บท 3: IT'S STRANGE
Oliver sat like he had done nothing wrong as he stared out the window and I started to wonder when I became such a scared girl. Before we passed seventh grade I was a bad girl and he was a...slightly good boy and he was shorter than me but now we had exchanged roles and body size.
"Look over there Vee." he said and I looked where he was pointing.
There was a tall bleak and lifeless building peeking from the top of the trees which was possibly our new school. Soon we saw other old but we'll maintained buildings that revealed themselves more when the bus turned left. There was a large gate that could fit maybe four or five cars side by side but it was shut. The bus stopped in front of it and the door opened. I turned to look at the driver who looked like a dying man as his blank eyes stared at the gate.
"Get down here." he said without sparing me a glance,"The girls' side is on the left while the boys' side is on the right."
Oliver was right when he had said we wouldn't mix. But I couldn't sit without seeing him for a whole year!
"Vee... how will I give you your goods?" Oliver whispered into my ear.
"That's your worry?" I asked him.
I'd be lying if I said that his lack of concern for me wasn't bothering me. He rolled his eyes at me and I would have said something if the man driving hadn't started shouting at us for wasting his time and slowing down the school's proceedings. Oliver and I got down as fast as we could and watched the bus wiggle away to some organized flats close to the churchy looking building at the center that I assume is the administration. Oliver hugged me and wished me good luck like what was happening now didn't bother him. I smiled at him and he smiled back at me revealing all three dimples.
They say old habits die hard and my particular old habit was dipping my fingers into his dimples. I didn't think when I did that and he didn't push me away from him. He brought his hand up and did the same to me.
"I don't think you should be doing that."
The masculine voice made Oliver and I turn to see who was speaking. It was a tall boy wearing navy blue trousers and a gray shirt with a black neck tie. He was smiling for some reason and it made my situation even more uncomfortable; I didn't pull back my hands from Oliver though. Next to him stood a fairly tall girl wearing a navy blue dress that reached beneath her knees and she had her hair down with a red bow on her right. My eyes fell on there chests were their badges were neatly placed. Head boy and head girl, Marcus and Maria.
Oliver pulled back his hand from my dimple and when I didn't do the same he swatted my hands away like I was a bug. I frowned at him but didn't voice my protest.
"Good morning." Maria said with a tight smile on her face; I'll be weary of her.
"Morning." Oliver and I answered in sync.
"Twins?" Marcus asked looking at Oliver and I alternately.
"Yes. We were just saying goodbye." Oliver said.
"How cute." Marcus said with a bright genuine smile.
"Not the right time or place." remarked Maria looking at Oliver.
I might have imagined it but I think I just saw Maria blush at Ollie.
"Are those the uniforms?" I asked curious as to why they looked like actors in a midieval movie.
"Neat right?" Marcus said dusting invisible dust from his shirt, still smiling.
"Yeah. Vee, I think you'll look like a princess in the dress." Oliver said grinning even though he knew I obviously disliked the uniforms.
With my slim figure and all the rules I'll probably end up looking like Sr Drevin.
"And you'll look like some butler." I answered frowning.
"Milady...." he said with a bow.
At least one of us was enjoying being in the new environment. Marcus continued to stare at me with his cute lop sided smile still on his face. I'd be lying if I said I didn't find him attractive. He had brown curly long-ish hair and he had freckles. His chin was round like but defined and made him look chubby. I would have loved to keep staring at him but Maria came to stand in front of me, completely taking the glorious sight of Marcus.
"Nice to meet you Vee." Maria said extending her hand to shake mine,"I show you to the assignment center."
"It's Olive. Only Ollie calls me Vee."
"Ollie?" Marcus asked,"Short for Oliver I presume?"
"Yeah." Oliver answered,"I don't mind if you call me Ollie."
"What's an assignment center?" I asked confused.
Maria moved back to where she had been standing bringing Marcus back into view. He looked even cuter when he was absent minded. He was looking down at at the ground so he didn't see me admiring him. He suddenly looked at me and I looked away not wanting to be caught staring.
"It's where you guys will be told what subjects you'll be taking, what table to sit at at prep, what your duties are, your dorms and that kind of stuff. Ohh and you tell them what sort of foods you don't eat but vegetables are a must." Marcus explained,"So Olive....can I call you Vee too? I can't seem to come up with a short form of your name."
"No. Only I can call her Vee." Oliver said frowning and looking seriously at Marcus.
Marcus raised his hand as if he had surrendered then looked at Maria.
"Your orientation is in two hours so we better get you inside. You're the only late arrivals." Maria said, displeased and almost resentful like.
I saw her glance at Oliver briefly and even now she turned pink. I was used to seeing girls react like this because of Oliver but before she had blushed I thought the senior girl would be different. I followed Maria and Oliver followed Marcus. Marcus seemed as chatty as Oliver and I could hear their voices from where Maria and I were walking. The assignment center was a building conjoined to the administration block and strangely there were signs to show what was what. Maybe new students often get lost. The interior had a fancy old feel to it and the students who were there completed the prehistoric look.
Maria left me in a short queue leading to a spacy office with a lot of polaroid pictures on the walls; framed of course. Three students entered at a time making my wait in line short. When I entered Sr Drevin was inside sitting behind the table. I didn't know how she had gotten here so fast but I didn't ask. I sat down in front of her and she looked at me calmly before neatly writing my name on a white sheet of paper.
"When we're you born?" she asked me.
"The fifth of October two-thousand and eleven."
"When is your next monthly period.
I was surprised by the question so I didn't answer right away. She stared at me calmly probably thinking that I was calculating.
"Next week Tuesday." I answered,"Why do you need to know that?"
She picked up a calendar that was lying on the table and checked what day Tuesday was going to be then she wrote it down. She looked me in the eye and said,
"It's so we can know when to collect the sanitary towels to burn them. We ask that you should thoroughly wash them and dry them before collection." she said calmly before breaking the eye contact,"Do you get cramps?"
"Yes."
"Do you have any health issues?"
"None that I know of."
"Phycological imbalance?"
"Does insomnia count?"
"Yes. Anything else? Allergies?"
"I'm allergic to garlic powder, mushrooms and pork."
"Get up so we can measure you."
I got up without protest and an elderly lady came forward with measuring tape. When she was done taking my measurements she walked to a cupboard in the corner that I hadn't noticed when I had come in. She brought me the dress and asked me if I wear bras or breast holders and I told her I use neither.
"Well you'll have to chose Ms Rogers." Sr Drevin said standing behind me,"We don't want you attracting the male students with ever mobile breasts."
What? I know it made sense but was it my fault if their eyes strayed where they aren't supposed to be laid?
"I'll use a breast holder." I said.
"Black or blue?" the old lady asked me.
"Black."
She walked to the cupboard again and took out seven breast holders.
"You have a large bust for a twelve year old girl." the woman said smiling.
I blushed and returned the smile as I took them from her hands. My eyes fell on one of the pictures on the wall and I saw a girl who looked like Sr Drevin. I assume she must have been a student herself. Next to her was....my mother?!
"Ms Rogers." Sr Drevin called me and I turned around to face her.
She pointed to the chair and walked back to her seat. My eyes fell back on the picture then I decided I would tell Oliver about it. Is this how Sr Drevin had known dad's name earlier? Then why was mom looking at Sr Drevin like she didn't know her? It's a little strange. Maybe they weren't close...
"Every Saturday morning you will be sweeping the classrooms with the other students and on Sunday afternoons you will be watering the main lawn with the rest of the school unless it rains. Your Saturday duties will change every month." Sr Drevin informed me,"You can leave."
I wanted to crack a joke about the thirsty looking lawn but I refrained from it because the lady didn't seem too chatty or even a little chatty.
"What about my table at prep?" I asked remembering that Marcus had mentioned it.
"Ahhh yes. Table three. The head girl will be with you."
"When will I see Oliver? And when I do are we allowed to talk?"
"You'll definitely see him and yes you can talk but only in public environments."
"Thanks."
Her brow twitched ever so slightly before she spoke again.
"I'd prefer you say thank you."
"Thank you."
I walked out of the office and another girl entered. I dragged my suitcase with me but before I left I realized Sr Drevin hadn't told me where my dorm was. I went back and she seemed relieved that I had come back.
"Sky rooms. It's the fourth building from here towards the far left, room number 56_20/16."
I could already see myself getting lost. Why was the room number so long and complex?! Who puts slashes and stuff in a room number?! Would I be sharing the room with someone else?
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