Leaving London

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

School quickly becomes dull. By the end of the week my bag is weighed down with a ton of different textbooks, and my planner is sprawling with a mass of homework. I'm grateful for the friends I've managed to make. They're all kind, helpful and funny, but I can't help but miss everyone from London.

Throughout my varied lessons, however, I still get mocked for my English accent. It's usually just the odd supressed giggle, or wary glancing, but every time it happens it still sets my teeth on edge. I've tried fitting in; wearing my hair in a tousled bun adapted well to the hot climate over here – like how the rest of the girls wear their hair, I've tried to strip my voice of any remnant British tang, and even my skin has started to tan a caramel colour. So I'd like to say I've settled in fine – but that would be lying. You know the group of blondes I saw on the first day? They turned out to be the stereotypical 'mean' girls; all sweet, sugar-coated voices but secretly bitter. They were the ones laughing at me. Not 'teasing': raucous cackles that sent nudges along rows of people, and quite frankly, it made me feel like an outsider. Mia and Lara would always shoot me a sympathetic look, or stare at the girls with venomous eyes, but it made no difference. Oh well, I tell myself, it's only been a week.

Currently, I am draped by the pool, covered in a bowl of crisps, and homework. The sun has begun to set, streaming a string of fairy-light stars across the horizon, and I'm so glad its Friday. No school for two days!

"Fearne! Takeaway's here!" Dad calls, and so I leave my work sprawling on the deckchair and pelt into the kitchen where I collect a paper bucket of some weird-looking flour ball things, a sachet of sweet n' sour sauce, and rice.

"So, you two. How's your first week been?" Dad asks, busy dolloping curry onto his plate.

"Yeah, good..." I mutter, cramming a spoonful of food into my mouth, hoping the questions will subside.

"It's amazing! The sixth form facilities are so cool, and Olli was showing me all the D.T rooms for my business and design course – it looks great."

"That's lovely. You should both get yourselves involved with some more of the local activities," Mum says, "I'm planning on joining pilate classes and there's several things for you two: water sports, dance, youth clubs, horse riding..."

"I got picked for a swimming gala on Monday." I say, and Mum's face lights up.

"Darling, that's great! How about you, Jake?"

"I already mentioned surfing to Olli," Jake mutters through a full mouth, "...Now did I tell you about what happened in my history lesson today?"

Jake rambles on about his lessons for the rest of the meal; I've never seen him this excited since he got a BMX stunt bike for his 13th birthday.

"That sounds fantastic." Mum agrees, as she pulls a trifle out of the fridge, "I sure hope my new office will be good – they want me in there on Monday." At this point I leave the table to go and finish off some still life sketches for art.

∞

"Fearne, wake up! Your laptop's been going off for ages..."

"What?" I mumble, pushing back my ruffled bed sheets and yawning, "Oh, on Skype?" I can hear the familiar Skype notifications echoing around my room.

"Yeah," Mum passes me it, "I brought you some breakfast up as well," I get given a plate of melon slices and yoghurt.

"Thanks, Mum," I grin, "I'd better answer this; it's Kayla."

"Okay, I'll leave you to it. Be ready by eleven though, we're going out to visit the glow caves."

I shift over to sit by the window, simultaneously clicking the receive button for the call. Within seconds, the sight of Kayla, Eve and Amy flashes before my eyes. They're all huddled together, in Kayla's room, in pyjamas and clutching mugs of hot chocolate. Just the sight of that reminds me that two weeks ago, I would have been there too.