As I make my way down the hallway, I look at walls. They are all wood, with intricate wood carvings in the walls. There are dressers lining the walls in-between the doors of different students rooms. Each dresser has photos of students that either came here or are coming here. I can see a lot pictures of Lizzie and Josie when they were younger, and I see a couple of Hope. As I walk down the stairs, I trip on the carpet cover the wood stairs. I grab the wall for support, and I'm able to get my balance. But I feel power enter my body, and I look at my hand and I see it glowing red like it was earlier when Mr. Saltzman tested me. As I take my hand away, I look around to see no one near me. So I whisper the spell Josie taught me earlier, and a small ball of fire forms in my hand. I then hear other kids coming, so I break my concentration and the ball of fire disappears.

As I enter the large cafeteria, there are four long dark wood tables. I look around confused where to actually get food, and thankfully a girl that looks like she is about 15 asks, "Do you need help?"

I smile, "Yah, I'm new. Could you show me where the food is?" She nods and brings me over the kitchen, and tells me I can get food at a long metal table buffet. I look down the table full of food, and start to pick up some. Once I pile on some salad and pasta, I leave the line and move back into the cafeteria. Once I look down each table, I suddenly realize I have no one to sit with. And my anxiety of who I should sets it. After I stand there for a moment, I slowly make my way over to an empty end of one of the tables.

But before I'm about to put my tray down, I hear a familiar voice call out, "Lexi! Lexi!" I turn around, and to look to see who called out.

I then hear another person yell out, "Alexandria!" I finally see Josie and Lizzie waving me over. I smile, and a wave of relief runs through me. Once I arrive I sit down next to Josie, and across from Lizzie.

Lizzie immediately starts a conversation, asking, "So you liked to be called Lexi?"

Josie and I share a smile, and I say, "Well, most people call me Alex, but Josie wants to call me Lexi. But I don't really care."

"I like Alex," Lizzie says with a smile.

"Cool," I say.

Josie then asks, while starting to eat, "So who are you rooming with?"

"Hope Marshall," I say, and almost instantly Lizzie's face goes to "yikes". "What?" I ask.

I can tell Lizzie is about to spew something, but Josie cuts her off before she can start, "Hope has always been distant with everyone since she got here-"

Lizzie then interrupts her, "We have tried to make friends with her, and she has just refused us."

I nod and say, slightly confused, "Hope seemed nice."

Lizzie says, "You'll learn."

I roll my eyes sarcastically, and decide to change the subject, "Well what classes do I have to take?" For the rest of dinner, Lizzie and Josie tell me what classes I have to take, and which ones I could take.