Rolivia Fic Alternative Universe – School
Chapter 1: First Days
First school days didn't seem to become any easier. It was quite surprising, Amanda Rollins mused while standing in front of her bedrooom mirror for the umpeenth time this morning. She did not intend to be late, of course, but she also wanted t o get her appearance just right. Dress to impress, one might call it. She shook her head with a slight smile as she realized that she had done this as a 15-year-old teen and dwas still doing it now, almost fifteen years later.
"I'm a friggin' teacher", she mouthed to herself, taking in her reflection one last time before finally deciding that this was look she'd probably feel most comfortable with today: peach-colored silk blouse underneath a sharp black blazer, gray slacks that did not hang loosely on her but weren't too tight either; sensible shoes without heels because she'd probably be standing and walking around a lot. High heels would only give her blisters although she generally enjoyed looking a little taller than she really was.
Frannie Mae, her dog, was watching her from her favorite spot in the apartment – curled up on Amanda's bed, ears pricked upwards as if she was wondering whether Amanda would actually be gone the whole day.
"Aww girli, I'm sorry", Amanda cooed, guilt nagging at her because she hadn't yet mastered to find a relaible dogwalker for her beloved pet. "I'll probably be gone until late in the afternoon but I promise to make it up to you, 'kay?"
Frannie just sighed and dramatically averted her gaze. Amanda made a mental note to take her to the park later, let her fetch some tennis balls. Or maybe she could go for a run with her wich was something Frannie took great pleasure in.
After Amanda had made sure that she had everything she needed to get through this day, she left the apartment, carefully locking it before leaving the building and hailing a cab. She was going to use public transportation starting tomorrow but she was not going to risk running late on her very first day at Hudson High.
New York was busy on this gray fall morning; Amanda could not help but wonder whether this move had been the right decision. But there was something about New York, the promise of being one of so many that it felt easier to blend in there and pretend that one really wasn't all that important in the grander scheme of things. The Big Apple promised an anonymity that her hometown, Atlanta, could never have given her; but as soon as Amanda realized that she was thinking about Atlanta, she forced herself to pull out her tablet and go over the information that the principal, Ms Olivia Benson, had given her.
Amanda had only seen the woman once, a few months prior to this First Day, when she had come in for the job interview. She remembered a tall woman with kind brown eyes that not even her no-nonsense attitude had been able to hide. Benson had been nothing but friendly and honest to a fault, but now Amanda was almost sure that she was going to disappoint her miserably. Wasn't that what she did? She had disappointed so many people already. Carisi. Her sister. Herself.
Oh, enough with that self-pity, she harshly told herself, digging her fingernails into the soft flesh of her arm. You've come here for a new beginning, so don't screw up. Don't you dare, Amanda.