SANTA MARIA HIGH (COMPLETED)

Part One: 9

Hope yawned lazily as she sat up the bunk that morning. She half expected the high ceiling of her room back home to stared back at her, but it was the square white washed asbestos that stared back bathed in the mild florescent light. The bed wasn’t as soft as she was used to, and she realized with a start that she was some feet off the ground.

She had woken up in the middle of the night, not from nightmares, but to hearty snores resonating across the room as the bunk. The girl below snored so loud Hope wouldn’t be surprised the walls were oscillating to the guttural sounds. For a girl! She thought with disgust. Hope didn’t know if she could file for a change of room based on noise pollution. She could imagine Mama Nosa stared back from behind those old people wire rim glasses, bent with her hands on her immaculate hips and ask, “and what is your complain?”

Then she would say what? My roommate snores, that’s why?

Are you that eager to start on a bad foot? She asked herself. No she was not; she would get an ear plug if she needed to. They should have one at the store.

She stepped down the ladder, and yawned again. The digital wall clock read, 6:30. Nora, her roommate was gone.

Hope had gotten to meet Nora at the dining hall. And she was a prick. That’s the first impression she gave her as she stared her down, like she was expecting someone better. After the awkward introduction, Nora was all over the place finding fault. Hope didn’t know much of her background but she sounded quite spoilt, like she was raised in this fancy perfect castle in the sky; the floor was not clean enough for her, dinner was absurd, they used harsh detergent for the bed sheet…

When Hope returned from the bathroom, Nora had something new to say. “’met the water had gone cold didn’t you?” she asked, running a brush through her stunted, stubborn hair.

“it wasn’t that cold.” Hope replied, but Nora went on talking. “for a school this big to still not think they need a better water system?” she said with a humph, “this is a cold season for crying out loud…”

Seems like I’d need the earplug during the day as well.

Hope went on to get dressed pretending to listen to the girl ramble on. “…and that stupid girl Ansa, what was she thinking shouting at me like that. My sister is the present senior girl…” she was still talking before the mirror when Hope walked to her side and felt like pushing the brush in her hand through her mouth to keep her shut.

You don’t want to make enemies yet do you? She nodded.

“…I’m going to make her pay, can you imagine, she called me a prude! A self-conceited nitwit!” she said shaking with self-righteous rage.

Whoever she is, she got that part right?

But Nora was looking at her now, brandishing the brush like she wants to hit something. “oh, she did?” Hope asked, feigning interest, quite amused herself. The voice that came from her lips had risen to the same as Nora, she didn’t seem to notice. “I’m going to make her pay…” she said, staring at the mirror tapping the brush tentatively on her hand, scowling at the mirror.

Hope stared out the window, she saw clear skies.

Lips pressed, glancing back at the loquacious girl every now and then, she rummaged through her box and felt her umbrella she dragged it out and surreptitiously shove it into her school bag.

Nora was still talking by the time Hope left the room, she sighed when finally, she could find some space around her ears not buffeted by the girl’s whining.

Hope was humming along, had her breakfast of French toast with hot chocolate drink at the diner. And before the bell rang she was seated in class awaiting the first math period. The math teacher was a short as he was short tempered, sent half a dozen of students out of the class before the period was over. One had blown raspberries and caused quite a ruckus.