Paper Crowns [On Hold]

[2] Expectations and Demands

"We've got a lot of ground to cover Tori, hustle!" Justin urges, already a few paces ahead, his hair seemingly unaffected by the breeze. 

"What kind of a school holds an assembly before it even begins?" I exclaim, making no effort whatsoever to quicken my steps.

"The kind that has its own busing system, and its own stables and golf course," he retorts, slowing down slightly to allow me to catch up. If he hadn't shown up to fetch me this morning, I would not have made any effort to go. It's not that I didn't know- I did. I'm just not an assembly type of girl. 

"Busing system huh? A system which conveniently does not start until school starts. Hence the walking..." I complain, pushing a stray strand of hair out of my face. In retrospect, maybe I should've combed it a little more. Well, too late now.

"You could've just left me you know, now both of us will be late," I mumble. 

"Yeah, I probably should've come for you earlier, sorry about that."

That is not at all what I meant, and oddly enough, I'm not at all surprised by his misinterpretation of my whining.

After spending most of yesterday being bombarded with all sorts of information about the way life is here, I see exactly what Ethan meant by 'Prince Charming'. Justin somehow manages to be extraordinarily kind. Which, considering how some people can be, is actually quite a feat. Most days I struggle to hold back my tongue.

We silently walk at a brisk pace, taking all sorts of turns. I try my best to remember the places as we pass them, but with this much to see I give up after a couple of minutes. Just as I feel a cramp forming in my calves, Justin slows down considerably, climbing up the steps of a weathered grey building. Time-worn. That's what this place is. Ancient. It wouldn't last even the smallest of tornados. 

The building is shaped like the slabs of cheese shown so often in cartoons. It stands three stories tall from the right side, and slopes down enough to only be one story high from the left side. It's a shame such a piece of beauty was built with cement. 

"Good, it didn't start yet," Justin comments, relieved. He ushers me to the empty seats towards the back, peering around the room as he sits beside me. 

I wonder who he's looking for. He gives up after few minutes of searching, sighing as he melts into his chair.

Shortly after we settle down, the girl seated beside Justin turns to us, a massive frown set deep in her face. And what an interesting face it is. I've never seen ears that pointy, somehow I've fallen in love with them. Just imagining the different accessories I can place on them brings a chill.

"Have you seen Ethan?" she asks, scrunching her trimmed eyebrows. She has very thick curly black hair and big black eyes with a button nose and full lips. She reminds me of a pixie, but a lot tougher. More like a biker pixie. What Tinker Bell would look like if she decided she was made for the road.

"No. You know he doesn't do assemblies. Actually, you don't do them either; I thought you'd be with him."

"I just got back today. I was gonna say hi to my new roommate but then that snake Arnold caught sight of me and made sure I stayed for this nonsense," she grumbles, giving Arnold (I'm assuming) the stink eye. 

"A new roommate? Liz, what did you do to the old one? and who's the new one?" Justin asks, freely bombarding her with questions. 

"I actually did nothing this time, jerk.  Alice got herself expelled. The Murrey incident, remember? And nah, I have no clue who the fresh meat is. Apparently, it's some chick named Victoria. I swear if she turns out to be a-"