Girls of Edinburgh

Please, just shut up.

Fiona tried to the point of exasperation, but try as she did, she could not get a single semi- pleased look, let alone smile out of Matilda.

Tilly's mood had not changed a bit since parting with her sister and Miss Jillian, If anything, it only worsened.

Fiona Stewart was the jolliest girl in the fifth. She was the perfect example of congeniality and was infectiously sweet. Naturally, whenever her year welcomed new girls, Fiona was the one called upon to give tours and informal orientations. Fiona didn't face much difficulty at school or with people in general, due to her charming personality. However, she had never met a girl like Matilda Sawyer. Fiona drew for all her brightest smiles and buoyant jokes, but nothing she did moved Matilda, who kept a look of disinterest and indifference on her face for the duration of the tour.

"For Linguistics, we have an oral exam every first Friday. Steer clear of Matron on that day. She's perfect sunshine all other days of the week, but on a first Friday.."

Tilly thought she had never resented someone as much as she resented Fiona Stewart in that moment. How could she be  jolly when her world was coming to an end. How could anyone be so happy at a time like this?

"Which will you choose?"

Matilda snapped back to reality.

"Huh?"

"The languages.."

"What about them?"

Fiona sighed.

"I was saying the  languages.. we get four to choose two from. Spanish and French are the obvious. We also have Mandarin and German"

"Oh I'm not sure." Tilly took a seat on her new bed.

The fifth was different than the sixth in that there were more girls per room, and as such the rooms were bigger. Whereas Diana's room housed six girls, Tilly's room housed twelve.

"Well that's basically everything.. The girls will be up in thirty minutes.. In the meantime I guess you can just unpack your stuff and look over the material.. Fiona indicated the stack of books on one of the desks."

"Ok"

"If you need anything I'll be downstairs.."

"Ok"

"Also if you're feeling peckish you can just come down and I'll follow you to get some food."

"Thanks"

Fiona finally left the room, realizing that there was only so much and no more she could do to cheer up a girl that obviously did not want to be cheered up.

"Thank God" Tilly relaxed as Fiona closed the door.

"Thought she would never leave huh?"

The voice made her jump. A slender girl with a short black hair and contrasting ivory skin waltzed out of the closet.

"I only meant.." Tilly tried to backstep.

"You don't have to explain yourself",  the girl waved her hand, falling comfortably on the bed beside Tilly's. "And you are?"

Beauty forgotten instantly, Tilly stared at the girl for a second, remembered she was in no mood to talk, and wondered who gave her the right to demand to know who she was anyway.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Matilda Sawyer."

"Irene." The girl extended a hand across the bed. Tilly looked down at it for some short seconds before leaning forward to take it.