I was sitting cross-legged with my other classmates in the middle of the dance hall lobby. The rest of the crowd had long since left, and my teacher, Mrs. Hanning, had convinced the manager to let us stay for a little while after closing once he heard what we were there for. A few of my friends whispered to each other in excitement of what the next few months were sure to bring. I sat quietly, thinking of the performance we had just witnessed.

The dancers were beautiful. Their costumes were so intricate, and their movements so graceful that I found myself completely immersed in the show only minutes after the lights had dimmed. Lost in thought, I began to remember each of the routines. Each step was prominent in my mind as I replayed the music that filled the auditorium in my head and allowed myself to sway back and forth to the memory. I could almost see the brilliant colors of their tutus as they fluttered across the stage and leaped into the arms of their partners.

Someday, I knew I would be just like them. It would be me, dancing across that stage, bringing joy to everyone who watched as I poured my heart and soul into the routine. When I was finished, the crowd would roar with delight, and I would take my fellow dancers' hands as we made our way downstage to bow to our adoring fans. Then, surprising the crowd, my peers would turn to me and wish me luck before I started my solo routine, in which I would play a heartbreaking violin tune that I had practiced to perfection. I could imagine my three best friends, Justin and Ally, and Ellie sitting in the front row, their faces radiating with pride as they watched me, skipping off the stage, sweaty and satisfied with the hard work of my peers and self.

I was brought back to reality by Mrs. Hanning's voice, kindly hushing our small group of twelve into silence. She raised both of her hands, slowly lowering them until we could hear a pin drop if we wanted to. Flashing a blindingly white smile, she turned her head slightly sideways to the dance hall manager standing beside her.

"I think we all owe a big 'thank you' to Mr. Preston, here, for letting us stay so long after the performance. I think we all know he has other things to do, yet me still took the time to let us explore for a while."

All of us clapped, and I gave the man who I assumed was Mr. Preston a warm smile.

"Thank you!" I chirped.

My classmates started laughing, and I could feel my face redden slightly as I realized I was the only one who said anything out loud. I shrunk down, feeling self conscious, but smiled a little as a few of my peers patted me on the head with affection and and I hid behind my vibrant red hair.

The laughter subsided, and Mrs. Hanning continued.

"He is going to retire for the night, but he will turn the key so that once we leave, the doors lock behind us."

Mr. Preston waved, and walked to the exit before turning the key to leave. As he crossed the threshold, the door squeaked shut, and our class was left alone in the hall.

"I just wanted to say a few words before we make our way to our respective dorms." She raised her hands, gesturing to us. "You all need to remember how lucky you are that your parents were willing to send you to such an amazing high school. Most young adults never even get the chance to spend a semester abroad in college, let alone high school. I know you're a great group of kids, and you already appreciate what you have on this trip. That's not why I'm having this conversation with you. I need everyone here to take full advantage of this trip. Make the most of every day you're here, and remember; we're only here for two months and this isn't a vacation. This is a wonderfully talented class, and I know this trip will mean a lot to you in the future. Plus," she clasped her hands in front of her in excitement, her blindingly white smile returning, "we're in a beautiful city, and a campus spanning over six miles. Exploring should be quite a bit of fun for you all. With that said, it's only 7:45 now. This may be a good opportunity for you to see what campus has to offer."

This elicited a few enthusiastic head nods and smiles from my classmates, and I could feel my stomach bubbling with excitement.

"Please hold on for a few more seconds!" Mrs. Hanning continued, pleased to see that we were eager to get outside, "London is a wonderful place, but remember... It's still a city. I highly recommend travelling in groups."

We all nodded to show we understood, and thanked her as we left. The twelve of us walked a block away from the concert hall in silence, until one of the most popular boys in our class, Peter, voiced what everyone (except for me, apparently) was thinking.

"So," he smirked, "who's ready to hit the clubs?"

Our small group cheered, and Ellie jumped up and down next to me.

"Come on, Annabelle. Now's your chance!" She grabbed my arm, gently tugging me in the direction of the rest of our group as they turned a corner to what I was sure would lead to one of London's most popular clubs; Ministry of Sound.

I smiled weakly at my friend and shook my head. "I'm sorry," I started. "You know I can't... I would only ruin your fun."

Justin and Ally heard me, being only a few steps ahead of us, and turned to join in the conversation. "Nonsense!" Justin said.

Ally piped up right after him. "You could never ruin our fun. Come on, Belle. You might actually enjoy yourself! Plus, you don't have to drink if you don't want to."

I knew I was a party-pooper. I really did. There was nothing I wanted more than to see my friends happy, but honestly it wasn't just the fact that I would feel pressured to drink that bothered me. I didn't like seeing my friends lose control. Even though I knew they would never do anything life-threatening, it hurt me to see them acting so differently from how they usually did.

I hung my head in shame. "I- I'm really sorry guys." Slowly, I brought my head back up to make eye contact. "I just can't. Plus, I have homework anyway. You three should go. We can meet up at the dorms later, I promise."

My friends sighed, defeated. I felt deflated. Justin must have noticed my change in mood, so he stepped forward and gave me a pat on the back. His blond, shoulder length waves bounced as he chuckled, a reassuring smile gracing his features. "It's okay, Belle. Maybe the twelve of us can get ice cream later. Even if the others are too tired to go, it can be just the four of us."

I warm feeling spread over me, and I could feel my goofy grin returning without my permission. "Sure! Thanks, guys."

"No problem, cutie." Ally interjected nudging my shoulder as she turned to catch up with the other eight of our classmates. Justin followed her, but Ellie stayed behind.

"Will you be okay walking back alone?" She sounded worried as she put her hand on my shoulder.

I hugged her. "Yep. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine! Our dorms are just two miles from here, and if I get too cold I can always take a cab."

"Well, okay..." She sounded uncertain. "Do you have any money?"

"Erm... Well..." I checked the pockets of my coat, digging through them as Ellie ran her fingers through her dirty blond hair nervously. Finally, I pulled out what looked like just enough to cover the taxi fare. Half of it was in quarters, and a few other American coins. I clumsily dropped a few trying to count them. Giggling at my own mistake, I bent to pick them back up.

"See?" I said. "I'll be just fine." Proudly, I held up the mix of American money and few pounds for her to see, and she sighed. "Alright Annabelle. Be careful and text me when you get back to the dorms. I'm sure the others will be worried about you too."

I nodded and waved to her as I made my way down the block, and the last I saw of my friend was her worried look in my direction, and her tall, thin form as she jogged to catch up with the others.