The Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts is an all girl's school which specialises in 'developing one's creative skills to their fullest potential'. In other words, it's a stuck-up rich school which only admits those who either A) have rich parents who sponsor the school, or B) have exceptional talent.
I am one of the lucky few with a scholarship into Gallagher, only because of my high ranking in last year's international dance competition. I'm different to most other girls at this school, not amazingly beautiful or rich, just plain old Cameron Ann Morgan. I find myself thankful that my three roommates and best friends, Bex, Liz and Macey are some of the more normal ad down to Earth students attending this school.
Elizabeth Sutton was the first friend I made when I came here. I was struggling with three humongous bags when she spotted me and offered to take one, which I found rather funny since she was smaller than me. It turned out she was a musician, definitely a small-town girl, her southern accent strong (she's from Alabama!) She was also here on a scholarship like me, and had only arrived a week before. At first I was a bit wary of her, thinking she would be a stereotypical bimbo that you see in the movies, with her long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. My first assumptions were soon proven wrong when she kindly offered to study together sometime and show me around the school (though she barely knew the way herself!)
Once I reached my dorm room, I found a mocha coloured should-be supermodel sitting on one of the four beds in the room. She introduced herself as Rebecca Baxter, but to call her 'Bex' if you wanted to live. Her strong British accent surprised me at first, but after seeing my shocked expression she explained that she lived in a small town just outside London, and that her parents sent her here to Gallagher in Roseville, Virginia, after her grades started slipping from too many easy to make conversation with her. This was her first year of Gallagher, and although she wasn't here on a scholarship, she seemed to be the most down to Earth person I had ever met. She told me she was an artist, and showed me several sculptures and paintings she had created in her time here (only a month). What struck me the most was the sheer amount of work she had produced in such a short amount of time. She just laughed at my bewildered expression and told me and Liz to "hurry up or we'll be late for dinner".
During dinner I met my final friend and roommate Macey, who was also a dancer like me. At first I was intimidated by her piercing icy blue eyes as she scrutinised me, but throughout dinner she kept sending me sweet smiles and asking if I was okay. At a glance, you would think Macey would be like all of the other stuck-up bitchy girls here, with her more than perfect makeup, hair and designer clothes, when in reality she was forced to come to Gallagher by her Senator father and iconic mother. Plus, she really does like fashion. To my surprise, Macey had started the school on the same day as me, just arrived earlier, which helped me feel better about being the 'new kid'.
This all happened two years ago in freshmen year. Now we are starting our junior year, and some BIG changes are happening around the school. The first thing is that our brother school, the Blackthorne Institute of Music and Arts is JOINING our school. Yes, you heard me right! After 100 years of being a proud girl's school, boys are coming to Gallagher, even if it was because their school burnt down over the summer break. Regardless of the circumstances, they will be coming in a month, when the extra living quarters have been built. The second thing is that I am starting my final subject that I will be majoring in. Because Gallagher is a specialist school we start a year early (usually you start from senior year). For me, this means training even harder as well as maintaining my above B grade average in all my subjects to keep my scholarship. As my sister always said "to be the best you have to push yourself to the limit, and then push harder. You have to go beyond what you think you are capable of doing". Yes, it's settled my goal for this year is to progress, get better, and improve in every way possible, to make my sister proud. I'll do whatever it takes.