Locks and Curls

Dear Mom, August 15th
This place is amazing! I feel like I am living in the medieval times here. All the buildings look like miniature castles and even the attendants wear long linen dresses. Luckily we don’t need to wear our uniforms until class days so I am safe in my own baby blue button-down shirt and jeans. I have met many people too! Tam, my roommate, she is a real chatterbox but she is great, since I am not one to talk too much, so we get along fine. But not all the girls are as nice as her! Roxanne, or Roxy as she prefers to be called, is head girl ‘round here. You know clicks mom, they are all the same, even at higher education schools.
Told you not to worry!
Love, Carrie.

“Tam, do you know where can I mail my letter around here?” I called to her.
“At the service center, you can send it at the counter. I think letters are free, packages are three credits per pound.”
Credits were the school’s money, I guess it is for the best, that way rich girls can’t just call daddy and buy them, credits were earned by handing in assignments on time, getting top marks, helping out in extracurricular activities. Things like that, plus every person got a 20 credit allowance every week, which was nothing. At least we didn’t have to pay for our meals; they were served at the cafeteria at 7, 12 and 6 every day.
I walked down the sidewalk passing several other houses, one I could see all the first-day girls stumbling into their new house after a 12 hour plane ride followed by a 5 hour bus trip. ‘I wonder if we looked like that on our first day’ I thought, then blushed; secretly glad no other girls had been here to see us. It was a bright day, the walk was refreshing too. I was eager for classes to start, so I could have something to concentrate on, but it was only the 15th! Classes didn’t start till September and I was writing like crazy.
I often chatted with my friends through MSN but it was never quite the same, they spoke of their times together at the mall while I had no news to share would speak of only the beauty of the surrounding gardens, but my friends could care less.
I stopped at a stone building with a wide shop window; it was the student service center. I opened the door with a brrrriinnggg. Inside was just a counter with an attendant behind it.
“Hello Miss. Redde, could you mail this letter for me?”
The attendant smiled and nodded, “Of course Miss. Anderson! Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asked.
“No thanks Miss. Redde, I must be off now.” I said, waving goodbye to her.
I walked out of the shop and down the street; I passed a few shops as I walked by. There was ‘Campus Clothes’, a clothing store for the students, Cup-a-Cafe, a coffee and tea restaurant, and a book store called, Txtbooks.
The Campus was inhabited by over 50 houses holding close to 50 students in each which added up to 2500 students, so it attracted a good amount of stores since there wasn’t a mall for miles in any direction.
I decided to take a detour into the garden, I loved the garden. I passed under a white arch that was entwined with ivy, the path was of multicoloured stones and the flower bed was of rich soil. I spotted lilacs and roses and tiger lilies. I took a deep breath of scent and sighed, sitting on a stone bench. Tt was so relaxing I never heard him coming.
“Hello.”
I jumped and saw a handsome young boy beside me, his hair was a light brown and his eyes were light amber. He was wearing a navy and beige plaid button-down shirt with tan jeans and was smiling. As I jumped my infuriating lock of hair slipped free again. For once I was grateful because it gave me an excuse to look away and hide my blush as I tucked it back. “h.. Hello.” I managed to mutter.
“I’m sorry, did I surprise you?” he asked, looking away with embarrassment.
“No, no! I was just in my own little world. This garden does that sometimes.” I peeked back at him, he was... different than most boys I had met. “I didn’t even know Mariland had male students.” I commented.
“There are many male students here, but our houses are at the other side of Campus. They think the closer we are the more distracted we get, I suppose that is true.” He became more relaxed and he was smiling again.
I began to feel hot and my cheeks were blushing again. I didn’t know if it was the way he spoke or his innocent smile but something was making me feel like I never had before.
“So, what’s your name, my name is Carrie. I’m up at The House of Libri down the walk just past the House of Aquila.” I said a little too quickly.
“I’m Eric, House of Nemus. I, uh... Come here to enjoy the garden too, and look at all the Female attendants.” he half-grinned. I looked away again to hide my blood-red face.
“Cool, so uh... I better go back. My Roommate will be wondering where I am.” I stood up and turned away from him.
“Wait!” he stood up to, putting his hand on my shoulder. It tingled. I stopped. “At least take my cell number!”
“Okay, I guess I have time for that.”