Alexandria Laughlin Marshall (TO)

Last Minute Packing

Once Josie, Lizzie, and I got back to the school, we went our separate ways to our rooms because of how exhausted I was. Once I get back to the room, Hope is already there getting ready for bed. When she hears the door open, she turns around and smiles when she sees me.

"Where were you?" she asks.

"I went to Mystic Grill with Josie and Lizzie," I say, turning to my closet getting ready to pack for the trip. "It was type of surprise birthday dinner."

Hope's face goes to shock, "It was your birthday?"

I turn around, and say, "Yah."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hope asks.

"I don't really like birthdays," I say. Hope's face tells me to explain, so I say, "When I was in the foster care system, my birthdays would come and go, and my friends that had parents would get showered with gifts, and I would have nothing. It was just another sign that I had no family." I turn back around, packing in all of my clothing into the same two duffle bags I came with seven months ago.

I turn back around, and say, "I finished packing."

Hope laughs, "So is there anything you want to see in New Orleans?"

"Well, for a start, I want to see this famous Rousseau's I keep hearing about, and the Mikaelson Compound," I say with a smile.

"Ok, anything else?" Hope asks.

"Well, I mean, I would like to, you know, meet my family and all," I say sarcastically. Hope laughs along with me.

"I think we can squeeze that in at the end," Hope replies with the same sarcasm, and we share a smile.

"Ok, well we should go to bed, because I find it hard enough as it is to wake up at 7 never mind 5:30," I say with a smile. Hope nods her head, and we both climb into bed.

---

The next morning I wake up at 6 am to Hope shaking me awake. As I rub my eyes getting up from bed, she yells, "You slept through your alarm. We have to go in 15 minutes."

I go into the bathroom, not in a rush at all, brushed my teeth and grabbed my toiletry bag. As I walk out of the bathroom, I throw the small bag into one of my open duffles. I then turn to Hope, and say, "I'm ready."

Hope stops, and looks me up and down. My hairs in a messy bun, while I'm in black joggers with a navy blue Salvatore School shirt with my Ugg slippers. Hope lets out a slight laugh, and says, "Your unbelievable."

I laugh with her, and throw my hands up in defense and say, "What can I say, I like to be comfortable."

We both grab our bags, Hope has a large suitcase and me with my two small black duffle bags. Hope says, "We should grab some food from the kitchen before we leave." I nod my head.

As I'm about to close our bedroom door, I remember I wanted to bring my backpack full of books. I quickly run back into my room, and Hope turns to look back at me. She asks, "What did you forget." I come back out of the room, zipping my backpack full of grimoires and school textbooks. Hope gives me a really look, and asks, "Are you seriously going to bring your textbooks with you?"

I smile, "Well I'm taking every class available next year, along with trying to learn everything I've missed in the years I haven't been here, so I need to review for next year."

Hope laugh, "You do realize that summer break, is suppose to be, I don't know... a break."

I sarcastically roll my eyes, and say, "Intelligence never takes a break." Hope just gives me that same eye roll back, as we head down the stairs.

Once I enter the cafeteria, it is completely empty except for one person. I see Josie sitting at the end of the long tables. I start to walk towards her, but Hope asks, "Aren't you going to grab something to eat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

I smile, "Well I'm intermittent fasting." Hope gives me weird look, obviously not knowing what that means. I then walk over behind Josie, and say softly, "Her, good morning." She jumps slightly, and I say sitting down with a laugh, "Someone's jumpy this morning. Why are you up so early?"

She simply answers, closing her textbook looking at me, "I couldn't sleep."

I nod, "I couldn't really either. And I'm glad to see I'm not the only one to be reading next years textbooks." I finish with a smile, and she gives me one back.

Josie see my stuffed backpack, and asks with raised eyebrows, "Are those all books?"

I nod, "Some are textbooks, most are the grimours my mother left me. I'm going to ask Hope's aunt about them, she's this 1000 year old witch, so she has to know what's in them."

Josie asks with a shocked face, "Your mother left you grimoires?"

I nod, "Yah, she put a spell on them, to make them seem like regular books till I got control of my powers."

"That's cool," Josie says opening and looking into my backpack. Her eyes widen, and she says with sarcasm, "That's what you call a few textbooks? How many classes are taking next year?"

I laugh, and explain to her what I did to Hope just minutes ago, "Since I took all the basic classes this year, I'm taking all the classes I can next year."

Josie laughs, "Your such an overachiever."

I roll my eyes, and say a sarcastic, "Whatever."

Just then Hope walks up with a breakfast bar, with Ms. Forbes close behind her.

Once they reach the table, Ms. Forbes says, "Alex, we should get going." I smile and get up from the table, saying goodbye to Josie. Then Hope, Ms. Forbes, and I all climb into the car headed off to the airport.