My room was larger than what I was used to. The walls were black and foreign. I had stretched out on the bed and had decided that I would do nothing but stare at the ceiling, when Carmen came in.

"Hey um, I was just dropping off your stuff."

"Thanks."

"Mind If I sit for a bit. "

"No, go ahead" I settled back onto the large bed and commenced staring at the ceiling.

"When I said sit, I meant talk. It's okay if you don't want to, I could just go."

"No, I'm sorry."

"Is there something wrong"

"Nah, I just miss home a whole lot"

"I get that. New York is a hard place to digest."

"And here I had you and Arthur pegged for true born New Yorkers."

"I was born in Barcelona and I spent most of my child hood in Paris."

"Spain huh? "

"Yea, that's where my mom was from. Papa travels a lot for work and he and met my mom there."

Carmen opened a locket around her neck . Inside it was a picture of a woman.

"Wow your mom is beautiful"

"Yeah she was."

"Was?"

"Yea, she died when I was nine. That's why me and papa moved to Paris, it was closer to his family."

"I'm sorry"

"It's cool, so what's your story?"

"I can guarantee it's nowhere near as interesting is yours."

"Try me."

"Well I was born in Brooklyn and lived there until I was seven, then me and my momma moved to Macomb to live with my grandmother."

"See, you're the only New Yorker in the room. Why'd you guys ever move?"

"Money problems , at least that's what momma says."

"Your accent is adorable"

"I like yours better."

"I didn't think I had one."

"You do but it's hard to pick up on. When you speak French with your dad, you have a French accent. When you speak to me…I don't know."

She laughed.

"You should tell papa that, he thinks my French is horrible."

"Heck I was impressed. Do you speak it fluently?"

"Yep."

"How long did it take you to learn"

"I don't know, it was the only language I spoke back home."

"But you said your father thinks your French is bad."

"He does, French is my second language."

"Huh?"

"Spanish is my first language, French is my second, English is my third."

" That is truly impressive, How many languages does Arthur speak?"

"Seven: French, Spanish, Italian, German, English, Sign Language, and one African Dialect."

" That is unreal."

"Languages are his life. He's a translator."

"But his English is so…" I stopped myself before I said something rude. She laughed again.

"It's okay. My father could speak English perfectly all the time if he wanted to. He says that most people learn English and forget their native tongue, like English strips them of their culture. Speaking Broken English is his way of holding on to his culture. When he's at work though, his English is impeccable. "

"Is that why he speaks so much French around the house?"

"Yep, I wouldn't be surprised if you learned a new language or two while living here."

We went on talking like that for hours. She told me that I had to go to school with her the next day. Apparently Arthur had arranged everything except for my uniforms. Until mine came, I would be wearing some of Carmen's.

/////////////////////

I woke up in the morning and headed to the bathroom. When got back to my room, I saw that Carmen had laid out one of her uniforms for me. I got the shirt and the skirt on alright, but I had never tied a tie in my life. I went across the hall and knocked on Carmen's door. A strange voice answered.

"Enter"

I walked in to see a blonde boy and girl sitting patiently in Carmen's lounge area.

"Hey um I was looking for Carmen"

"Hey Spencer…I was wondering when you'd make your way over here.'

"Not a moment to late either because she clearly needs fashion tips" the blonde boy said.

"Ignore the diva Spencer, he has no manners. Have some crapes" she said pointing to a table with dozens of dainty looking pastries on it.

"Don't be telling people to ignore me bitch, I'm Conner"

"She doesn't care." The girl said, finally speaking up.

"Oh and that poorly dressed thing over there is my sister, Jon."

"I um need help tying my tie."

Carmen came out of her closet and stood there staring at me.

"Come with me Spence."

She pulled me into the closet.

"You have to jazz the uniform up a bit Spence."

She unbuttoned my shirt three buttons, and hiked the skirt up so that half of my high was showing.

"Conner! Get in here and help me with Spencer."

Conner came rushing into the closet. He stood back surveying me for me a minute or two. I was more than a little uncomfortable and he could sense it.

"Don't be nervous love bug, I don't like the taco. Bowtie for this one Car, and maybe some fishnets. Do you still have those spectator pumps?"

They held up different colored bowties to my face.

"Oooh this one brings out her eyes, what do you think Connie?"

"Definitely, now all we need to do is…" he ruffled his fingers through my hair " there, perfect."

"Sexy, how does she look to you Connie?"

"Hmmm, I know how to find out. Jon!!!! Come here for a mili-sec!"

"How does she look?" Carmen asked her.

"Beautiful." Her eyes held mine.

"Translation, you so wanna do the lesbo tango with her. Looks like our work is done Car."

////////////////////////////////

There was a limo waiting outside to take us to school. I was trying to hide my excitement, I had never ridden in one before. Conner and Carmen talked the whole way there. Jon just stared out of the window.

"Spencer stop staring at my sister."

" I wasn't"

"Whatever."

"I wasn't" Was I?