House Of Cards

1. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Lauren?"

I squeezed her forearm as we walked up to the front desk. "I'm sure they will."

Normani and I signed in at the desk. Normani, opting out of a traditional approach, decided to drop in on our headmaster on a quiet afternoon such as today. She figured it would give a personable impression. It helped that he adored Normani because of how involved she was.

The two of us walked the halls of our old school, reminiscing and laughing at random corners that had become landmarks from the memories that were made in those very spots.

By chance (or fate if you ask Normani), our principals door was wide open and he sat comfortably on a chair facing us.

"Lauren, Normani!" He sounded excited as he spotted us and it brought a smile to my face. Normani and I were always very involved and prominent leaders in the school, but he always made the effort to learn more than just our names. "Are you two just here to cause trouble or is there a reason?"

"Well," Normani began, handing forward the folder. "I'm here because I understand there may be a position that opened up?"

The older man smirked. "I knew that if anyone would be back, it'd be you, Normani."

I tried to keep in a laugh and nudged my best friend with my elbow.

"I don't have an appointment  or anything, I figured you and I could speak about that now?" Normani continued. I could tell she was nervous, it was extremely endearing, I wonder if he recognized it as well.

"Why don't we speak in my office?" He proposed.

I took it as my cue and reached over to squeeze Normani's arm.

"I'll see you both later." I offered a closed mouth smile and began walking away. When I reached the end of the hallway, I looked over my shoulder a mouthed a 'good luck' to my best friend which seemed much appreciated. She inhaled before stepping into the office. It was cartoon-like but ever so appropriate for Normani.

I stepped through the arch that separated the entrance of the school and the classrooms.  I wouldn't go as far as to say I was nostalgic, but it was definitely a different feeling than I was originally expecting; not that I was expecting anything at all.

High school was good to me. My years were full of self development and discovery which really did help guide me in the direction I am going now.  However, instances such as discovering my sexuality and a cloud of unexplained sadness that followed me around definitely altered my perception of those years; especially when I look back on them.

Familiarity was a good feeling and seemingly foreign after the last five years of change. I momentarily peaked into some classrooms, recognizing the teachers but knowing full well I wouldn't be able to have a conversation with them in the middle of their class. The small, prestigious private school vibe hadn't diminished one bit since I had left. That was one of the problems I had with the school. Everyone thought that because we were a known, exclusive school, it differentiated us from everyone else in Miami for some reason. In reality, the majority of my peers were carbon copies of each other. Pretty sure we could have earned the world record for the most similar group of girls in once inclosed space at once for a long period of time.

According to my mom, I'm bitter about it - well, everything if you ask her- because I made too many, and I quote, 'artsy-fartsy friends' in New Orleans. She's not entirely wrong.

That's here nor there because, apart from the rough times that are crucial for everyone in high school, I enjoyed those years and momentarily, I'm being brought back to them. I passed by the music room and was disappointed to find the door closed, signifying there was a class in progress. The music room was something I always got teased about in high school. Originally, I would go play the guitars in there when I needed to clear my head. One time, the year I came out, I brought a girl, Kendall, with me and we somehow ended up making out in there. Long, embarrassing story short: I was later known to bring girls to the music room.