"Mario e Paolo vanno al cinema per guardare un film," the CD player blurted out into 10Cs Italian lesson.
Every single Italian lesson that Bella attended was followed by the same vigorous routine; listening, oral, writing. She sat in the same seat in class next to her best friend Alice curling her long, wavy, brown hair around the chewed pencil she had received from Charlie as a good luck present as she started her GCSE year. Alice and Bella always found something to giggle about in their Italian class, whether it was about finding a funny Italian name in their textbook or if Mrs Bailey (their Italian teacher) had another hissy fit about why neither of them had handed in their homework (a normal reoccurrence.)
"Allora, Bella, Cosa hai fatto il week-end scorso?" Mrs Bailey asked as she pressed the pause button on the CD player.
Her wide eyes got bigger and bigger as the pause between Bella's answer and Mrs Bailey's question gradually got longer and longer. Bella casually untwisted the pencil from her hair trying to avoid eye contact with the rest of the class as she was very self-conscious.
Bella was a quiet fifteen year old girl that had many friends, but never did anything out of the ordinary. She got up at 7am every morning put on the same type of jeggings and baggy top as she did everyday and neatly pushed her wavy hair behind her ears. She was a very striking girl as she had bright blue eyes that would make the room light up. However, she did not know this. Her lack of confidence meant that no boy paid any attention to her as she preferred to be invisible when her and her friends went out. She was a girl with so much potential, but just needed that boost that would make her realise how beautiful she actually was.
Bella looked up and caught out of the corner of her eye Alice laughing as both of them knew that when one of them started to laugh they both could not control themselves. Bella looked away from Alice and looked at the rest of the class staring at her; she felt her cheeks starting to burn red.
BRINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG
Saved by the bell, Bella thought as she started to pack all her belongings in her bag. Alice again started to laugh as she knew how relieved Bella was.
"BELLA!" Mrs Bailey screamed as everyone started to walk out the door.
"Oh fuck! Now look what you have done Alice."
"What do you mean what I have done? It's your fault you could have just answered the question instead of being in Bella world for once," Alice giggled as she swung her bag around her shoulder and skipped almost like a fairy out of the classroom.
Bella looking more awkward than ever, stuffed the Italian work she had doodled all over into her bag and again like Alice swung it round her shoulder, but in a very un-lady like way. She scuffed her shoes towards the front of the classroom as she knew she was about to be told off.
"Bella, I just don't understand. You are such a talented student, yet you just do not work in class."
Bella immediately switched off as this was another talk that she got 24/7 in her life. Her mum lectured her on the phone every night about why she does not have a boyfriend and if she did why she did not tell her who he is. Alice and her friends suffocated her with what the next make-over they were going to give her and why she just did not make an effort as underneath she was very beautiful.
"Bella…. Bella are you listening?! I just don't get it…. I am not lecturing you I am trying to help you and this is why I think you should do this exchange."
"EXCHANGE?" Bella cried out without realising she had said it in such a rude tone.
She could see Alice with her foot casually on the wall outside the classroom killing herself with laughter. Bella felt the anger rise up inside her. I mean she always knew that she was talented at Italian, but played the dumb student as it would mean she would not have as much attention in class. Obviously this plan backfired. She was so tempted to throw a pen at Alice whilst Mrs Bailey reached into her desk, but stopped herself in case the Italian teacher would look up. Mrs Bailey placed a piece of yellow paper with a photo attached to it on her desk and pushed it slowly towards Bella. Bella took the form and looked at the form scanning the information quickly to try and work out what it was. The photo was of a girl, with brown hair, brown eyes, olive skin – Mediterranean looking, everything Bella was not.
"This is the girl that I am hoping you will do an exchange with. Her name is Victoria and she is a year older. She has studied English for four years, which is one more than you have studied in Italian so you should be at the same level. I would like you to get in contact with her and organise an exchange, which I think you would really benefit from Bella." Bella rolled her eyes, but shamefully looked up as she realised that Mrs Bailey had seen.
"Look Bella I am doing this for your benefit. You might even surprise yourself with what you know. I mean a free holiday during school time to a different country sounds very appetising to me."
At this point Alice chocked on her laughter and looked towards Bella in the classroom in shock. However, Bella still did not seem enthusiastic. Just like her Italian work she stuffed the form into her bag and dawdled out of the classroom emphasising the fact that she was so annoyed.
"Bellaaaa!" Alice called down the corridor as she chased after her best friend who had a face like thunder.
"You are soo lucky! I mean a week abroad in beautiful Italy during school time what more could you want! The sun, the sea, ooohh my gooddd and the Italian men. Bella you have to go, why do you look like that it's not a big deal if anything it is a massive deal a week off schoooool!"
"Just please be quiet," Bella exclaimed in a very harsh tone.
Alice took a step back and in retort said "I was just trying to make you feel better about it I mean Charlie hasn't even agreed to it yet."
"Alice, it you weren't my best friend I would not know what I would do without your brains." Bella slung her arm around her best friend and they both walked to their last lesson of the day.
On the bus journey home Bella could not help, but think how unlucky she was. She always knew Mrs Bailey had it in for her since she refused to do her stupid Italian competition at the end of last year. Thank lord, Bella thought as she got off the bus at her stop. It was a 45 minute journey to her house and 30 minutes was always added on to her journey because of the wait for the bus. She reached into her bag and pulled out her keys with the key ring with the picture of her and Alice pulling funny faces on it. Every time she saw it she could not help but laugh out loud. She unlocked the door and called out for Charlie who was always at home at 5pm after his shift. Charlie appeared at the top of the stairs looking more dishevelled than ever.
"Coffee?" Bella asked.
They both walked into the kitchen and Charlie sat at the counter on a bar stool looking very miserable.
"Bad day?" Bella queried as she hadn't seen her dad like this seen her mum left.
"Actually Bella, I have a bone to pick with you." Bella had not heard her dad address her like this in years and she became terrified, turning her back on him to look towards the kettle.
"Today, I had an email from your Italian teacher. You never told me that you were not participating in class and your grades were going down. I mean Bella, what is the matter with you; you were always such a bright and talented student. Why would you let this talent go to waste?" Bella looked very shifty as she flicked the switch of the kettle on. She hated how Charlie always tried to take control, but ended up making her feel very guilty and immature.
"Bella I am really unimpressed with you and what I am about to say to you, you are not going to be happy about. Your teacher told me you she gave you an exchange form today and I am putting down the law and telling you, you are going on this exchange."
Bella looked away from the kettle in shock and fury.
"What…..? Since when have you made rules!"
Charlie rose from his seat and looked like he was about to shout out another fiery comment, but instead breathed in and whispered: "Bella, give me the form and I will organise this with your Italian teacher for some time in October."
Bella in shock with what was happening reached into her bag and slammed the form with the girl's picture on onto the counter. She grabbed her bag and walked with heist out of the kitchen leaving the kettle to boil. Charlie stared at the girl's picture and said out loud hoping that Bella would hear from the stairs: "I am only doing this for your benefit, not to punish you."
The amount of times Bella had heard those exact words today made her feel sick.