This Is Not What I Expected When You Sent Me To A Boarding School!

The morning sun hit my face as it rose, making me wake up. I groggily get out of bed and look outside the window. I see the early sunlight's reflection across the water, the wind ruffling in through the trees, and bird's chirping their sweet melodies.

This was what I looked forward waking up to every morning. Perfect, natural bliss. I smell the sweet rose bushes below my window start to bloom.

Ahh...I love this. The one perfect thing in my non-perfect life.

I walk to my bathroom and look in the mirror. My long, wavy, strawberry blond hair is in a bird's nest. My emerald green eyes have bags underneath them, and my freckles pop out of my pale, fair skin.

You might think I look beautiful, however, I think not. My mother is beautiful, my younger sister is beautiful; yet I'm ugly as a pig! Yeah, people say "Oh, Molly! Your daughters are so beautiful!", but we all know they're only talking about my sister, Melissa.

Okay, so I'm guessing you want to know some background stuff about me. I mean, this is why you’re reading this. Okay, so my name is Amber Jane Harper. I'm sixteen years old and I live in Vermont, U.S.A.

My mother's name is Molly Laura Harper and my sister's name is Melissa Carrie Harper. I used to have a father. His name was George Daniel Harper. He past away when I was three and Melissa was two.

If you can do math, then I'm guessing you figured out that Melissa is now fifteen. She has dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She has the body of a Goddess. She looks just like my mother. I, however, have the body of a stick. I have, in my opinion, no boobs or butt. It's actually quite depressing, considering, my whole family has amazing looking bodies.Anyways, my father had blond hair and blue eyes and the body of a God.

So I'm guessing your wondering how I got green eyes and strawberry blond hair. Well, I can't really give you and answer. My mother and I have looked in our family history and no one has the same traits as me. We even did a blood test, to prove I wasn't adopted. What can I say? I was six and stubborn as a mule. Turned out, I was one hundred percent related to my family.

Okay, I guess this is enough about me for now. You'll learn more as my story goes on.

I walk into my closet and pick out black ripped skinny jeans, my red high-top converse, and a red MCR band-tee. I walk downstairs, into the kitchen. My mother is making waffles and Melissa is sitting at the kitchen table, painting her nails pink.

Yes, she's one of those girls who loves the color pink, who’s also a preppy, popular, snobby, cheerleader. Luckily, she's not snobby to me, only everyone else. The good thing about being close to your popular sister, is that you know all the dirt about everyone in school, even the things that are private and not every student at school knows.

Like for example, one of Melissa's best friends, Claire, has alcoholic parents, but no one in school knows that except her best friends and I.

Another example is that Melissa's other best friend, Kelly, is still a virgin, yet she tells everyone that she's had intercourse with tons of guys. How does she keep this up? She says that she does it with guys that don't go to our school so no one knows them, and everyone, and I mean everyone,believes her. Well of-course, except for Claire, Melissa, and I.

What's even better is that Claire and Kelly don't know that Melissa told me. So whenever Kelly comes up with a new story about her sexual life, I always laugh. She usually gives me death glares, but I don't care. And when Claire says she drinks all time, which she doesn't cause she thinks she'll turn like her parents, I laugh as well.She, also, gives me the death glare. And again, I really don't care.

So those are some ups to having a popular sister who tells you all the juiciest gossip, and no one knows that you know as well.

HA! Just thinking of this is making me smile!

Melissa sees me sit down, next to her and says, "Thank God it's a Saturday! I'm supposed to go to the mall with Claire and Kelly. We're going to pick our dresses for the Homecoming Dance. Are you going?"

"To what? The dance? No way! Remember? I'm an out-cast, because I dress emo, while the rest of the school dresses like you!" I tell her.

She makes a face, and then goes back to her nails. And yes, you heard right. I'm an out-cast at my school, because I dress emo, while everyone else dresses preppy. It's not my fault I'm different.

My mother makes a plate for me and I dig in.

"Amber! How many times do I have to tell you? Sit up, put your napkin on your lap, and actually eat like a young lady! It's no wonder no one at school talks to you! Your even lucky I let you walk out of the house looking like that!" My mother says.

I hate when she says that! Can't she tell it hurts my feelings?

Melissa, sensing my mother hit a soft spot, says, "Mother! Can't you see that hurts Amber's feelings?"

"I'm sorry honey, but you could at least try to eat properly." My mother says to me.

"It's okay, mother. I'll try."

She goes back to making more waffles. I look at Melissa and whisper thank you. She just smiles in return. When I finish my breakfast, I walk out to the backyard, near the pond. Yes, we have a pond. With the lily pads and other pod-related-stuff.

I sit down on the bench and start to skip pebbles on top of the water.

I always love coming out here. It’s just so peaceful and calm. I just love to sit out here and write poetry or listen to music. Yeah, I sound all emo now, but I really want to become a poet when I get older.

Just then, I hear a car pull up into the driveway, girls squeal, then the car drive away. I’m guessing that was Melissa leaving with her friends. I lay down on the bench and look at the clouds floating by.

Oh! That one looks like a dragon. Oh! And that one looks like a bunny.

I laugh to myself. I hear footsteps and look to my right to see my mother looking at me, excitedly. I look at her puzzled.

What is she doing here? She never comes out here, especially, when I’m here too.

“Hello, Amber.” she says.

“Mother,” I nod at her, still confused. “Do you want something?” I ask her.

“Oh, no! I just wanted to tell you some good news!” she says, her voice rising in excitement.

I guess I could hear some good news, considering I feel especially lonely today.

“Okay, what is it?” I ask her.

“Well, I’ve been thinking. Your way too smart for the school you go to now, and thought you might want something more challenging.” she pauses.

Where is she going with this?

She continues, “So, I’ve talked to some old friends and have arranged for you to attend a boarding school in London. It’s one of the world’s best and they said yes! They saw your past test scores and are very pleased that you’ll be attending their school. So, what do you think?”

I look at my mother, dumb-founded. My mouth open wide.

Did she just say boarding school? In London? Well, I do have a 4.0 out of 4.0 as my GPA, but I was accepted?! I can’t believe it!

“Aren’t you happy?” she asks me, her smile turning into a frown.

“Of course I’m happy! When do I go?” I yell with excitement.

“Tomorrow. They start classes on Monday. So, you better start packing!” she smiles again.

I jump off the bench and sprint up the stairs, to my room. I already see some luggage there for me.

I can’t believe this is happening to me! A fresh, new start! A new place with new people. Maybe the people there will actually like me!

I plug my I-pod into my speakers and hit shuffle. “Shake IT!” by Metro Station comes on. I start to dance and sing along as I pack my whole room into five bags.

“Let's drop! Yeah, come on. I'll take you home, if you don't leave me at the front door. (Leave me at the front door). Your body's cold, but girl, we're gettin' so warm. And I was thinking of ways that I could get inside. (Get inside). Tonight you're falling in love. Let me go now. This feeling's tearing me up. Here we go now. Now if she does it like this, will you do it like that? Now if she touches like this, will you touch her like that? Now if she moves like this will you move her like that? Come on, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it!” I sing-scream.

I put all my clothes, shoes, and toilet-trees into two bags. Then all my books, CD’s, DVD’s, laptop, and I-pod speakers into another. Then all my school supplies into another. And then, my pillow and my teddy bear into the last one.

Yes, I have a teddy bear. His name is Prince of the Dark. I named him that, because one, his fur is as black as the night, and two, I used to think if he was the Prince of the Dark, then he would protect me from whatever went ‘bump’ in the night. My father gave him to me when I was two. So basically, Prince of the Dark is fourteen years old. I’m surprised he hasn’t fallen apart yet.

I drag my luggage downstairs and go find my mother. She’s in her study, typing one of her horror novels. Yes. She’s an author for horror novels. She stops typing and looks up at me.

“Finished packing?” she asks.

I nod. “Yeah. I’m going to go sit by the pond if you need me.”

“Okay, bye.” she replies.

“Oh, and mother?” She looks back at me. “Thanks. For everything.” I say, smiling.

She smiles back, then says, “Please shut the door on your way out.”

I walk out, shutting the door like she asked, and head towards the pond.

Too bad I don’t have anyone to share this good news with. Well I do have Melissa, but she’s out shopping with her friends. I guess I’ll just wait for her to come home. Knowing her, she’ll probably be back around dinnertime. Now, it’s only 10:00 AM. Maybe I’ll just take a nap.

I lay down on the bench and close my eyes, feeling the heat from the sun’s rays warm my body. I, then, drift off into a peaceful sleep.