I woke up at about 6 a.m., a whole hour before I actually had to start getting ready. But, like I had predicted, the time change was making me be wide awake. I slipped on the uniform, a white button-up with a blue, black, and white plaid skirt, with blue tights and black ballet flats. The only time I had felt more girly was when I had gone to the school dance with my friend Dani. I could tell that it was gonna take time to adjust to wearing skirts all the time. With a hair tie, I pulled my long, strait, auburn hair back into a ponytail, like normal. It made me feel more like myself to have a part of my outfit that wasn't totally prep-school Barbie like. I felt prissy, and girly, and just not me. Ugh.
/
Genni woke up about an hour later to me munching on a green apple.
"Hey!" I said happily.
Then I remembered, I might see Ian today! The thought gripped my heart and threatened to suffocate me. Maybe he wouldn't be such a jerk anymore?
"Ick. One more hour until school starts." Genni said, looking at the clock on her nightstand.
It read: 7:00 a.m. She pulled herself out of the bed and went to get dressed in the bathroom.
/
We stepped outside and started walking to our first class. Genni and I had been put in the same class for everything, which we were both pretty happy about. The pretty blonde had turned out to be much sweeter than girls who had looks would normally be.
"So, off to Drama we go!" Genni sang happily.
"Wow! I didn't know you could sing that well!" I replied.
She laughed and said, "Nothing like you Amy. I heard you singing that Christmas song on the way back from the ice cream shop yesterday."
Genni said, breaking into song, which I just had to join in on. The words sounded much different since she had a British accent, but I thought it sounded nice.
"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away."
A couple of guys we passed started to wolf whistle, and I felt my face start to burn. I stopped singing and looked at Genni. She sang along obliviously until we came to the theater, where class would be held.
_3_
We both walked in, still humming along. The class was just about to start, so we ran to the front of the stage, where the other 20 or so other kids were sitting. Genni and I sat down on the stage with our legs swinging over.
Just then, the teacher walked in and said, "Vocal warm-ups! Go!"
Everyone stood up, and I followed suit.
The girls started singing, "Doe, Ray, Me, Fa, So, Lo, Tee, Doe."
The guys jumped in when the girls hit 'me' so it sounded really cool. As I sang along, I became aware that I was the only exchange student in the room. That could be bad... Lucky me.
Then, the doors to the theater opened, and light shone in through it. I couldn't make out who it was because of the glare, until he was about two feet away from the stage, talking to our teacher.
/
"Sorry, I'm late." Ian Kabra said.
I quickly turned around in hopes that he wouldn't notice me. I heard the teacher reply, but couldn't make out what he had said. The class had stopped singing, so we all sat down on the stage again. I felt Genni elbow me.
"It's Kabra!" She hissed in my ear.
I forced myself to look up, and found myself staring right into his gorgeous amber eyes. No joke, he was literally about a foot from my face. He seemed to realize this and took a step back. Ian gave me a quirky smile to cover up his shock, and my heart started beating faster still.
"Hello again, love." He said, brushing my arm as he climbed up onto the stage and went to sit with his friends in the back.
/
I heard people muttering all around us, and the teacher cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.
"Ian? Do you know Miss Cahill?" Mr. James asked Ian.
I saw him stand up and say, "Yes, I do. Would you like me to show her around today?"
NOOOOOOOOOOO! I thought, looking at Genni desperately. She mouthed, Good luck!
"Actually, that sounds like a wonderful idea Ian. Miss Cahill? Please get your stuff, and I will welcome you officially to our wonderful drama class tomorrow! Ian, I will alert both of your other teachers that you will be busy today." Mr. James said.
I groaned inwardly and slid off the stage with my backpack.
"See ya'!" Genni yelled. I made a mental note to shoot her a death glare later.
Ian jumped off the stage behind me, and followed me out the doors.