Kainos

III. SKENE

SKENE ✧ A BACKGROUND BUILDING OF A THEATRE USED FOR CHANGING MASKS AND COSTUMES.

CHAPTER THREE

Abagnale Secondary was an ugly, flat building that stretched sideways instead of upwards, half brown brick and half grey glass. It seemed full of windows that never intended to be opened. Amira found herself missing her red-sand white-walled school back in Egypt that had every window open.

Enough, she told herself from the passenger seat of Morgan's car. You're here now. They managed to get a good spot in the middle of the parking lot, mainly due to the fact that they were earlier than everyone else for an orientation meeting with the principal.

Morgan turned the keys in the ignition, shutting off the engine. The October morning was barely there: the sky was a pale rose colour, barely illuminating the dewy grass field. The squat silhouette of the school looming into the air made Amira feel like she was about to step into a penitentiary.

Morgan turned to look at her. "Ready?"

"I guess." She fingered the strap of her backpack. "We have the same classes?"

"English, World History, Physics, Law. Not a problem, right?"

Amira tried to channel some of her enthusiasm, managing a queasy smile. "Right," she said, getting out of the car to follow Morgan across the parking lot. Her grades were the least of her worries — she more or less had taken the same courses in Egypt, bless international school, so catching up to speed wouldn't take her too long. On top of her school homework, Ms. Shoukry had already sent out the email containing her first exchange assignment (Reflect on your first few days with your exchange family. How does your new home match with your previous expectations? Is there anything you hope to accomplish while overseas? No more than 900 words.) along with a short, let me know if you have any concerns! Feel free to tell me anything! Like she was a therapist and not an administrative director.

The meeting with Principal Gitalis went by in a blur — this is your locker, this is your lock, your first period classroom is here, follow Morgan be Morgan act like Morgan, I'm always here for you if you need help, have a great first day! And then the two of them were standing in the front hallway as the early deposit of students started trickling in around them. Amira's locker was somewhere in the science hall, a good distance away from Morgan's — they had separation in that, at least. She spun her lock, opened her locker, took a long look at the empty interior, and closed it and locked it again, feeling a little foolish.

Abagnale was big enough that she was probably just another anonymous face in the halls, but Amira couldn't help but panic as she tried to find her English classroom. No one was sparing her a glance, and she wasn't sure which was worse, complete anonymity or unwanted attention, and her shirt was starting to stick to the back of her neck with sweat — hadn't she just gone down this hallway, this school was so damn big —

"Hey!" Someone called from behind her, and she almost jumped out of her skin, turning to glare at a boy who was looking right back at her, a bemused expression on his face. "I said, are you okay? You seem lost?"

"Huh? Oh," Amira said intelligently, trying to soften her harsh expression. "I mean, yeah. I am lost."

"Let's see it, then." He held out his hand expectantly. "Your schedule," he clarified at her blank look. "I'm Behrad, nice to meet you."

She fumbled for her schedule, too flustered to think of a response, and all but shoved it at him. He quirked an amused eyebrow at her before scanning it.