in the mirror

off the bus

I step off the public bus as a cool fall breeze hits my face and blows my light auburn hair. I make my way through the stream of people that are entering my new boarding school, Hill Crest here I come! I clutch the strap of my light pink Fjallraven Kanken backpack as I enter the courtyard of Hill Crest. I approach a staff member as I pull my map of the school grounds out of my tight, icy blue vest. My hands shake, but not from the cold oncoming of winter that starts with fall, with anxiety. I carefully approach the blonde staff member as her lips turn up into a smile, "What can I help you with?"

"I need to find the dorm building named Galloping Wind," I shyly admit, "I'm new to Hill Crest and my family and I only got around to seeing the buildings during open house."

"Well, dear, Galloping Wind is by Mountain Top Cafe if you live in that dorm building you must be here for our equestrian program," the staff tells me as her blonde hair flutters about from a chilly fall breeze.

"Yes, I am! Thank you for your help madame," I reply with a fake smile that matches hers. I head straight and take a right towards the Mountain Top Cafe and spot a large painted wood sign that reads Galloping Winds next to a large dorm building with what seems like infinite windows. I enter through the polished dark wood doors and look around at my surroundings. The walls are sky blue with dark wood floors that shine from someone's hard work polishing them. I turn to face an elevator and push the up button and the doors immediately open. I step into the elevator and the walls are covered with Polaroid photos. I press my floor number and one photo catches my eye as the horse I just bought from the school. The photo is of my new horse, Dancing in the Moonlight, rearing at a trainer and the writing at the base of the Polaroid reads, "Impossible!" Moonlight's hooves are inches from the trainer in the photo and I can imagine the fear she had because I once had it with him when I first met Moonlight. The doors to the elevator slide open without a sound and I step out of the elevator. I walk down the hallway as I worry if all of my stuff from home shipped successfully and was not lost or put in the wrong dorm. I dig out the door key that has a circle keychain with a photo of me and Moonlight after our first successful showjumping lesson. Moonlight's flea-bitten coat seems to shine under the light of the arena. In the photo, I was smiling a real smile for the first time in years. The key turns and the lock clicks open as I turn the door handle anxiously, wondering if my roommate is already in our room. I nudge the door open and I see one side of the room fully decorated but no roommate insight. My roommate's walls are covered with photos of an Olympic showjumper named Eric Lamaze and his best-known horse, Hickstead. On my half of the room are ugly brown boxes that I labeled in cursive. I stroll over to the box that contains my bed set after shutting the door and locking it. I dig out my navy blue bed sheets and set them up on my bed before getting out my comforter. My navy blue comforter is adorned with white constellations and I lay out the comforter on my loft before taking out the matching set of pillows along with my black bodypillow.

In the middle of setting up my vanity which is the last part of my room I need to set up when I hear a knock. My hazel eyes peek through the peephole and see a boy who looks about sixteen, a year older than me, standing patiently.

I unlocked the door and open it with a false smile as he smiles back, "I'm Max Smith and you must be my roommate, Holly Williams."

"Enchante!" I friendly reply as the tall boy gives me a quizzical look.

"What?"

"It's means 'nice to meet you' in French," I laugh and it feels good to laugh again. Max enters our dorm and shuts the door behind him.

He runs his hair through his light blonde hair that frames his beige face, "Did I go overboard with decorating?"

"Nope," I reply with a real smile, "What team are you on?"