SEVENS

RAIN AND ROOM

I was late to check-in. I wanted to say it wasn't my fault but it was. The breakdown I had didn't let up until early morning and so when I had finally fallen asleep I was exhausted emotionally and physically. Which caused me to sleep in until three. My nose also decided to make sure I knew it was broken by giving me a massive headache that wasn't showing any sign of stopping, much like the rain which drenched me as I walked to the bus stop. When I got off at my stop it was four thirty and I still had a mile and a half to walk to school which meant that though I had dried off on the bus ride I was soaked again by the time I reached the check in desk that was set up in the schools entry hall.

My shoes squeak on the checkered tile floors and I left puddles where I stepped. There wasn't anyone officially stationed at the folding tables—check in had been at noon and it was closer to five now. There were two girls in full uniform chatting behind the tables but they looked pretty set on ignoring me for the moment. So I ignored them too.
The table had a file box on it,which was empty except for a single file with my last name written on it. There were also a few gift bags and bowls of candy that looked picked over. I neared the table and eyed the sign in sheet. Water dripped from my nose and hand blurring a few of the names already written on the sheet. The ink smudged as I dragged my hand over it while I added my name to the bottom of the list.

The girls decided to step in then. The one in charge cleared her throat a little as she neared. She had her brown hair in a high ponytail that looked tight enough to be giving her as bad a headache as my nose was giving me. Her polite smile held no warmth she folded her hands and looked at my name at the bottom of the now wet page. We stared at it for a moment, not speaking. Then she looked at me expectantly. But I wasn't sure what she was expecting me to say so I didn't say anything and waited on her instead.
She smiled more, tight lipped, and then unfolded her hands and pulled at the cuffs of her sleeves before opening her mouth. "Alex is it?" She asked squinting at my name like she couldn't read it .
"Alexei."
"Alexei. I think you might have gotten in just a bit of a mix up. The applications for janitors are in the administration building."
I blinked slowly, my nose throbbed and I decided that it would be better not to talk in case I puked instead. But as the girl kept smiling I thought it might be nice to see her wearing something other than that stupid mask. I pointed to the file box with my file in it. "Hamilton."
She actually looked stunned when the file had my name on it. She picked it up and looked at the other girl. They were sharing this 'is this actually happening' look. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. All I wanted was to get to my room and dry off. At the rate this was going we wouldn't make it there until tomorrow.

She opened the file to look it over and her eyes lit up. She showed the other girl behind her and pointed to something that was apparently very exciting. I knew there were laws to protect my information and all that was probably in the file in their hands was a class schedule but for a second I wondered if it wasn't something more.

She slipped two pieces of paper from the file and handed them to me. "The top one is your class schedule and the bottom has dining hours, gym hours and the days and times you can leave campus. Your room is in the east dorms and well take you there so you don't get lost. My names Alisa by the way and this is Sophie." Alisa didn't offer her hand, not that I would have shaken it if she did but she and Sophie did come around the table and begin to lead me down a hall to the left.

"The campus can get pretty confusing so I can get you a map to you at dinner. But you'll get the hang of it." Alisa said while she held out the file for Sophie to take a photo of while we were still walking. I sped up a little to look at what was so exciting to them but only saw 'Room E27' written on it before the file was closed. I decided I didn't care why they were so excited about my room so I tuned them out.

The halls were wide and large windows on the one side let in light, or would have if it wasn't still pouring. I shivered as I watched it fall. We took two rights and a left before taking a staircase up to the third floor. My shoes didn't squeak as much on the hardwood floors of the third floor. There was the same fancy trim that I had seen in the office from my interview. But here the doors lining the walls looked old and had knobs that looked only half decent at locking. There was also an awful draft blowing down the hall.