The Not-So Brits

Chapter 2~ Sorry, I got lost

It has come to a light drizzle outside and I finally locate the right building. The dorm is bustling with girls squealing at the sight of their returning friends. Never have I felt so out of place in my entire life. A middle aged woman with one of those tight buns pinned to her head approaches me with a clipboard.

" Ahh..., Miss Porter we have been waiting for your arrival.

- Ya, I'm sorry I got a little lost."

I can practically feel my cheeks flushing pink.

"No need to be embarrassed sweetie, it happens to the best of us."

I don't even try correcting her as to why I've turned bright red, because I don't need anyone knowing how, during my first hour here, I managed to make a complete idiot of myself.

She senses my discomfort and directs me to a room on the second floor where a girl is standing on one of the three beds, taping something to the wall. I hadn't even thought to bring any decorations. Maybe I would go shopping aft-

" Charlotte, this is Avery, it will just be you two sharing this room together as Miss Eleanor will not be returning.

-Hey, you can call me Charlie.

-Uh hi, I guess, I'm Avery.

- I will leave you two alone."

The woman mutters to herself as she backs out of the room writing feverishly on her board. Once the door closes, the girl, Charlie, jumps energetically off her bed, landing with a thump.

"-Ooh, she squeals, an American!!

- Is it that obvious?

-Hell Yeah!! But this is gonna be great! Not to mention I can already tell we are going to become really close."

She says this last part while gesturing my entire outfit.

So at this point I guess you need an explanation. Remember when I was saying that I tended to be judged a lot back in Cali? Well that's because, contrary to all the girls in bright colored skirts and lacy tops, I preferred black skinny jeans and band tees. Plus I literally lived in converse and vans. I had on my all black ones at the moment. Not to mention that my long blond hair was dyed dark red at the tips, which often caused the older folk to shoot me dirty looks.

" You like the band? I ask timidly.

- Does this answer your question?"

She moves aside to reveal what she was previously hanging above her bed: a poster. But not just any poster, a huge picture of Alex Gaskarth with All Time Low printed across the top, ironically the same band featured on my shirt.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm extremely shocked by this because I haven't met many people who shared the same musical taste as I in a long time.

I take a moment to look my roommate up and down. She is fairly tall, probably around 5'7 compared to me at barely 5'4, but, where I am a little on the curvier side, she was perfectly slim and to be honest, looked like she should be on the cover of a magazine or something. Yet I could tell she didn't love her body like someone else would have, she chose to hide it under a pair of baggy pants and a muscle tank. But that is fine by me, there's nothing worse than a stuck up girl who knows that she's gorgeous and let's everyone else know too.

I'm going to have to talk to her more about music later but at the moment I just want to sleep. Charlie has gone back to unpacking while I realize that I'm still awkwardly standing in the entry.

"Hey Charlie? Who's Eleanor?

-Oh, she was my roommate last year. But she was politely asked to "leave" the school because of behavior problems."

I love how this girl uses the her hands to exaggerate the air quotes around the "behavior problems".

"Let me guess... She was a total bitch.

-Bingo! I think she moved back to Australia or something. But at least now we have an extra bed.

-Ooh, we should push it up against the window and make a couch.

-I like the way you think. Plus I need to go shopping, so we can go tomorrow and buy some more pillows.

-Cool, 'cause I didn't even think to bring any decorations.

-Yet I see you didn't forget the guitar." She does this thing with her eyebrows that I can't help but laugh.

"-I couldn't just leave it behind!

-Haha just kidding, if I played an instrument I would have brought it along too! Okay, I have an idea! Let's play a game!

-Do we have to I kinda just flew in from LA and want to sleep, I whine.

-Yes, we do. There will be plenty of time for sleep when classes start. But we need to get to know each other. Look, I didn't even know you were from Los Angeles!"

The way she pronounces my home town sounds so different and foreign but weirdly comforting, like this isn't just a dream and I'm really here.

"-Okay,okay. What game?

-20 Questions!

-How about 10 questions?

-Deal! Okay, I'll start.

-Ask away...

- Full name?

-Avery Roxanne Porter.

-Favorite color?

-Black,purple and red.

-If you could only eat one thing for he rest of your life, what would it be?

-Hands down, pizza!

-Haha me too! Best All Time Low song?

-How could you just pick one?!

-Fair point.( she scratches her chin) top three?

-Uhg, fine. Lost in Stereo, If These Sheets Were The States..., and ... JASEY RAE!

-You have very good taste my friend..."

We continue on like this until we are called to "supper" by the lady with the clipboard, who I learn is named Amelia. Even though I feel completely dead to the world I'm glad I got to know Charlie. I found out she had an older brother who had just recently gone off to college along with a younger one who is barely 6. She's almost 16, just like me and she said she would help me with the English driver's test because I hadn't even gotten my American one yet.