TPS *(original version)*

Chapter One

"Ms. Donahue?" My intercom buzzed from the other side of my dorm room. It was the man from the guardhouse, of my all-girls boarding school in Fairfield, Maryland.

"Yes?" I asked, after I'd crossed over to the intercom and pressed the tiny red button to speak into the microphone.

"Your car has arrived to take you back to your house. I've sent one of the help up to your room to help you carry down your bags." He informed me, bored.

"Thank you," I replied, releasing the tiny button and pressing the 'terminate' button. I surveyed the room one last time, bending down and checking under the bed skirt to make sure nothing had fallen under. I grabbed my purse off the stripped bed, and adjusted my hair in the mirror on the wall opposite me. My long brown hair, naturally straight was a bit messy, but nothing a headband couldn't fix. I got one out of my bag, a light, crisp celery green to match my eyes. There was a knock on the door, and it opened.

In stepped Jesse, the young, impish boy who worked as a bellhop. He liked to stop at my door, always asking if there was anything he could do to help me. He had curly brown hair that sort of fell into his face, if he didn't constantly flip it out of his face. His eyes were dark brown and always sparkling mischievously, along with a small smirk on his face.  "Hello, Ms. Sofia." He said. "How can I be of assistance to you today?"

"You can help me carry my bags to my car," I replied, smiling nicely at him. "Please," I added as an afterthought.

"It would be my pleasure." He grinned, picking up one of my duffle bags and slung it over his shoulder, putting the other on top of my large rolling suitcase. "Will you be returning next year?"

"You know just as well as I do, Jesse, that I graduated already. You were at the ceremony," I reminded. He opened the door and walked into the hallway and I followed, pausing at the doorjamb. I turned back and surveyed the room, where I had lived for the four years I'd attended Jane Austen Academy. I'd had so many memories made in that room...

"Sofia?" Jesse asked.

"Sorry," I said, blushing a little. I took one last look, and slid the door shut, the automatic lock clicking. I started off down the hall and Jesse followed. I'd said a tearful goodbye to all my friends yesterday, so we wouldn't have to be heartbroken this morning. We stopped by the front office where I turned in my room key, and then walked outside to the prestigious driveway. A black limo was waiting for me, engine idling and one of my parent's servants waiting by the trunk. He stepped forward and took my bags from Jesse and loaded them inside. He went to open the door for me to get in, but Jesse stepped forward. "I'll get it." He smiled. The servant shrugged and walked around to the driver's side.

Jesse stepped up to the car and opened the door for me, smiling at me. "Any chance I can get a parting kiss, since this'll be our last encounter?" He whispered.

I laughed. "You know just as well as I do that I can't do that." He shrugged, not looking beat.

"I'll get you somehow, Sofia." He said optimistically.

"That's what you said freshman year, and nothing's changed." I teased, good-naturedly.

"A guy can dream." He said wistfully, still smirking. He held my hand as he helped me inside, squeezing it once before shutting the door. He pressed two fingers up to his lips, kissed them, and then blew it to me through the window. I know the windows were tinted too dark for him to see what I did, which was a good thing, since blushing wasn't very attractive.

"Finally you're in the car!" A voice said from the opposite side of the limo, startling me. It was my older brother, Armando. "First of all, gross." He teased, moving from his seat to sit next to me. "Can you close the glass please?" He called up to the driver, as he started moving. The drive obliged silently. "Is that your boyfriend?" He teased, nudging me.