The interview had gone down easier than I had anticipated, and I felt elated as I walked through the silent campus to Billings.
I should change the bed, the room was big enough to carry a double. I hated sleeping in a single, there wasn't enough room. I remembered at how I had suffered as a freshman here, and vowed to make this work for me. I could paint the walls, the Headmaster wouldn't mind, mainly because he wouldn't find out. I saw a gorgeous azure colour in Melissa's decorating magazines, that would look wonderful. Blue was calm. It suited and complimented me.
I was lost in my fantasies on what this year was going to be like, but now I had to return to reality. I shook myself mentally, and the world came back into focus. The wind was a lot colder than I had realised, and I began to shiver, but I couldn't run. I wanted to make an entrance when I got back to Billings, and being a sweaty mess wasn't an option.
The foyer was empty, dying embers in the fireplace, whisky glasses strewn all over the floor; one was broken.
I took this to mean that the girls had had a party. Where were they? And what was that sound? I walked up the stairs, and a ripple of laughter floated down from one of the biggest rooms. My room.
What the hell?
I flung open the door, and twenty-five shocked faces turned towards me. One I didn't recognise.
"Izzy!" Rochelle Smith shrieked, running towards me and flinging her arms around my neck. I hugged her back and smiled tightly. What the hell were they doing in my room? Did they go through my things? How did they even know I was coming back?
The other girls ran over to me as well, shouting and screaming and jumping and hugging me and each other. My hair was getting quite ruffled now and my breathing was starting to hurt. I was scheduled for a full-blown panic attack unless they got away from me. I hadn't expected this. I wasn't prepared.
"It's lovely to see you all," I smiled, looking around. Jasmine and Lily, the Rochester twins from Boston had gone back to their natural red curly hair. I spotted Sienna Kullen sitting on my bed. She caught my eye and winked, and I blushed, remembering what had happened on the third floor at the Legacy.
Still. What happened at the Legacy stays at the Legacy, so I shouldn't worry.
"When the hell did you get back?"
"We were expecting another new girl!"
"Another?" I frowned slightly with a tinkering laugh. "What do you mean?"
"Hello!" The girl I hadn't recognised waved at me. In that one word, I picked up an accent. Oh dear Lord, NO. Not another exchange student! "I am Luba Dimitrovetch and I theenk we are sharing thees year, yes?"
What. The. FUCK??
I stared at her in horror, trying to keep my face blank.
"No. No, I think there's been a mistake," I said as pleasantly as I could, taking my coat off and putting it into my newly-stocked wardrobe. "I don't share. You're going to have to find somewhere else to sleep."
"Err," she laughed, looking around at the girls as though expecting them to get in on the joke.
"Problem?" I asked, trying not to look at her. Everything about this girl screamed "TRASHY" from the white-blonde extentions, down to the "rich bitch" studded belt.
"Well, noh, it is just, you cannot tell people where to sleep."
"I don't. I just don't share rooms, and I earned my place here in Billings. This is the Head of Billings room, and as I am about to be re-instated as president, I think you should move out now rather than later. Get a chance to settle in with your new roomy" I smiled sweetly and put on a CD.
Nickelback began to blare out "animals" and Fiona, Whitney and Theresa started head banging and singing along to it.
"Ladies, it's lovely to see you all again, but could you please get the fuck out of my room? I have to unpack." I gestured to the two boxes on the floor which I had informed the staff not to touch.
"Wait! Dere is only fourteen rhooms, and Natasha is already saying that she does not want to share," Natasha Lovell stuck her tongue out at Luba behind her back and I fought back a smirk. "Where am I supposed to sleep?"
"Pemberly has some rooms," Natasha sniggered from my wardrobe, which she was raiding.
Honestly, I'm back for five minutes and she's already trying her luck.
"But... my father, he said I get to sleep here, at Billings! It is not fair! Who gives you the right to boss me around?"
"Who's your father?" I'd bet my manhattan apartment that he was some self-made millionaire from eastern Europe.
"Mihail Dimitrovetch, he is the president of the oil company in Russia. Very good friends with Vladmir Vladimirovich Putin." She sounded rather smug. Was I supposed to be impressed by that? Intimidated?
I walked over to her slowly and deliberately, swinging my hips lightly. I had taken off my shoes and was still several inches taller than her, despite the fact that she was wearing the hugest stiletto boots known to humanity.
I looked down my nose at her, noting acne spots and scars beneath the heavy make up. Good. I liked imperfections on others. It made me feel better about myself.
"Welcome to America, where democracy rules and your father's 'friends' don't scare us." I said quietly, as the dorm watched on.
"Welcome to Billings, home to the successful. And the pretty." Rochelle added as an after thought, swinging her hair back.
"Welcome to Easton Academy, home to every freak and psycho to have ever walked on the rich side of life!" Sienna laughed, spilling her drink on the new white carpet. "Oops! Sorry!"
"You cannot just do this!" Luba shrieked over the music.
"Oh fine," I rolled my eyes. Stay until I'm elected president. You have until Friday, and if you touch my things I won't be very... happy."
"What makes you so sure that you vill be president?" She challenged, crossing her arms and looking downright arrogant.
"You mean besides the fact that I'm the only one who's running?"
"Well then I will run as well!"
I laughed, then realised she was serious.
Little Miss Russia was going to be taught a lesson. The other girls and I had learnt respect through hazing. This atrocity had just waltzed into a world where she didn't know anything, and wasn't keen to learn. She needed to be taken down a few pegs.
"We should go shopping for the Christmas Ball next week! There's a new couture boutique that's opened in Boston, I saw some of her collections in Paris, it really was quite something..." I dismissed her by changing the subject.
The girls, who had been silent or dancing up to this point, suddenly joined in with the discussion, passing me a brandy and rearranging my candles.
Christmas couldn't come quickly enough.