Colourise

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Day 1

‘Ahoy!’

Gemma was greeted by the fleet crew as she stepped out of the ferry. The crew was standing in a single file on both sides as they welcomed the students.

She looked out at the terminal. There were boats of every kind paraded around the port, like wild honeybees clustering around a sweet-smelling flower.

She closed her eyes and drew in a breath. Natural summer air filled her nose, filling her with a warm burst of energy.

‘Beautiful, isn’t it?’

She turned around to see a boy with a cheeky grin on his face.

‘Steven!’ She smiled. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Have I ever mentioned that I’m the son of a professor here?’ He ran his hands around his messy mop of brown hair. He was wearing black trousers with a singlet, exposing his strong, lean biceps.

‘I don’t remember a professor having such as charming son,’ Gemma bit her lip, and took out her large brown sunglasses.

Steven whistled. ‘Sweet.’

Flipping her shoulder-length bob to the side, Gemma was about to make her fashionably sexy walk down the stairs when someone rushed past her, followed by a piercing shriek.

‘I’MMMMMMMMM GONNA SWINGGGGGG FROM THE CHANDELIER, FROM THE CHANDELIER,’ the girl sang as she dashed down the steps to the wooden platform below.

‘What the heck?!’ Gemma exclaimed, taking off her sunglasses and narrowing her eyes at her. The girl was tall, with long, fair hair that was tied up in a high side ponytail. Her singlet and shorts hung loosely over her long limbs.

‘Ciana Walder,’ Steven muttered behind her, ‘she’s also a daughter of one of the professors here. I suggest you don’t mingle with her much.’

Ciana threw her arms up in the air and turned back to the ferry.

‘Thank you, ferry!’ She flashed a pearly-white smile as she waved her long arms towards them. Immediately Gemma grimaced, finding Ciana’s voice of an unpleasantly high frequency.

‘I’ll keep that in mind,’ Gemma nodded and she walked down the steps with Steven.

As she stepped on the wooden floor of the port, Ginny passed her a slip of light orange paper.

‘Huh?’ She turned the paper over and read the contents.

‘Hey Andersians! With our Homecoming celebration happening on the third day of the trip, we will also be crowning our Homecoming King and Queen!’

‘You should definitely join!’ Gemma heard a female voice behind her. Turning around, she saw Esther patting her shoulder.

‘Oh, come on, Esther!’ She smiled sheepishly. ‘You know you’re a better queen than I am!’

‘I didn’t say I was better,’ she winked, ‘anyway, I don’t want to join that contest.’

Esther turned to tap the person in front of her.

‘Yeah, Es?’ It was Tammie.

Esther snatched the brochure from Gemma and practically shoved it towards Tammie. After reading it once, Tammie looked up at the both of them.

‘What do you think I have to do with this?’ Tammie frowned.

‘Homecoming Queen?!’ A loud shrill shook the terminal as they walked. Turning their heads to the front, Ciana was bouncing up and down as she walked. She was so tall, it was impossible to ignore her.