FRIDAY
I woke up feeling like I've had the best sleep in a while since this whole ordeal went down, it was definitely colder and I did take longer than usual to fall asleep, but I was comfy.
I stretch my whole body, feeling the tension disappear from my muscles.
Mom knocks on the door, "honey, you up?"
"Yeah I'm up mom" I reply groggily.
She opens the door and brings in a cup of coffee, "sleep well?" she asks as I take the cup from her. "Very well" I chuckle, ironic since I didn't want to come here. "Oh but I was freezing, can we turn up the heating?" I ask.
"Yeah, we were cold last night too" she chuckled.
She sat herself on the bottom of my bed "your fathers already gone, had to go settle into the job, meet the teams and whatever else they do" she laughed "so I thought we'd take a trip around, show you the school?" She added hopefully.
She knew how unhappy I was to be transferred so late into the school year but there was no point arguing, we wasted countless hours arguing about school in Wales back home and made a silly pinky promise pact to not argue about it here. Can't break a pinky promise. "Sure" I replied, trying to keep my tone cheery.
She starts getting up, "get dressed and we'll leave in 10 minutes, we'll grab food out" she adds heading out the door.
10 minutes? I look at my phone 13:35hrs, yikes, I gulp my coffee which was luke-warm, as if she had been waiting for me to get up for a while. What on earth did she have planned now I resentfully thought, I hated surprises.
I got dressed and opened the curtains, since it was the beginning of March, I wasn't expecting much weather wise from this place, I already said my goodbyes to the sun back in Florida, knowing I wasn't going to see it for a while.
"C'mon Em, I've started the car to get it warm for us" I could hear moms voice as I was coming from my room onto the landing.
"Mom what's the rush?" I ask, she smiles back at me.
"You'll see, c'mon" she laughs excitedly.
I must admit her excitement was contagious "your father's been given this car to use whilst we're here, part of his package and we're going to use it today" she adds.
A grey Nissan SUV, automatic sat outside. "Where's the blue car" I duck and run towards the passenger door, it was pouring down with rain.
"Ah base has taken care of that" she says nonchalantly.
"Mom, can you even drive over here?" caution filling my voice.
You have to do extra tests to drive over here, especially a stick which is more common here than back home. I'd spent hours googling as I only just had my licence in January and did not want to be left stranded with no transport around.
That was the biggest argument I think we've all had to date, I was angry that I'd only just got my licence, my freedom to go wherever I liked and it felt like Mom and Dad were taking it away, trapping me like a caged bird. Dramatic I know, but that's how it felt.
"Yeah, sure thing. I've done the requirements this morning, you're booked for a week on Monday" she hesitates "after school, at the base I mean" she side eyes me, waiting for my reaction.
Skipping over the school part, my mind races with the so called requirements
"what do you mean, requirements, what did you have to do?" I ask, anxiety clear in my voice.
"Well, a member from the base takes you around for a couple hours, to prove that you can drive, they've already received a copy of our licences, they get you used to driving on the left hand side, it's nothing to worry about honey, just a small test that's all" she brushes it off like we do this daily. From what I heard, it's very much another driving examination. Great i huff.
Sensing my mood she changes direction "so, with school, I'll drop you off and pick you up until you get your UK licence, it's up here somewhere.." she trails off.
It looked like we had been driving around aimlessly, we left the base, took a narrow country lane down to somebody's property, had to reverse all the way back, took a different road and came face to face with a tractor and had to squish past in a lay-by, utter chaos.
"Not sure I want to drive here mom" I said after the seventh wrong turn she took.
"Now now, we just need to find it once and then it'll be easy" she sounded hopeful.
"Ah, here" she swerved to take the sharp turning "er, mom this looks like someone's house again".
At the end of the drive, she parks the car and gets out, the building looks like a castle, large stoned building, rounded stained glass windows, turrets on each corner, nothing how our schools back home look like I chuckled to myself, I feel like I'm at Dracula's castle.
A lady stands in the doorway, she struts towards us and extends her hand for mom to shake "Good afternoon ladies, and welcome to Harrington Manor Academy" she announces proudly in what I would call a thick, old English accent.
I could already tell this was not a woman to mess with, her dark brown hair tied up in a neat bun at the nape of her neck, black fitted suit and tie, no creases to be seen, polished flat shoes.
"My name is Mrs Whitmore and I am the headmistress of Harrington Manor, please, follow me inside".
She looked to be in her mid fifties and moved swiftly through the crowds of students who bowed their heads as she walked past.
Bowing? What is that all about.
Since it was a Friday afternoon, the school was crawling with students. Mrs Whitmore lead us through to her office where she gestures for me and mom to take a seat. We plonked ourselves down ungracefully and she sits after us, moving with such elegance I felt out of place.
"Now, might I be the first to welcome you to Wales, and express how thankful we are that you have chosen to finish your studies at Harrington Manor".
She takes a breath and plows on "I took the liberty to arrange your uniform, library card and class timetables here today, and I have arranged for someone to walk with you to classes on Monday and show you around the school, so that we don't get lost on our first day" she smiles widely at us.
"Thank you very much Mrs Whitmore" mom mirrors her smile.
"Please, call me Victoria" Mrs Whitmore gleams at mom.
"Now Miss Morgan" she breaks my train of thought as I stare at all her qualifications on the wall behind her, her office was small and crowded with bookshelves and stacks of filing cabinets everywhere.
"Our curriculum is a little different to what you're used to, I've assigned you to classes based on what's similar to what you' have already studied, however if you are unhappy or have any issues, be sure to let me know, and we'll get it sorted" she smiles at me expectantly.
"Oh erm, yeah, thank you Mrs Whitmore" I stumble, my voice cracking halfway through.
"Our head girl is in your year, she will be more than happy to show you around Monday, she will stay by your side all day so that you're not alone", I frown and as if on queue, there's a knock on the door.
"Ah miss Taylor, come on in, this is Aliya Taylor, our head girl" She introduces proudly.
I have no idea what a head girl was, and judging by the look on my mother's face, neither did she.
"Good afternoon, my name is Aliya and I'll be with you for your first week, showing you the ropes, rules and just being a friend" she announces in a loud tone, Mrs Whitmore beamed at her, obviously full of pride.
Why was everyone so formal here?.
Aliya was a very pretty girl, dark hair tied neatly in a plait, she was wearing the school shirt, blazer and skirt below the knees with tights and a tie, finished with flat polished shoes.
"Nice to meet you Aliya, I'm glad Emma won't be alone on her first day" mom also beamed at Aliya.
I shot her a quick smile as to not be rude, but it felt like I was going to be babysat, and what rules do I possibly need to know, it's not like I have never been to school before.
I was educated and had manners, I wasn't raised by wolves, I thought to myself.
"Thankyou miss Taylor, now, back to your classes" Mrs Whitmore finally spoke in such a commanding tone both myself and mom stared in disbelief.
Aliya didn't answer back, she merely bowed her head and walked out the door.
"Now, I expect you here at 08:30hrs sharp Monday, in the correct uniform; crease free and clean black, flat shoes" she emphasised the flat part, as if she expected me to turn up in thigh high 8 inch pleasers.
"Yes ma'am" I grinned at the thought of actually showing up in pleasers.
"Classes start at 9am sharp so you need to be in registration by 08:45hrs, Aliya will be with you so if you have any questions, be sure to ask her, she wont mind" Mrs Whitmore beamed and we felt the dismissal.
Mom got up first, shaking Mrs Whitmore's hand and again, thanking her profusely for transferring me so late into the year.