Beautiful Soul

Darkness flooded the sky as I watched out the plane window. The tiny stars that were scattered across the sky illuminated it only a little. I was sure that they would look smaller if I weren’t in a plane. It was truly a beautiful scene. The stars twinkling, the moon a perfect crescent. It took my mind away from the fact that I was gone from my hometown. I wouldn’t see Ander, my father, or anyone that I loved for three full months. I’d only get phone calls, but everyone knows phone calls don’t last long. After about to week of calls, someone would be either too busy, or possibly forget to even call at all.

A single tear ran down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away, knowing I had to be strong. I hadn’t changed into the outfit I chose for my arrival yet, and I hadn’t planned on it until after landing. I only chose to do this due to passport regulations stating that you were not allowed to impersonate someone. It wasn’t exactly that, but it was pretty close.

I placed my earphones into my ears, trying to distract myself from my thoughts of my family. The first song came to a sudden, yet peaceful start.

‘Don’t even dare try and give up.
Even though it is hard.
It’s only the beginning.
You can make it through.’

The song wasn’t only incredibly amazing, but very inspirational, too. It was my favorite song. I knew all the lyrics, though I wasn’t exactly sure who the artist was. I could never really remember his name. It never stuck to me.

I continued listening for the rest of the hour I had left on the plane. We were set to land in Los Angeles at precisely eight-thirty. The plane was supposed to be landing at the airport at five earlier this evening, but they had a delay in flight thanks to double fuel checks.

---

The plane landed, making my stomach turn and twist with not only nervousness, but a slight pinch of excitement as well. Doubts yet again traveled through my mind, but I pushed them aside, knowing they could no longer be there. I was here, and this was final. I couldn’t turn back. I wouldn’t turn back. I would pull through.

I exited the plane, watching as other people had either a family to go to, or some sort of transportation waiting for them. Children hugged their relatives, business workers shook hands with their drivers, but there were a few who were like me. All I had was my GPS app that was on my phone. That’s all I had to help me figure out the location of my hotel.

I walked casually to the restroom area, trying not to draw much attention to myself. Once I approached the area, I was faces with a diminutive dilemma. I didn’t know whether to change in the men’s restroom, or the women’s. If I were to change in the women’s restroom, yet came out a guy, it would not only look suspicious, but a little perverted, too. If I were to change in the men’s restroom, it would look strange walking in as a woman if anyone were to see me.

After thinking for a minute about it, I decided that it would be best to change in the men’s room. I would have to sneak in, but it wouldn’t be that hard. I looked around at the people who were passing by. Some took subtle glances at me, while others completely ignored me. I waited until most of the horde of people had cleared before entering. I honestly regretted it the minute I entered due to the disgusting environment. Not only did it have a horrid smell, but it looked awful, in addition. Paper towels were scattered almost everywhere, in company with toilet paper. It was utterly repulsive.

I managed to not only avoid, but ignore the mess as I walked myself to a stall. It was difficult, considering how torn up the place had looked. I could feel my suitcase hit the back of my heels as I walked. I was silently thanking myself on remembering to grab all of the luggage I had taken on the plane. I locked the stall door after entering to avoid any awkward run-ins.

I quickly took my extensions out, throwing them into my suitcase without even paying attention to their landing spot. I was very clumsy about it, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to get it over with. I started undressing by taking my jacket off, followed by my jeans and shirt. Before I could even process it, the restroom door opened. I froze in place.

The stall door, beside the one I was in, slammed shut. I jumped in response, gasping softly. I stood in silence, hoping this guy would hurry. I was practically naked within two feet of him. I was truthfully a little scared.

I tried my best not to listen, while focusing on another topic. The topic of my mom. I closed my eyes as I thought, taking my attention away from the situation I was in. I remembered her hair, the same raven black that both Ander and I had. Ander got his eye color from her, which was a deep shade of chocolate brown. Her smile was the best. My father had always told me that my smile had reminder him of her. Her hair was cut to about shoulder length and it was always straight. The sides of her hair would always end up curled in due to her work to where they would shape her face.

The sound of rushing water from the faucet awakened me from my thoughts. I breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed. I proceeded in changing my look by wrapping the bandage Ander had gave to me around my chest. It took some effort, but after a few times of trying, I succeeded. I fit the black t-shirt over my head, smoothing it down as I pulled it over myself. The jeans that I chose were a tad big on me, but they worked. Most of Ander’s clothes were big on me, which I couldn’t fix. I finished off the outfit with the combat boots.

Walking out of the stall, I took a look into the mirror. I definitely looked like Ander, thankfully. I smiled at myself. ‘I can do this.’ I thought to myself. I grabbed my luggage, and headed out the door.

Almost instantly, I collided with a couple who looked about my age. I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for the impact of my face and the floor, but it never came. I felt myself lying upon something. ‘Oh, God,’ I thought, immediately knowing I had fell on one of the two people. I kept my eyes closed, praying that it wasn’t the guy. Not only would it be completely uncomfortable, but embarrassing, also.

I slowly opened my eyes one at a time starting with the left. My eyes grew wide. My prayer was not answered. I was most definitely on the guy. I was frozen for the second time that night. I didn’t know what to do. Could he tell I was a girl?

He spoke words that I didn’t understand. I couldn’t comprehend the words that were exiting his mouth. I was in shock that this had happened. ‘Get off of him!’ I blinked, realizing what he had said. He was telling me to get off of him. I was really surprised that he hadn’t thrown me off of him.

“Get off of me, now.” He said this sternly, giving me a glare as he looked up at me. Our faces were literally inches apart. His hair was short, but not tremendously short. It was a dark, luscious brown color. His eyes were almost the same color of his hair, but a tad lighter. His chin was rather broad, and his cheekbones were almost perfect. His eyebrows stood out above his eyes, a great distance away from them. He had a small freckle right above his lip, directly to the left.

“Hey! Are you deaf? Can you not hear? Get off!” He said, a little more forcefully. I shook my head, a small blush coming to my cheeks. I had been staring at him for at least a minute.

I got off of him, looking around a little, hoping my blush wasn’t too noticeable. His girlfriend, I assumed, was giving me a snooty look. I could tell that she was annoyed with me. Her blonde hair fluttered softly around her.

“I-I’m sorry.” I apologized, my voice stuttering. “I d-didn’t realize.” I told him, truthfully. I bit my lip, hoping he would be at least a little sympathetic.

The girl scoffed, rolling her eyes in the process. We didn’t even know each other and I could already tell she hated me. If not hate, then she didn’t like me.

“Whatever.” The guy said, bumping my shoulder as he walked by. I staggered back a little, regaining my balance quickly after. I sighed, accidentally blowing my hair out of my face. I left it the way it was, honestly not caring how it looked.

---

The motel room was darkly lit when I walked in. I made sure to lock both locks, knowing it would be safer that way by reason of how dangerous Los Angeles was. I sat my stuff beside the bed, immediately letting myself fall down onto the bed. The bed was rather soft, which I thanked Alexander for. He had gotten me a nice room that was a decent size. It wasn’t humongous, but the perfect size for me. I would only be in the hotel for two nights, bearing in mind that Monday was the day Hartman Academy started for the year.

I thought back to my little run-in with the couple at the airport. The only thing I could even think about was the guy. I didn’t really care for the girl. I was thanking God that I didn’t have to see them again. Hopefully, never again in my life.

---

I didn’t really do much Sunday besides hang around the hotel room, rehearsing how I would talk to other guys and working on my walk. That’s how I had spent most of my day when I wasn’t eating or napping from sudden exhaustion.

Monday was completely different. I had to hurry around in the morning to pack all my stuff up. I had clothes literally everywhere in the hotel room. It was crazy. It wasn’t much unexpected though. I had been procrastinating big time last night.

I hurried, shoving every piece of clothing into my suitcase, starting with the clothes I had worn the previous two days. I grabbed a random shirt of Ander’s, rushing to put it on over my head. Printed on it was one of the many bands Ander always listened to. I didn’t know who they were, or any of their songs. I hoped that no one would ask about a favorite song, or if I had seen their latest world tour on DVD.

Continuing with dressing, I pushed my left leg through a pair of pants. I struggled when it came to the right leg I’m guessing because I was so rushed. ‘Just my luck.’ I thought. I twisted, searching for the alarm clock which somehow happened to be on the floor. When I had gone to bed last night, it on the bedside table. I must have knocked it off somehow in my sleep. No wonder I hadn’t woke up when my alarm went off.

Seven thirty.

I sighed out of frustration. I was supposed to be at Hartman Music Academy by eight, which meant I had thirty minutes. I couldn’t be late on the first day. It would make a bad impression for Alexander. The things was, I didn’t even know how far the school was from the hotel, let alone where it was at all. Once again, something that I had programmed in my phone. I had no mode of transportation, so I’d have to walk almost everywhere I’d want to go.

I continued to edge my jeans on, before walking to the mirror that the hotel room provided in every room. Smudges and fingerprints, which I am only guessing are mostly from children, covered parts of the mirror. It was filthy, but it would have to do. I didn’t have time to walk all the way to the bathroom. All I needed to do was hurry.

My hair was a complete mess. There were strands sticking up in all places. In all honesty, I thought that it would be easier to control my hair since it was short. I obviously thought wrong. I took my hairbrush from the vanity table and quickly brushed down every hair that was sticking up. It took me a few minutes, but I finally got them all down. At least I had accomplished one thing today.

Seven fifty-three.

I cringed at the time, grabbing both my suitcase and my bag for school. The bad thing was that I still had to unpack my bags, or at least put my things in my dorm room. I also had yet to obtain my schedule containing my classes only because Ander didn’t go to anything. It was more that he couldn’t rather than didn’t. Most of the student who attended the academy would already have everything they needed. Most of them already knew each other, and I didn’t know anyone.

I opened the door of the hotel room, taking one last glance around the place, making sure that I didn’t forget anything. Once I was completely sure, I walked out, closing the door behind me.

---

Eight thirty-six.

I was nearly thirty minutes late. My nerves made my stomach twist. I felt a dull pounding in my head. I automatically knew it was cause by the anticipation I felt.

At this point, I was running, trying to make it to the school as quickly as possible. The school building came into my view shortly. It was fairly large, containing three actually buildings. There was one big building in the middle which was surrounded by two others that weren’t as big. The one to the left of the middle building had three stories, and was rather old looking. The middle building looked about the same, but it was about twice the width of the other. This one had three stories as well. I remembered Ander informing me that this was main building. How he knew this, I had no clue. My guess was that he had researched about the school considering it was his dream to go here.

The building to the right’s doorway was decorated with music notes, treble clefs, bass clefs, anything and everything you would see on a typical sheet of music. I assumed that this building was the Music Center. It was only slightly slimmer than the middle building, and definitely had a newer look to it. It was only two stories high, though.

I rushed myself into the middle building, noticing many pairs of eyes on me. I tried my best to ignore them as I made my way to the main office. I smiled at the woman who was sitting at the front desk. All she was doing was simply staring at me. Awesome.

“Um, hello.” I mostly used my normal voice, but I made it sound slightly deeper. I continued, “I’m new here this year. Alexandri-der, Alexander Oakland.” I already almost busted my cover. I was glad that I could still use Alex as a nickname. It would be so much easier.

The lady gave me a bizarre stare, before she went to the back to search for my papers. She came back shortly, handing me a stack of papers.

“You are being placed in room one fifty-five. This is your schedule.” she said, handing me a half-sheet of paper and a key. Her voice was nasally.

I nodded, smiling at her again. “Thank you.” I said, taking the schedule and key from her.

“The dorms are in the building to the left of this one.” The woman said, pointing in the direction.

I smiled a thank you one last time before I left the building. I placed the key in my left pocket. I was surprised she hadn’t mentioned anything about me being late. I was pretty thankful for that, although I knew my first period teacher would.

I glanced at my schedule as I made my way to the dorm, noting to myself that I had a free period first. Second was English, which started twenty minutes from now. That meant I had just enough time to put my luggage in my room, and find the class.

I trudged up the stairs to the second floor dormitory, which held rooms one hundred and one to two hundred. I looked at every door that I passed, searching for the door that was labeled One fifty-five. The room was a little over half-way down the corridor on the right. Every door on the right was odd, while the ones on the left were even.

I took a shiny gold key out of my pocket, shoving it in the keyhole teeth up. I turned the key, unlocking the door. Twisting the door know, I held my breath, hoping my roommate would have a class this hour so I wouldn’t have to deal with any awkward introductions.

My nerves were the worst they had been. I opened the door all the way, waiting outside the door. I didn’t see anyone inside, so I entered without caution. I closed the door rather quietly. The room was quite large. I looked around, noticing two beds across the room from each other. One bed had a bag, two suitcases, and a duffel bag. Man, this guy was practically a woman, and that’s coming from an actual woman. My roommate had obviously chosen the bigger bed, but I didn’t mind. It was really just a bed. There were two dressers, along with two desks. One desk had already been set up, which was obviously my roommates. I lifted my suitcase onto the empty bed, placing my bag on it afterwards.

While I was taking in my surroundings, the bathroom door opened. I gave a small, girlish shriek, turning instantly in that direction. A guy stood in front of the bathroom.

“It’s you.” The guy said. My eyes widened in realization of who it was.