"It was so damn expensive and we don't even know how to use it!" My father roared.
Lydia answered softly, so I couldn't hear. I thought it would be best to go to the kitchen and pick up some breakfast there. Sophie had just finished fixing my plate when I walked in.
"Good morning, miss," she said.
She handed me my plate and a cup of orange juice. I ate quickly so I could tell her about Christopher. When I told her, she stood there thinking for so long that I thought she had been daydreaming instead of listening.
"Sophie! Have you heard a word I've said?!?" I cried.
"I heard you. Now, think about this: Everyone has choices to make. Some take the easy road because they are lazy; others takee the hard way because they like to be challenged. Just remember that the right choice is not always teh easiest decision to make."
I left the kitchen and went up to my room. For once I didn't understand her advice. Which way was easy and which was hard? Jon or Christopher? I was so confused. Little did I know I would find out in a couple of years what she was talking about.
That week flew by quickly. Christopher kept his promise and we went riding on Wednesday. He gave me his address and a book of fairy tales. Jon sent his bouquet of daisies and, as he had promised, his address was hidden in them. My family's guard went up when the flowers arrived. I told them no, I wasn't courting the Prince in secret; I had just told him I was leaving for finishing school and the flowers were a going away present.
When my trunks had been loaded on the carriage, I hugged my family goodbye. I told them I'd write of course and see them during the holidays. Then I climbed in the carriage and the footman closed the door. I sat near the window and waved to them until I couldn't see them anymore. I sat back and wondered what school would be like and if I would get along with the other girls.
My trip to school took two days. When we arrived on Sunday afternoon, I was so excited that I hadn't eaten since the previous day. My stomach was fluttering aat the idea of meeting girls my own age.
Being there one day before classes resumed, gave me a chanve to unpack and converse with other girls. I met Headmistress Rose, founder of Rosewood Finishing School for Girls, out on the front steps to the establishment.
The first girl I met was named Jennifer and she became and immediate enemy. Jennifer had black hair, light white skin, and black eyes. She thought she was a princess and acted like a spoiled brat. She got on my bad side (and I on hers) at dinner. I filled my plate with the grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy and took my first bite of food in a day.
"What do you think you are doing?" She asked in an annoyingly high-pitched voice.
"Eating. It's when you put food in your mouth, open and close your mouth, and swallow the food. You should try it sometime." I said sarcastically before I put my loaded fork into my already watering mouth.
"You're supposed to wait until I take my first bit," she said.
"Why? Are you a princess?"
"No."
"Well, until you are, I'll eat whenever I want to." She shut her mouth and blushed slightly. She gave me a dark look and began to eat.
No one talked to me through the rest of dinner but I didn't care. I was too hungry to care. I decided that I'd eat at another table for the rest of my time there.
My room was on the second floor at te very end of the hall. It was called the Sunshine Room. As soon as I entered, I knew why. The room was made with all the yellows you could think of and blended into oranges and whites. The curtains had golden suns sewn onto a thin white silk. The bed curtains were the same. The blankets were a solid butter yellow with a slightly darker yellow fringe. There were four s4ets of beds, desks, chairs, and bureau. The maids put my trunks at teh end of a bed near the window. I dropped myself on that bed.
Five minutes later, a girl came in. I didn't recognize her, so I knew she wasn't one of Jennifer's friends.
"Hello. I'm Serena."
"I'm Elizabeth," she told me, "but I prefer Beth. Though, my brother and father call me Liz, but thy are the only people I let call me that." She had a pleasant voice and smiled as she spoke.
Beth had blonde hair and warm, blue eyes. She was four inches taller tha me and fairly thin. She reminded me of Dianis. Then a picture of Christopher pooped into my head.
"Where are you from?" I asked.
"Ticady."
"Me, too!" I exclaimed.
We talked while I unpacked and she helped me. She told me about her family. She had her father and twim brother. Heer mother had died when she and her brother were there. She was sixteen.
I told her about my family. I told her about Dianis, my father and Lydia, and the recently held wdding. I told her about my mother dying when I was twelve. Also that I was the younger one and that I was also sixteen.
As soon as I was done talking, two girls came in laughing. I recognized them from dinner as Jennifer's friends. The tall one with brown hair and cold, gray eyes was Lindsay. May was shorter and very round with black hair and empty blue eyes.
"Look!" Lindsay exclaimed. "The oddball has finally found a friend!" They started laughing.
"Why are you laughing? You look more out of place than us!" I cried furiously. They stopped laughing.
"I thought that new students were nice to people to try and make new friends, not enemies," May said in a low undertone.
"I guess you don't think often then."
