Two days before my 13th birthday, when I was in World Languages class, Headmistress Morgan walked in. Instantly, the room's attention shifted from our teacher, Ms. Elliot to Headmistress Morgan. When Ms. Elliot realized she no longer held everyone's attention, she turned face her. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but I would like to introduce some visiting students." said Headmistress Morgan and she turned to open the door, four girls walked in and my jaw dropped.
"These four girls are visiting students from France; they will be here for a couple weeks studying with you girls. I'll let them introduce themselves." she said, then stepped back.
A girl with long brown hair and freckles all over her face stepped up. Jessica was 16 and her father was one of the richest men in Paris and was the CEO of one of the largest companies around the world. "Hi. I'm Jessica White."
"Hi, I'm Hunter Galen" said a girl with dirty blonde hair. Her father was German and Ambassador to France. Her mother died when she was 2. Her father did not know how to raise a child, hired nanny after nanny to raise her.
" I'm Delaney Lords" Delany and Hannah were twins, their parents died when they were 5, according to the will they were left to our spy school, they haven't known anything but how to be a spy their whole lives. They were like me; they turned 13 in four days.
"I'm Hannah Lords"
"I'm Ms. Elliot, I teach World Languages. Girls, what school do you girls attend?"
"We attend Granger Academy for Girls" said, Claire.
"Why does that name sound so familiar?" said Ms. Elliot, looking around the room. The moment she spotted me, her eyes lit up." Now, I remember. We have a student who used to go there."
"Yes, How is little Victorie?" a says Delaney as all four of them look at me, I finally shut my mouth. That causes everyone to look over at me. At that moment the bell rings signaling that it is the end of class. I got up gathered my things and headed towards my friends with a smile on my face. When I get to my friends I hugged them. God, how much I have missed them. Together, we turn to see the adults that we had momentarily had forgotten were in the room.
"It's good to see you all together again. Last time I saw you together were Lily's funeral, the time before that was when most of you were unconscious. You look good together." said, Headmistress Morgan, the moment I heard my dead friend's name my eyes instantly filled with tears. We all just nod. Tori, what class do you have next?"
"Covert ops." I responded in a meek little voice that was all I could muster.
"You girls are excused for the rest of the day. Go into town and spend some time together. Starting tomorrow, you girls will attend classes with the rest of your year. Your belongings have been set up in Victorie's room. I thought it would fun for you girls to bunk together." as she said that our smiles' got bigger and bigger. Headmistress Morgan and Ms. Elliot turned to leave; as they reach the doorway, Headmistress Morgan turns around," Girls, I know it's hard, but it will get easier." she nodded and left.
We slowly walked back to my room, to get changed. It was barely 10:00am; we had till dinner to get back to the school. We got to my room, I open the door and there are a pile of suitcases in the center of the room. Each of my friends grabbed their suitcase and claimed a bed while I grabbed jeans and a shirt and headed to the bathroom to change. When I came out, they were all sitting on their beds, reading a magazine in French, I noticed, that a copy of it was sitting my bed.
"You guys ready?" I asked, grabbing my cell that I left on the phone charger and my dorm key.
They put down the magazines and we headed out the door. We began to long walk down to Roseville. They talked about how everyone at school was, how now everyone treats them differently now. They asked me about school, and how I liked it here. I told them the truth, there was no point of lying. I hated it here. I wanted to be back in France; where I belonged.
"Je souhaite que j'aie été de retour en France." I asked in French. I wish I was back in France.
" Nous vous souhaitons en arrière là aussi." Delaney said, We wish you back there too.
" Vous types, it' ; s plus mauvais puis cela. I ayant des cauchemars encore. J'ai dû revenir sur des meds de sommeil. "I told them, you guys, it's worse than that. I am having nightmares again. I had to go back on sleeping meds.
" It' ; ok de s, tores. J'ai dû aller des meds en arrière de sommeil aussi, quand j'ai retourné à l'école. It' ; s rien à avoir honte de. "Its okay, Tori. I had to go back sleeping meds too, when I went back to school. It's nothing to be ashamed of.
" It' ; s pas simplement qui, il semble comme là est quelque chose qui manque. La partie triste est que je sais what' ; disparus de s." I said. It's not just that, it seems like there is something missing. The sad part is that I know what's missing. I grew silent among us; we all knew what was missing. Lily. That's what was missing.
Delaney, quickly changed the subject and language,
"So what is there to do around?" She asked, as we walked into the outskirts of the town.
"Well, there is a movie theater, a bunch of clothing stores, some places to eat. And a couple parks where people hangout." She said walking faster, turning around and walking backwards, to talk to her friends.
"Um, let's get something to eat. I want a snack." Hannah said. I turned the corner and headed towards a sub shop that everyone says is good. We entered the semi-empty sub shop. We walk over to the counter and a man, in his early twenties, with brown hair hazel eyes, 6ft, 6in, said, "What can I get you girls today?"
Hannah, taking one look at everyone said," I'll 5 pizza breads, 5 soda and chips." "The man turned and began making our pizza breads. As they baked, he grabbed five coked and five bags of chips. "Your total is 25. 75" he told us I pulled three twenties out of my wallet. "Keep the change." I told him. He handed us our food and we turned and headed for a table in the back of the shop. We sat at the table, and opened our sodas.
We ate, caught up with each other, and we headed out to go shopping. They told that I could get anything I wanted, since it was their birthday gift to me. I told them just being here was enough, but they won't listen. They dragged me to every clothing store, in Roseville. By the time we finished clothes shopping that we had an hour to get back to the school. We started walking back.
When we got back to the school, the first thing we did was, put our many bags away. I had so many bags I lost count after 20; it took all of us to carry them back. Plus, my friends had their own bags to worry about. At 5 clock, we headed down to the dining hall, the flashing LCD screens, said, it was Japanese night, tonight. We headed towards the buffet tables. I grabbed a bowl and filled it with white rice and teriyaki chicken. I looked around for an empty table. I saw an empty table in the corner of the dining hall; I headed over to the table. As we passed by Cammie's table, Cammie called," Tori, there are some open seats over here." she pointed to the open seats between Liz and Macey. I took one look at me friends and headed towards their table. I sat down and my friends sat on both sides of me, once we all were seated Liz, "How do you like America?"
"It's just as great, it was last time we were here. Wasn't Delaney?"
"Yeah, it is. Tori, when are your parents coming?" Delaney said, before turning to me.
"What do you mean?" I asked I had no clue what they were talking about.
"Your parents are going to some press conference. They are being welcomed to America. I guess they didn't tell you."
"Oh, they have said anything about it," I said.
"My parents are going to that, they are making me go too," Macey, chimed in.
"I, -I just remembered that, that I have something to do." I said as I got up abruptly, and hurried out of the hall as fast me as I could without causing attention. As soon as I was outside, I pulled out my phone and called my mom.
"Bonjour." my mother said, answering the phone.
"La maman, sont les DOM et I allants au confernece de presse? " I asked her, if Dominique was going, that meant I was too. Mom, are Dom and I going to the press conference.
"Oui, nous vous prendrons demain soir à 4. Le confernece de presse est le jour ensuite. Après la conférence nous célébrerons votre anniversaire. " she responded. Yes, we will pick you up tomorrow evening at 4. The press confernece is the day after. After the conference we will celebrate your birthday.
I said my good-byes and shut off the phone; I opened my door and watched all four of my friends fall on their face. They got up and went and sat on their beds. After a couple minutes of silence,
"What are you going to do?" Delaney asked, I shrugged
"I think I can answer that." a voice said form the door way.