SANTA MARIA HIGH (COMPLETED)

Part One: 11

Aside from the curious side glances and snide comments about the umbrella, Everything about the first week in Santa Mariah High was simply great. Sometimes Hope couldn't just help feeling like luck was finally shining on her.

Nora was her usual self, but had decided to include only her reflection in her discussions, ever since Hope hissed and walked out on her on Tuesday.

Hope made friends along the line, some girls that shared her favorite TV shows in the common room; some friends in music class, an elective, but Hope played the violin and could tell that Madame Rosalind had taken a like to her when she played a classic, ave maria.

The woman had clapped her hands, her eyes watering, as she squealed "bravo!" Madame Rosalind had told her she could drop by the studio any time she was free and wanted to practice. That may put her in the nerd category but it was better. Hope wasn't in the delusion that everyone liked her, but she had admirers and had admit to teach a girl in the art class that had walked back to class with her. Her name was Ada, she was the first person Hope really felt was really interested in her and kind as well, in her own way.

Hope had begun to count many fantastic event she had dreamt about Santa Maria, she had visited the manor (the studio in it), made a few friends in her class too all boys for now (Peter, Obi, Mathew (the sniffer), and a partridge in a pear tree); got to get a closer look at thirty of the marble statues (seventy-two more to go). But she was yet to see the lake which was quite far from the main school, closer to the boy's football pitch though, and Hope was taking her time, she had three more years to spend exploring SMH.

The nightmares apart, their increasing frequency and the unnerving feeling that followed, Santa Maria wasn't bad luck, not by a long shot. Not until things began to really change and it all began with a sight at the old Chapel.

****
The soccer trial, the boys had invited her to come watch was in progress and as Matthew predicted, Obi and his friend got tossed out that Sunday evening. It was that single stroke that brought them here before the old chapel. It stood tall, stoic, old, with wide half open doors leading in from weather beaten steps.

"let's go in." Obi said.

But Hope was not yet ready, he was staring at the statue by the building, it was about ten feet tall on a wide pedestal. A veiled woman was sitting on a throne, with a tiny baby on her lap. Over her head was the arched dome, standing on five pillars that surrounded her, each post resting on the corner of the pentagon base. "I think this used to be a grotto." Hope said.

"I doubt it," Peter replied. Craning his head to look beyond the Grotto towards the lawn leading to the manor. They had snuck around hiding behind hedges to avoid being noticed by the guards who were charged with preventing students from coming anywhere near the Manor without a sanctioned purpose.

"Maybe," Obi said, dancing on the ball of his feet. "but I don't see no cross." He said, looking up.

"yeah," Hope agreed, then stared back at the old church. Obi had intimated her with its story on their way here. Funny how his defeat inspired this sightseeing, she had left the hostel that day and decided to walk round on her own. That was how she got to the soccer pitch, she spotted Peter on the pitch, hobbling after the leather ball all sweaty and panting. "you came?" someone said from behind, that someone was Obi who sounded excited, he smiled and shrugged, carrying a bag that probably contained his sports gear, "didn't make it."

Hope nodded, she couldn't see how Peter would make it either. It seemed like they kept Peter in for comic effect. Quite caustic an observation, but it was true. There was something hollow in the way some boys cheered him, it was far from admiration, but amusement. Obi whose face was flushed didn't seem to miss that either. Peter was all over the place and he never got a ball passed to him. Hope was almost sorry for them.